Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul Daily Inspirations (Chicken Soup for the Soul) Read online

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.

  Tian Dayton

  If you can’t have faith in what is held up to you for faith, you must find things to believe in yourself, for a life without faith in something is too narrow a space to live.

  Alec Bourne

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 4

  My mom often summarized her philosophy in succinct phrases. One of her favorites was:

  The most precious gifts should not be kept or hidden.

  They should be given freely with no strings; a smile, a kiss and love.

  Amelia Rose Bederka

  as told to Steve Bederka-Toth

  Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.

  Mother Teresa

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 5

  The road to recovery should be renamed the joy of discovery. Each day I uncover a part of me that was lost and hidden from view. I love the transformation as I look forward to my future and the person that I am becoming.

  Let me accept today’s challenges with gratitude knowing that I will be given the inner strength needed to go on with my life. Not everyone is so fortunate to be given a second chance to start over. Let me see the opportunity in my hardships rather than despair, as the guiding force for goodness leads me there.

  Theresa Meehan

  Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.

  Chinese Proverb

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 6

  Recovering from my mother’s death wasn’t easy for me. Because she was elderly, it was generally accepted that her death should be expected but I still missed her. One day while going through her things I found a small journal; inside she had written, “Such a pretty book for pretty thoughts.” Apparently she died shortly after, because the following pages were blank. I began on the next page and wrotemy memories of her: funny things she said and did and about the life of love she lived. She continues to live through my words not only for myself but also for those that read about her in years to come.

  Carol Van Dyke Brown

  The written word may be our greatest invention. It allows us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 7

  Ihad never felt better in my life when during my annual health check-up my doctor delivered stunning news. I had last stage liver disease. In one brief moment everything had changed. In talking with my wife later, I heard myself saying, “Remember that exercise, the one that asked you to consider what regrets you might have if you had only twenty-four hours to live? Well, I can’t think of any. All of the people I love know I love them and I know they love and honor me. There’s no unfinished business. I feel grateful.” Tears of joy began to run down my cheeks. Who would have thought that my journey in recovery would pay off with such dividends?

  Ted Klontz

  Don’t compromise yourself. You’re all you’ve got.

  Betty Ford

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 8

  Iworked on a horse ranch for Anna and Pete every summer until I left home at eighteen. My memories are full of afternoons flying through tall grass holding onto the reins while Fleet Foot, the horse I cared for, did his job cutting cattle. I never told Anna or Pete about the horrors that were going on in my childhood home, but I shared my deepest secrets with Fleet Foot. Those days at the “Flying W” were few but the work I did there was more than cutting cattle and mending fences; the lasting work was the mending of my spirit and the knowledge that we all deserve to be treated with kindness and compassion.

  Jane Middelton-Moz

  If one is without kindness, how can one be called a human being?

  Sarada Devi

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 9

  Through self-expression we find insight and we begin to understand. Through community with others we find understanding and we begin to heal.

  Through releasing of the past we find courage to face the future and we begin to forgive.

  Alexandra P.

  Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things.

  Amelia Earhart Putnam

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 10

  When we were using, we had no problem manipulating our schedules to fit in quality time for our addictions.

  Filling the bottomless pit of them constituted a full-time job.

  Our new way of life can be free of insanity and frenzy; we can be content to slow down and just be.

  Candy Killion

  It is time to make the time.

  Henry Dumas

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 11

  Pat had a rough start in the program, relapsing often until he finally “figured it out,” as he says. He was a “wrecker” when he drank. He’d tear things apart, knock down walls, leave a mess everywhere he went. Most of his sober time was spent paying for all the damage he caused while on his drinking sprees.

  One night during a blacked-out relapse, a tornado came through a town where he was holed up. Cars were turned over, roofs torn off houses, trees uprooted. In themorningwhen he staggered to the door of the motel and saw the damage, he looked up to the heavens and wailed, “Holy God! How am I going to pay for all this?”

  As told to Earnie Larsen

  Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

  Step 9, The Twelve Steps of A.A.

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 12

  It’s amazing we ever get so lost and even more amazing we come back from the realms of addictions, but we do. It is no wonder that, with the insanity of this world, we trust so little and fear so much. That’s who I was, one who really trusted very little and feared most of all. During my time in treatment I realized that maybe I wasn’t what I did. That who I had been wasn’t who I had to be. I could choose again. My program teaches me that knowing what I am doing is nowhere nearly as important as just showing up and letting life show me.

  Lee R.McCormick

  Answer that you are here–that life exists and identity. That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

  Walt Whitman

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 13

  So often I have wanted to run away but an invisible hand held me in place. I remained, worked through the issue I wanted to escape and I overcame. In the midst of the struggle, I discovered a wonderful truth: I can’t lose if I don’t give up. Failure is not an option if I don’t quit. I intend to win in life. I have made it this far, and I am going to make it all the way. I believe in me.

  Barbara A. Croce

  That which we persist in doing becomes easier–not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 14

  When it is hard to breathe, slow down. Think of one breath at a time. Relax and drift inward. Focus on happier times with people you love.

  Think of how important your life is to others.

  Think of your dreams.

  Think of tomorrow, next week, next year.

  Inhale slowly. Exhale slowly.

  Taste the air as it miraculously fills you.

  One breath at a time.

  F
elice Prager

  Imagine that you are a Masterpiece unfolding, every second of every day, a work of art taking form with every breath.

  Thomas Crum

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 15

  Talking is a powerful way to share experiences, to create intimacy and build a connection between people. Many of us find it difficult to talk about our feelings, often because we feel so much shame about what we’ve been through. We are afraid to tell other people what we feel, or what we struggle with. We expect to be rejected or condemned or humiliated.

