As was said recently, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a time when depression is at its ugliest and most widespread. We are all children of our Higher Power. As such, all were born perfect and also gifted with free will. This can be a wonderful thing or it can be our mad world. The earth is populated with some people who act Saint like and some who are true despots. The fact of the matter is that we are given choices by God.
When one is born, the infant knows nothing negative. The infant grins and/or smiles early and trusts everything and everyone. Now, what sort of observations does this child see, upon leaving the birth canal? Does it see love or hate? Peace or disturbance? Laughter or loud cursing? Loving strokes or hurtful strikes? Heated or calm?
Think back to when you were very young. You were very aware of your environment. Also very much affected by it. Why? Because this is all you saw. You probably heard what a mad world this was. So you believed that this was the way of the world because that was all that you knew. If you were poor, so were probably your neighbors and relatives. Wealthy? Probably so were your neighbors and relatives. With your parents or whoever spent an amount of time with you it was your world. If they were violent and struck each other and you, that was the way of the world for you.
When they showed you love and compassion, that was the way of the world for you. If they were sad and unhappy most of the time, that was the way of the world for you. If they were happy most of the time, that was also the way of the world for you.
As you grew older, your thoughts of the world also grew wider. If your caretakers “babysat” you with a TV, you saw a cruel, violent world where everyone is a victim or a thug. Even the cartoons are full of violence and hatred. “If they are all victims, so am I.” So, this may have become a way of life for you, too. After all, what you saw around you was what everyone saw, wasn’t it?
Soon, you began school and saw a larger mixture of people than you had before. More of the world, including the mad world, so to speak. We all knew who the bully or bullies were. We all knew who the wackos were. Also knew who the friendly ones were. We made our choices of who, if anyone, we wanted to hang with. Many of us turned to experimenting with different ways to cope with this newfound mad world.
At varying times and ages we even experimented with drugs and/or alcohol. We found RELIEF! Wow! Just a little beer or wine. Now things were not so hard to take any more. Just a tiny pill or smoke and things mellowed out. Now, if something bad happened to me or to someone else, things were smoothed over. Some by using a mind altering substance. This then became a way of life for us. Never dealt with a bad or a good or just even a mellow day without a mind altering substance in our system. This way, we don’t have to hurt or even think any more.
Then, for a myriad of reasons, we were introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous. Here we saw and heard people describing how they had been right in the same mad world where we had been. They now were Happy, Joyous, and Free. We wanted it, too. We wanted it badly! But, were we ready to go to ANY lengths to get it? If not, back to the drawing board. If yes, then a new life of happiness, joy, and freedom was within our grasp. We were not even told that we had to work the program perfectly. Or anywhere near. Just to the best of our ability. If we did, the best of our ability became better and better.
The AA Program is based on Spiritual, not religious principles. The Program consists of 12 Steps. They are numbered coincidently 1-12. They were presented in this order for a reason. We were advised to start with Step 1. Then work our way through the program one step at a time. When you feel that you have worked it to the best of your ability you are on your way to a greater life. One in which you can look at yourself in the mirror and not shrink back.
When I had thought that I had done just that, life still had its ups and downs. I was then advised to figure out where I was working my program wrong. I would start going through the steps. Starting at 1. Every time, I was stopped at Step 3. Yes, I had turned my will and my life over to the care of God as I understood him. But I had taken back a small portion of it. Nowhere in these steps does it say that we can take it back once we surrender it to our Higher Power. The 12 Steps are not like a cafeteria. We can not take what we want and leave the rest. If we do, our lives will continue to be miserable.
The Serenity Prayer also is introduced to us big time. Change what we can. Leave the rest. Know the difference. The ONLY thing I can change is ME!
So, when I say the shortened version of the 3rd Step, and turn over all outside of me to God, I am truly Happy, Joyous, and Free. Yes, I grieve for the loss of a loved one. I am not happy about it when in today’s world someone goes amuck and harms countless others. But I am HAPPY that I have the blessings that I do. JOYOUS that I can possibly help some others who are still fighting with their demons. And all because I am FREE of the influence of a mind-altering substance while life keeps on happening. And for this I say “Thank you, God!” each and every day of my human experience!
And, because as Spiritual Beings we are all extensions of God, a big ‘Thank You’ to you. Just being here with me. For this and so much more I am truly too blessed to be stressed.
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