October 1, 2006

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves- who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?
You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world. For those of us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small. We were born to express the glory of God that lives in us. It is not in some of us, it is in all of us. While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others.

~ Marianne Williamson found in Return to Love: Reflections on a Course in Miracles. Spotlighted in Akeelah and the Spelling Bee

The spiritual journey is one of continuously falling on your face, getting up, brushing yourself off, looking sheepishly at God and taking another step.
Sri Aurobindo

I see a lot of truth in this statement. I have fallen on my face more than once. I feel like my entire life has been a series of falling down, getting back up and brushing myself off. I’ve pulled myself up by my bootstraps more than once. I get a little tired and frustrated with that scenario but I guess it’s part of the journey. I’m no more unique than any one else. There are others who have worse falls than me. I’m one of the lucky ones.

Al-Anon has taught me a different way to live. I practice gratitude daily.

What am I grateful for today?

A- Al-Anon
B- Bankruptcy
C- Cats
D- Divorce
E- E-mail
F- Faith
G- God's grace
H- Hugs
I- Internet
J- Joey, the alcoholic who brought me into Al-Anon
K- Kisses
L- Love
M- Mac
N- New friends
O- Open mindedness
P- Persistence
Q- Quiet
R- Recovery buddies
S- Serenity
T- Telephone
U- Understanding, may I learn to be more
V- Vicki
W- Wisdom, may I acquire some on this journey
X- X-ray vision, learning to ask that I see others through God's eyes
Y- Yearning to be free
Z- Zoos, the only place where you can tell the animals from the humans (the animals are in the cages.)


I’m learning from the falls. I’m learning from my mistakes and failed attempts in life. I’m a work in progress. I will never be a work of art but at least I’m not the primitive drawing that I began as.