  Share your story with someone today. It takes courage, but we are all human beings who desire acceptance and understanding. All you have to lose is shame and fear.

  Lisa Jo Barr

  Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.

  Gladys Berthe Stern

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 16

  The close of the front door ended the abuse. I watched my husband, once my best friend, and the father of my three children, walk out of our lives. Tears of relief and a trickle of regret emptied down my cheeks. Money was scarce and it was difficult keeping the kids safe and well cared for, but all of those challenges paled in comparison with the peace of mind and the emotional security we felt as soon as the abuse stopped. I drew strength and confidence with each smile on my children’s faces and every hug told me any sacrifice was worth giving our family of four another chance.

  Cynthia Borris

  You grow up the day you have your first real laugh–at yourself.

  Ethel Barrymore

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 17

  When my three-year-old son was diagnosed with autism I made a promise never again to let a day go by that I didn’t hug him and tell him I loved him. It no longer mattered if he returned my love or if he continued to push me away. He would never leave this Earth without knowing how much I loved him. I kept my promise and he has done very well. Today he is a very happy, loving little boy and I am a believer in the power of unconditional love.

  Linda C. Bird

  Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage.

  Lao-tzu

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 18

  “God, do you know how hard it is for me to love you? Do you know how hurt I am? Do you know that even though I don’t understand why; why I am an alcoholic–why I had to lose my child. I don’t need to know the answers to those questions anymore. In spite of every burden that I carry, either by my own free will or by your command, even though my soul cries for release, even though I will always feel this way–I still love you, God. Though I wanted to blame you and hate you, I love you anyway.”

  With that prayer, faith, courage, honesty, acceptance and surrender became the foundation of my recovery.

  Julie Orlando

  I want to know God’s thoughts. The rest are details.

  Albert Einstein

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 19

  Believe in your body, it will lead you toward recovery. Your legs will carry you to the meetings when you don’t want to go. Your hands will write in the journal every day even if you think you don’t have anything to say. Your heart will beat stronger than it ever has because now it beats in a drug-free body. Your soul is your strength to continue to guide you through one day at a time. Your mind will remind you of your past so you don’t repeat it. Your eyes will see the future of living a drug-free life. Have faith in yourself and keep moving forward.

  Christine Learmonth

  They lied to you, sold you ideas of good and evil, gave you distrust of your body and shame for your prophethood of chaos.

  Charles Donaldson

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 20

  Paul had been sober for fifteen years and I was acting as if he was still drinking. His kindness was greeted with my recriminations. His gentleness fueled my defensiveness. My anger flared like a fire suddenly out of control provoked by something he did to show he cared. He was trying so hard to make up for lost years and I was thwarting him at every turn. Late one night, I lay awake thinking. As tears rolled onto the pillow, I realized I could never release my anger until I forgave Paul. The more I thought about this, the more free I felt. I was not the judge and jury. I could not continue to judge my husband, only to love and forgive him.

  Sallie A.Rodman

  Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.

  Kahlil Gibran

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 21

  Sound judgment about what is right and what you need to do is based on your system of values. It is only when you are standing on the foundation of your values that you are able to maintain your truth, no matter what the circumstances. The ability to live according to your values, in an unwavering way, depends on how well you have realized your true spiritual identity, and have begun to cultivate that innerstateofdignity.TheawarenessofbeingGod’schildallowsyouto claimyourdivinity.Theawarenessofbeingastudent,learningnotjust fromGodbutalsofromthosearoundyou,ofbeinganexample,of becoming a model of whatever you want otherstolearn,allowsyoutounderstandyour highesttruthandbegintoliveit.

  Brahma Kumaris

  World Spiritual University

  In your golden heart there is no limit to forgiveness, and no space for disheartenment.

  Brahma Kumaris

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 22

  Since I had cancer twelve years ago, I have created my own recovery. Every day, I must tend to my body and to my mind. I cannot forget that I am always in recovery. I cannot say to myself, “I do not matter,” for I must believe I do. I matter to my family and friends who reach out to me and I to them. I matter to my pets who think there is no person more important in the world. I matter to myself because that is essential to my recovery. To matter. To someone. Somewhere. Every day.

  Harriet May Savitz

  I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot. And I too suffer. This has been my life; I found it worth living.

  Bertrand Russell

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 23

  In the stillness of the morning before I get out of bed, I listen for the voice of God and this is what he says, “I give you love, peace and happiness to set you on your way.

  I am always watching out for you each and every day.

  Do not fear for tomorrow, for today has just begun.

  Instead, look for the treasures that come from up above.”

  Theresa Meehan

  I will greet this day with love in my heart. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit.

  Og Mandino

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 24

  My great grandmother had eleven children, washed clothes on a washboard, cooked on a wood-burning stove and lived in a modest shanty with no plumbing or electricity. Although poor by the world’s standards, she had riches untold. Her wealth consisted of hope, peace and joy. In my research I dis-coveredGranny Lowe’s secrets of success: Live one day at a time, be content with what you have andmake someone else happy. These three secrets can change a life fromdespair into hope, envy to contentment, and sorrowinto joy.

  Joan Clayton

  I want to leave treasures that money can’t buy.

  Joan Clayton

  Footnotes for Life

  FEBRUARY 25

  Somewhere along your path to recovery, God has given you at least one encourager– someone who listens, who is farther along the path than you are, who gives you hope. Is the time right for you to find someone farther back, who needs your encouragement, guidance, a light to see the path? Giving support will energize their recovery . . . and your own.

  Joy Neal Kidney

  Having chosen our course, without guile and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear.

  Abraham Lincoln


  Footnotes for Life