I know that you all have experienced this in your recovery if you have any long recovery time and I want to share about it for me. It seems to me on this journey into and thru recovery that my Higher Power has supported and worked with me and thru me "in spite of me" a demonstration of HP's will over mine. When I thought that a situation or condition would best come out my way, if it was left up to me, it has come out in a better way instead. My meeting with an ex-sponsee during the week...Angell's shares about receiving gifts and working the program beyond superficial; I have experienced those events along with the attendance of others inside and outside of our program. Those are profound when others verify our journey and connection with a power greater than they can understand. This morning the lead came from the daily reflection book and took off from there and then my sponsor shared in such a manner that I heard what he was saying and it didn't seem to be coming from outside myself but inside myself. He was speaking to a journey and spiritual awareness that in inate, imprinted on the spirit rather than the mind. He was speaking of a spiritual "culture" as a recovery. He hit me right on my meditation awareness which is simply "God is". Huge meeting and I am sure right now as I offer this...this day will continue to be spiritually different. Gotta go help some newbies. (((hugs)))
Hi Jerry,
yes there is so much more to this journey than just not drinking. It is a spiritual journey that continues for a lifetime. One way to look at it is my experience on this journey is nearly four times the experience of getting to the starting gate (the drinking years). We continue to grow and more and more I find myself having similar experiences.
Recently, I was almost brought to tears reading something that Bill wrote, describing my experience and feelings so closely it may as well have been coming from me. I find this a lot with the big book too.
When I first read the book, I missed most of it (99%), but as I have learned to practice the principles in all my affairs (I use the word practice advisedly), I find the book's descripitons of feelings and experiences in recovery, fit me more and more closely. Inner peace and serentity seem to be my main companions these days. A life infinitely better than anything I could have imagined.
But this is nothing less than what was promised as the result of this way of life. So much more than just not drinking.
