A ProcrastiKNITor's Recovery: January 22nd

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Meme of the Day: 22JAN17

"Stars can't shine without a little darkness;

So shine on."

©ProcrastiKNITor

I actually made this meme the other day so I could upload it to Zedge as a wallpaper because I was uber bored. I found the saying to be inspirational because it's simply true and serves as a beautiful reminder that the darkness can represent the trials and tribulations of life; while you and your higher power are the light...shine on (live and let live). I can't remember where I heard or read this quote originally. However, as an addict in recovery, I can attest that our brains tend to focus on the negative side of life and takes the self-hating/self-shaming to a whole other level that can take years of therapy to undo. However, without that darkness...the light wouldn't shine so bright. We wouldn't need to illuminate our paths to guide us out because we wouldn't be able to see any path out at all, there would not be anything to differentiate the contrasting elements of light and darkness. It would be all light or all darkness. If you ever experienced the hell of active addiction, that is the kind of darkness you don't want to be permanently engulfed in. Plus, it is kind of like the old adage my Nana used to say, "You can't really know joy, unless you have known sorrow."

Check out some of my other Narcotics Anonymous related posts on the ProcrastiKNITor Blog:

My Soapbox Post: January 22nd, 2017

Daily Meditation

The Serenity Prayer

The Just for Today Prayer

The Trust Prayer

The Literature Prayer

January 22nd: The School of Recovery

"This is a program of learning."

Basic Text pg. 16

Learning in recovery is hard work. The things we need to know are often the hardest to learn. We study recovery to prepare ourselves for the experiences life will give us. As we listen to others share in meetings, we take mental notes we can refer to later. To be prepared, we study our notes and literature between "lessons". Just as students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge during tests, so do we have the opportunity to apply our recovery during times of crisis. As always, we have a choice in how we will approach life's challenges.

We can dread and avoid them as threats to our serenity or we can gratefully accept them as opportunities for growth. By confirming the principles we've learned in recovery, life's challenges give us increased strength. Without such challenges, however, we could forget what we've learned and begin to stagnate. These are the opportunities that prod us to new spiritual awakenings.

We will find that there is often a period of rest after each crisis, giving us time to get accustomed to our new skills. Once we've reflected on our experience, we are called on to share our knowledge with someone who is studying what we have just learned. In the school of recovery, all of us are teachers as well as students.

Just for today: I will be a student of recovery. I will welcome challenges, confident in what I've learned and eager to share it with others.