You are who you are...

[majestyjo]

An old story tells of an unhappy and discontented stonecutter. He one day came upon a merchant and was awe-struck by all of the marvelous goods the man had for sale. "I wish I were a merchant," said the stonecutter and, quite amazingly, his wish was granted.

Not long afterward he saw a parade pass his little shop. Spying a prince dressed in splendor such as he had never before seen, he said, "I wish I were a prince." And he became one.

But it wasn't too many days later that he stepped outside and

felt the discomfort of the hot summer sun beating down upon his head. "Even a prince cannot stay cool in the sun," he said.
"I wish I were the sun." This wish, too, was granted.

He was happy being the sun until, one day, a cloud came between him and the earth. "That cloud over-shadows me," he said. "I wish I were a cloud."

Again his wish was granted and he was happy -- until he came to a mountain which he could not rise above. "This mountain is greater than I," he said. "I wish I were a mountain."

As a tall and mighty mountain he looked down upon the affairs of humans and felt that he was finally happy. But one day a stonecutter climbed up his side and chipped away at rock and there was nothing he could do about it. "That little man is more powerful than I," the mountain said. "I wish I were a stonecutter."

So the circle was completed and now the stonecutter KNEW that he would always be happy just being himself. He would never dress like a prince, shine like the sun nor rise as tall as a mountain, but he was happy to be who he was.

A sure way to unhappiness is to compare yourself with others.

Like someone aptly said, "The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but it still has to be mowed." You are who you are and that is to be celebrated!

© 2000 Steve Goodier

[majestyjo]

This is a spiritual program, not a religious one. It is finding the power of our belief in something other than ourselves. Yet for me, this power is within me, when I surrender and say my way doesn't work, I am empowered to do what I need to do for myself from the Source, from which all Creation flows.

For me it was so important to limit this power by my "human" concept, but to be open minded and look for God in all things and be open to receiving messages through His messengers.

God isn't the burning bush, but the flower on the bush. He isn't always the bright shining light, but the glimmer and glow that comes from within. He isn't a man of religion, yet if that man's words are divinely inspired, they can empower us.

We are empowered to be Co-Creators of our own Universe.

Because recovery is a spiritual program, and all the Steps have Spiritual Principles, I am hoping that we can all come together and share our recovery.

Powerlessness, willingness, honesty, courage, faith, etc. are all parts of recovery no matter what substance you used to feed your addiction, the Steps are a tool to a better way of life. I can't think my way into good living, I have to live my way into good thinking.

I used alcohol like I used other substances to escape my reality. I am an alcoholic who chooses not to drink today. I am an addict whose drug of choice (in the moment) was always more. I could stop many times, but I could not stay stopped. It was only through the healing and the growth of working the Steps, that I found a Higher Power and the ability to stay stopped.

Written by me in 2005 at 14 years sober.

I not only was able to stay clean and sober, but it helped me deal with all the outside issues I had regarding abuse, mental issues like anxiety and depression, emotional trauma like seeing my brother killed when I was 3 and took on the guilt that it was all my fault, anger, rejection, abandonment, etc.[/COLOR]