September 19 - Daily Meditation Courage One night at a meeting, the topic of discussion was “courage.” The person who chaired the meeting said that they thought coming to the meetings over and over again represented courage. I agree, but also feel that there is another factor: determination. Courage and determination are needed. When I first attended Nar-Anon meetings, I tried everything in an effort to get the addict in my life to change. Nothing worked! Indeed, I believe courage and determination were needed as I had a particular dislike for “therapy” in any form. When I first attended Nar-Anon meetings, others said things such as - addiction is an illness, not a moral issue – and human nature tends to put up barriers of denial. The total and complete disillusion that I was experiencing was physically and emotionally debilitating to the point that I could not think straight. As I continued to attend the meetings and listen to others, I heard situations that are sometimes much worse than my own. I began to replace my denial with a willingness to accept change. I heard members share their stories about the horrors of addiction, and yet they were able to laugh about simple things. They were able to sit there with a measure of contentment that comes from working the Twelve Steps. Thought for Today: The desire to have the serenity that others have achieved became so strong that I kept coming back to the meetings over and over again. That desire for serenity began to replace my feelings of anger, grief, and desperation. Slowly a new person was starting to emerge. The change was taking place. “Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.” ~ John Quincy Adams Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 16:58:51 +0000