There is such a freedom to be found in becoming willing to let go of old ideals, perceptions, and biases! BoyGrowsUp’s reference to it being an ineffable experience is spot on for me.

One of the better moments of clarity for me happened when I made a decision - and it was a conscious one - to put the effort into listening for similarities in the meetings instead of the differences. Finding that common ground that I could build on. And that was the cornerstone for the freedom to actively work a program, at least for me. Fostering open-mindedness paved the way to a much more real understanding of my Creator than the one I had been given growing up. As my understanding broadened by listening to who others found their Higher Power to be, so my Creator grew - exponentially!

I look around the rooms sometimes and try and see what my Creator sees: everyone around me as a 5 year old, each a miraculous benediction to my life in some way and my Creator breathing through every single one.

Thank you for your posts. I look forward to them everyday and pass them on often.

Shiny Things

Love you.

It was nice to come to your site and see discussions of stuff that I have been getting into. I don’t tend to use God but it doesn’t matter. What I’ve come to realize is that there are many paths to get to this place of consciousness, even though many spiritual systems claim to be the only way, thus render themselves to being more a ideology and belief system than spiritual.

What I can say is that I had been searching for something long before I ever entered the rooms. I saw someone who seemed to have this sense of peace and being grounded. There was an energy being given that I wanted.

It is too bad that so many reject 12 step programs because of the spiritual aspect, even to the point of not being able to allow space for others to believe and do what they need to do without it somehow making it about themselves.

I’ve refused to say to lord’s prayer ever since grade 2. The other day I said it as the chair decided to close the meeting with it. What harm does it do me? Why can I not respect someone else’s path enough to say a few words?

Anyway, I gotta get my morning coffee.

i wish you were coming with me tonight. you could be my mouthpiece - you could be the Aaron to my being Moses…

je t’aime.

i love that you link it here with embracing our inner child - beautiful.

and if you substituted plymouth brethren for mormon for me (oh, and the part about being a gay man - but keep the red hair - i too am a red head!) you have my story too.

beautifully written chris. thank you.

I, too, delight at connecting with others in recovery who also learned genuine honesty and courage when they stood up for themselves and came out of the closet. I, too, (although truly fledgling at this) affirm the need for us to communicate clearly and openly about the miracle that a connection to our Higher Power brings.

I’ve learned that my self-fueled efforts took me just far enough to delude me into thinking I had things nailed. And then, dense lil ole me wakes up one morning and discovers I still am wearing a two-ton coat of chain mail that God would dearly love to remove from me.

The relief… it is not something I can yet accurately describe. But I feel a passion already to be accountable to others in recovery about this new way of looking at life that God has allowed me. Which is why I am frothing at the mouth about your beautiful post, just like some circuit preacher.

I am so glad you are here, to anchor me, and others.