Digging Below The Surface

Today's Thought

You are reading from the book Today's Gift.

In uplifting, get underneath.--George Ade

A sandpile in the summer is deceiving. The topmost sand burns hot on our feet. But as we push down toward the center, we come to a damp, cool place that soothes and oozes between our toes. The nature of most things is not revealed at the surface. Like the sandpile, many people and situations we encounter are, on the surface, downright uncomfortable. The reward is in digging deeper--to the essential goodness, the core or meaning, the true friend. It takes time, a little knowledge, and abundant trust that we will not be burned.

What have I discovered by digging a little lately?

I have been digging a lot lately. There has been some pain, a few tears, hurt and even anger. The rewards have made it worth it for I have been given, peace, serenity, understanding and compassion in return.

Recalling Our Common Human Essence

Recall the person who harmed you. Visualize him as a baby in his mothers arms and begin to send loving-kindness to that person:

For all the harm you've done to me, knowingly or unknowingly, I forgive you as much as I can.
As I wish myself to be happy, so I wish you to be happy.
As I wish to my heart to be filled with peace, so I wish your heart to be filled with peace.
I wish you well.

I am willing to forgive you, but not yet.

Then send yourself compassion:
May I be free from pain.
May I be free from suffering.
May my heart be filled with peace.

It doesn't matter if you don't mean the setiments expressed in the meditation. You are cultivating willingness by "acting as if." You are dismanteling the wall of resistance chink by chink. It may take some time, but eventually the light of forgiveness will shine forth. In the meantime be considerate of yourself.

Taken from Heart of Forgiveness by Madeline Ko-i Bastis

I'm finding this incredibly hard to do but I'm doing it anyway.

Who Am I?

Zen Koan: When you remove the wheel and axel from a cart, what's left?

When you remove your name, your role, your possessions, your beliefs, your body, what's left?

You may discover that your perception of yourself changes sdepending on time, place, relationship, or how others perceive you and how you perceive others.

There is nothing permanent that you can point to as being "you."

Taken from Heart of Forgiveness by Madeline Ko-I Bastis

Looking at myself from this perspective has been enlightening. Who I am, is really my soul. How I express my soul is up to me. I cannot control what any other person says to me or does to me. I can, however control my reaction to that. I can get angry and hurt and let that person have the power to darken my soul. Or I can accept that this is a sick person too, who deserves my compassion as I would give it to a sick friend or family member. By doing this and praying for the person as it suggests in the Big Book, I will be free of further harm to my soul. I will allow my soul to be free and shine for all to see. I will no longer allow myself to be a victim, and thereby allowing my soul to darken. I want to be a survivor!

The Brick

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?" The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother, "he said "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door.. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: "Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!" God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring. He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

This is something I have struggled to remember.....If God brings it to me, he will bring me through it.....Maybe someday I will stop fighting and trust in my Higher Power:

Today I am grateful for:

• Another Day
• Good Health
• Enough
• My husband and kids
• My dogs
• AA
• My AA family
• Sponsees to work with
• Great sponsors to ask advice of
• Liam.....and a great road trip to explore AA meetings
• feeling my Higher Power's presence today....
• The moon rise to drive home with

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

This posting contains notes taken from the below listed book. This has been a great source of help when faced with tough things that get me down:

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
By Pema Chodron

> The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.
> Practicing loving kindness towards ourselves seems as good a way as any to start illuminating the darkness of difficult times.
> As we learn to have compassion for ourselves, the circle of compassion for others becomes wider.
>In order to feel compassion for other people, we have to feel compassion for ourselves.
>The journey of patience involves relaxing, opening to what’s happening, expecting a sense of wonder.
> Right now we are creating our state of mind for tomorrow, not to mention this afternoon, next week, next year, and all the years of our lives.

The Goodness of Life

This poem has helped me remember to stay in the here and now. To focus on what I'm doing and take one day at a time, is a way of life that keeps me sane and sober.

The Goodness of Lifeby Ralph Marston

Though there is much to be concerned about, there is far, far more for which to be thankful.

Though life's goodness can at times be overshadowed, it is never outweighed.

For every single act that is senselessly destructive, there are thousands more small, quiet acts of love, kindness and compassion.

For every person who seeks to hurt, there are many, many more who devote their lives to helping and to healing.

There is a goodness to life that cannot be denied.

In the most magnificent vistasand in the smallest details,look closely, for that goodness always comes shining through.

There is no limit to the goodness of life.It grows more abundantwith each new encounter.The more you experience and appreciate the goodness of lifethe more there is to be lived.

Even when the cold winds blowand the world seems to be covered in foggy shadows,the goodness of life lives on.Open your eyes, open your heart,and you will see that goodness everywhere.

Though the goodness of life seems at times to suffer setbacks, it always endures.
For in the darkest moments it becomes vividly clear that life is a priceless treasure.
And so the goodness of life is made even stronger by the very things that would oppose it.

Time and time againwhen you feared it was gone foreveryou found that the goodness of lifewas really only a moment away.
Around the next cornerInside every momentThe goodness of lifeIs there to surprise and delight you

Take a moment to let the goodness of lifetouch your spirit and calm your thoughts.Then, share your good fortune with another.For the goodness of life growsmore and more magnificenteach time it is given away.

Though the problems constantly scream for attentionand the conflicts appear to rage ever stronger,the goodness of life grows stronger still,quietly, peacefully,with more purpose and meaning than ever before.

Copyright © 2004 Ralph S. Marston, Jr.