Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul Daily Inspirations Read online

Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 12

  Some think he’s a little strange. A week before my son was born; I rested against his fence and admired his flowers. He was quiet for a while and said, “I used to watch those through my window when I was in prison.” I protectively placed my hand over my unborn child. “I was a prisoner of war,” he continued. “Just a kid really. Both my parents and my sister were murdered and I didn’t want to live. Then, I saw those cosmos through my cell window and I made up my mind that if I was ever free, I’d go and touch them and keep some of the seeds.” Things are not always what they seem.

  Mary Lee Moynan

  Infinite riches are all around you if you will open your mental eyes and behold the treasure house of infinity within you.

  Joseph Murphy

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 13

  We make extensive lists. We make lists of all that is broken about ourselves; we also have long lists of what we should be doing, and aren’t doing yet; we have lists of regrets, lists of complaints, and lists of “it will never happen.” But today, let us start a new list entitled All That Is Possible with Me. It starts like this: I can hold someone’s hand; I can feed the ducks; I can read a book; I can write a book; I can become president; I can feel the cold and the warm; I can color any page blue if I want; I can breathe; I can smile.

  Barbara A. Croce

  I know of no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and the impossible.

  Friedrich Nietzsche

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 14

  We are survivors. We are resilient. Within us is great strength, an ability to overcome and to endure. From pain we never deserved, we build walls to hold in our secrets. Secrets that seem too difficult to face head-on. Secrets we fear, if shared, will only bring more pain. You have a choice and you have a voice. Keep your secret locked up within your walls forever, or use your strength and courage to break the silence and allow the truth to set you free.

  Nicole Braddock

  Truth is the secret of eloquence and of virtue, the basis of moral authority; it is the highest summit of art and of life.

  Henri Frederic Amiel

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 15

  The day after my daughter confessed to me that my husband of ten years was molesting her, I found myself without a home, no job and with three frightened, displaced children in a women’s shelter. I had spent ten years dodging shouts and blows, trying to make a nice life out of what had become a nightmare. I had obviously failed. I was as low and lost as I’d ever been. When the counselor asked what choices I had made in my life that had brought me to this moment, it was a turning point. Everything from that day forward would be the result of that long, hard look at myself. It was the first small step for me.

  Jaye Lewis

  In the depth of winter I finally learned there was, in me, invincible summer.

  Albert Camus

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 16

  My recovery lifts my spirit and gives my life a deeper purpose. Even my compulsive behavior was an attempt to grow, to find inner peace, however misguided. But today I recognize that the peace I sought can only truly be found by uniting my will with God’s. When I willfully try to push my life in place, I am limited in my vision. Today I invite spirit to involve itself intimately in all the petty arrangements of my life. Nothing is too small for spirit to be a part of. I am one with spirit; separateness is but an illusion, for the very second I invite spirit to be with me, it is there.

  Tian Dayton

  Love is faith, and one faith leads to another.

  Henri-Frédéric Amie

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 17

  We as a group are privy to knowledge that is rapidly coming to the rest of the world. There is a Spiritual solution to every single problem, question and situation in our lives, because that is what we indeed are, creatures of a Spiritual nature, a Spiritual origin. This is the most important thing that we have learned as a result of working the Twelve Steps.

  Jeffrey R. Anderson

  Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

  Stonewall Jackson

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 18

  Sobriety is not attained just by putting the cork in the bottle. It is suggested that our emotional growth stopped the day we started drinking and as we acquire more and more sobriety we “catch up.” I know that I am addicted to alcohol and am just one drink away from a drunk. For me, staying sober is paramount in my life. Without my sobriety and spirituality I am nothing.

  Rev. Bob Lew

  Love truth, but pardon error.

  Voltaire

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 19

  Will you please accept the help we’re offering? This was the question asked by each of Ruth’s family members assembled for the intervention. Ruth’s family not only loved her, they revered her. She had a great capacity to give and a way ofmaking people forget their troubles. She was everyone’s ray of sunshine. She drank infrequently, but after her husband’s heart attack, the binges became more frequent and more dangerous. Ruth looked around the room at her family and through tears, with a small smile the seventy-three-year-old grandmother said, “Yes, I’ll accept your help today.”

