This is a reading from today's Night Light, a book by Hazelden that I've had for years. I thought I'd share this one.
In the midst of winter, I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer~ Albert Camus
When things seem to be going badly and everyone appears to be against us, what do we see? Do we think things will never get better, or is there a ray of hope inside us that believes everything will soon be okay?
In the midst of a long, cold winter, we might only see the gray skies, feel the biting chill, hear only the crunch of our feet on the frozen earth. Wintertime can be compared to the bottom we first had to hit before we entered the program---a gray, dreary, hopeless, emotional freeze.
Yet, we've learned there is hope. Each day of recovery has warmed the emotional chill and brought new life back into our bodies. We can now trust that even in the darkest and coldest of times, there is a warm glowing ray of hope and faith all around us.
I trust there is hope for even the most hopeless of situations. Tonight I have great faith in the healing of the program.
And I also find that even during the days of recovery there are bottoms that we again may reach and it always reminds me of my spiritual readings that tells me "not to forsake in the darkness what God(my Higher Power ) has shown me in the light. From the abyss of darkness to a program and principles,guided by the God of our understanding instilled in the attitudes and behaviors of our lives, WE do continue that daily vision of HOPE!
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Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
Glad I don't have to endure the harsh winters in Cleveland anymore, but the first few nice days of spring presented a huge rush and feeling of gratitude.
Never thought about sobriety quite like that.
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
The Camus quote is one of my favorites. Very nice post, Wren. :)
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I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
