Acceptance
This was our topic in an AA meeting I attended today, my first in a while. Very timely topic as I frequently struggled to accept the world and people as they are, wanting them to conform to my idea of what they should be. A lot of wasted energy goes into this practice and much frustration results.
Here is a reading from the Big Book on acceptance. Much wisdom here.
And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.
When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, situation —
some fact of my life — unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept
that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God’s world by mistake.
Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober;
unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy.
I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world
as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.”
Replies
Hey Kevin105, been quite some time since we've communicated. I am back at it again. Fell off for a while after going about 10 months sober. Went there and then some. Not good I know but, it's been since labor Day 9/6 without alcohol and I feel good about it.
Been spending the last week reading post after post, journal after journal from you and most everyone on this DS site and I gotta say, wow, there is a lot of talent here.
I mean, you all really have a way of capturing what you want to say and getting it out there. I feel like I'm just babbling my brains out when trying to post or reply. I hope I get better at this part meanwhile I personally enjoy and appreciate everything I have read on this site.
I know it takes a lot of courage to share your heart and emotions and I feel like some of you are "reading my mail" so to speak with the similarities between your lives and mine........
As for this topic: Acceptance, this has my name all over it. I seem to get aggravated over the littlest things at times.
Person, place or thing.........hmmmmm, that's me, could be anything, just sets me off. Working on that.
See, more babbling, sorry 'bout that. I do know that it takes something, something special for any one of us to come here and post what we are feeling, what we are going thru or have been thru in the past.
Thanks for this reminder Kevin105.............stay in touch
So good hearing from you my friend. Glad you were able to right your craft and get sailing again. Acceptance has been a big part of my recovery as well. Every day it comes into play in something I say, do or think. Good to see you back and let’s stay in touch!