  Debra Jay

  In spite of warnings, nothing much happens until the status quo becomes more painful than change.

  Laurence J. Peter

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 20

  The problem with using a crutch–alcohol, drugs, food, gambling–to numb our emotional pain is that in the end we come to rely on it instead of on our own inner strength. We learn to lie quite persuasively: “I don’t need to drink. I just like the taste.” “These pills have caffeine in them. It’s like drinking coffee”; “I work hard for my money. I deserve to gamble if it relaxes me.”

  It becomes easier and easier to convince ourselves that our problems are under control. Eventually, when there are serious consequences and the crutch is no longer available, the only way to regain our health and to remain well is to acknowledge the truth.

  Kay Conner Pliszka

  This above all: to thine own self be true.

  William Shakespeare

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 21

  Sometimes I find myself living life like a prison sentence–just doing time, trying to stay out of trouble, filling my days with activities and thoughts just for something to do. On those days I have forgotten how it feels to wonder about life; to wonder why we are here, to wonder where we might be going, to wonder how I might contribute. Today I will be curious. I will carry questions in my pockets:

  What matters most? What can I do to express my gratitude? What can I do for someone I love–or maybe a complete stranger? I want more than a good day in prison. I want a wonder-full life.

  Thom Rutledge

  Who we are, the kind of people we will be, individually and collectively, is ultimately determined by one thing: how we relate to fear.

  Thom Rutledge

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 22

  Worry is rehearsing calamity, meditating on the worst thing that can happen. Worry is a joy stealer and a time robber. Worry sets a tone of unrest to those around you, causing misery to everyone. What is the antidote to worry? Count your blessings. Live one day at a time. Break the habit of negative self-talk.

  Take the energy you use in worrying and replace it with overwhelming positive thoughts. See yourself worry free with God’s help and then be successful, prosperous and victorious.

  Joan Clayton

  Being happy today takes care of tomorrow.

  Joan Clayton

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 23

  Change is generally regarded as positive, but it can be destructive as well. When running toward change, ask yourself, “From what am I running?�
� Are you leaving behind a family, a job, a reputation or troubles that are overwhelming? Change may bring relief and a fresh start but finding happiness and success right where you are may be more challenging and enduring.

  Elaine Young McGuire

  Change is an easy panacea. It takes character to stay in one place and be happy there.

  Elizabeth Clarke Dunn

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 24

  At times in the past, my love had been hidden, blocked off by impenetrable clouds. No light or love came through. These clouds prevented me from seeing the love within me and the love within someone else. In my family the love we felt for each other often got cloudy with broken promises, fear, anger and confusion. But today, the confusion, anger and fear are gone. I no longer dwell on past broken promises, instead I let my love shine forth and share my gifts with others.

  Rokelle Lerner

  Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly.

  Susan Polis Schutz

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 25

  Alicia was referred to me hoping I might solve the mystery. She was writing poetry with hints of suicide and showing signs of extreme anxiety.Her parents insisted nothing was wrong and refused professional counseling forher. Fortunately, the door tomyhighschool student assistance office was always open. After many weeks Alicia slowly began confiding a lifetime of sexual abuse–from her grandfather and father. Those revelations began a difficult process for Alicia but with her secrets and pain no longer hidden, she faced the truth. It is never too late to begin healing and as Alicia discovered, help can be just down the hall.

  Kay Conner Pliszka

  Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

  James Baldwin

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 26

  Regardless of the things that I thought I had gotten away with, I have learned that there are no free rides. Being responsible for my recovery also means being responsible for my actions, as well as the effects that my actions may have on others.

  When I made my direct amends to my children, they immediately forgave me–no questions asked. I was grateful for their unconditional forgiveness and in accepting it, know that I must unconditionally forgive those in my life who had wronged me in the past.

  Sala Dayo

  I have not failed. I have merely found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

  Thomas Edison

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 27

  When confronted with impossible and confusing situations, remember three profound thoughts given in four words at many railroad crossings: Stop, Look and Listen.

  If we really consider each of those words when dealing with difficulty, even when we’re not necessarily negotiating an automobile across a set of railroad tracks, we’d be well on the path of resolution.

  Stop and take a deep breath. Look and concentrate on the situation. Listen within yourself or turn to others for guidance.

  Bruce Squiers

  Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength.

  Hasidic Saying

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 28

  My name is Debbie and I am an alcoholic. I had reachedout toA.A. andwantedtomake anhonest effort toworktheStepsbut Iwas a confirmedathe-ist. Onedaymy sponsor askedme tolist allof the characteristics I wanted my Higher Power to have. For several days I consideredmy list and settled on supportive, caring, forgiving, understanding, patient and non-controlling.One evening as I wasdrivingtoameeting,mentallyreviewingmylist,Isuddenly heard a voice say, “You already havemewith you.” I immediately felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I could stand straight and hold my head up proudly. My name is Debbie and I am in recovery.

  Debbie Heaton

  I am not a phoenix yet, but here among the ashes, it may be that the pain is chiefly that of new wings trying to push through.

  May Sarton

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 29

  After work I often found myself at the drive-thru window, ordering lots of food and consuming it in my car before going home. When I complained about the grips of my addictive behavior to a wise friend she simply said, “Do something different and you’ll get different results.” That night I told myself that I wanted to cook a healthy meal. I stopped at the grocery store, got the ingredients and did just that. Occasionally, I still find myself at the drive-thru but I don’t beat myself up. I acknowledge how poorly I feel after bingeing and contrast that with the calm I feel after I cook for myself. The pattern is broken.

  Lisa Jo Barr

  Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.

  Will Rogers

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 30

  Powerful emotions stir as I recall the places from which I have come. Worlds of seemingly unrecoverable loss and immense pain until his words brought peace and a hand of beauty, love and grace reached into the vile darkness to rescue me. Tears, no longer of rage and anger, roll down my face in thankfulness for the life I have now found.

  Sobriety; a life no longer dominated by drugs, alcohol, rage and pain. Each day brings with it the promise of something better, this can only be so as the words he spoke echo somewhere deeply in my soul.

  Godwin H. Barton

  We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

  Footnotes for Life

  JANUARY 31

  When I am in a bad mood and feel like blaming someone else for it, I will try something new–I won’t. Blaming doesn’t work. It makes the other person defensive and deaf to what I say, and it postpones my seeing and understanding what the feeling beneath the blame is. Today I will recognize that beneath my urge to blame is probably either self-condemnation or a fear of being blamed myself. I will stay with those feelings and see what they are about for me before I act on them by blaming someone else.

  Tian Dayton

  I will connect with my Higher Power today and see where the connection leads me.

  Tian Dayton

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 1

  Early in my recovery A.A. members told me, “Let us love you ’til you can love yourself.” I surrendered. As my sobriety grew, they offered, “Don't get too hungry, angry, lonely, tired.” I accepted. When they advised, “It's the first drink that gets you drunk, just stay away from that first drink.” I understood. When they suggested, “Don't think about not drinking for the rest of your life, only today.” I knew. When someone told me, “Don't quit before the miracle.” I believed. And when I heard, “Remember alcohol gave you wings to fly but then it took away the sky,” I was free. What wise words!

  Dorri Olds

  Live not one’s life as though one had a thousand years, but live each day as the last.

  Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 2

  Iwas astounded to find myself powerless over my feelings. When I first got sober and started feeling feelings that had been numbed for years, I thought there must be a way to control these feelings away.

  My sponsor explained that, along with being powerless over alcohol, people, places and things, I was powerless over my emotions. My life would be unmanageable if I thought I was in charge. After attempts to stuff my feelings using food or avoid them by shopping, I began to be conscious of my powerlessness. Surrendering to powerlessness became my best choice. This let me feel my feelings, process them and live life more fully.

  Pamela Knigh

  Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.

  Danny Kaye

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 3

  Iwalk softly with my spirit today. I am uplifted by the thought that I am not alone,
nor ever was. I am waiting in pleasant anticipation for spirit to work its quiet magic inmy day. There is nothing that I can think, feel or do, that cannot be made lighter and truer by inviting spirit into it. I rest in the joyous awareness that spirit is with me; has never left me. If I feel an absence of spirit I will remember that it is not spirit that moves away from me, but me that moves away from spirit.