Today's Thought - March

[bluidkiti]

March 1

The less able I am to believe in our epoch and the more arid and depraved mankind seems in my eyes, the less I look to revolution as the remedy and the more I believe in the magic of love.

~Hermann Hesse

Men have been more likely to look outward than inward for solutions to problems. Yet this program is changing us from within. As we come to terms with ourselves, as we learn to be in relationships with friends and family, the same picture that looked so dismal in past years may look full of possibilities and even rich in the present. The love we feel toward others and the love we receive change our perceptions.

We need not expect all relationships to be alike. One friend may be wonderful as a recreational buddy, but perhaps we wouldn’t talk about everything in our life with him. Another friend is comfortable, and we can be ourselves with him, although he may not challenge us to grow or change. No friendship, no spouse, no one person can be enough in our life. But as a group they sustain and enrich us. We need the love and contact with them all.

I am thankful for love, which gives meaning and hope to life.

Today's reading is from the book Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men*

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March 2

Forming new habits

We form habits, and then these habits begin to form us. For so long we had such self-destructive ways of being: we were self-centered, angry, and critical people, and so we behaved selfishly, angrily, and judgmentally in the world.

To stay sober we must develop new habits, new patterns of living. We must give up old hangouts, old friends, old attitudes and ideas. It seems this is the only way to form new habits—for example, kindness, love, and honesty—on which our program is based.

What habits do I want to develop?

Higher Power, help me to form new habits to replace the old ones that nearly destroyed my life.

The new habit I will work on today is…

Today's reading is from the book Day by Day: Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts*

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March 3

Reflection for the Day

It’s time for me to realize that my attitude—toward the life I’m living and the people in it—can have a tangible, measurable, and profound effect on what happens to me day by day. If I expect good, then good will surely come to me. And if I try each day to base my attitude and point of view on a sound spiritual foundation, I know it will change all the circumstances of my life for the better, too. Do I accept the fact that I have been given only a daily reprieve that is contingent on the maintenance of my spiritual condition?
Today I Pray

Since my illness was spiritual—as well as physical and emotional—may I mend spiritually through daily communion with my Higher Power. May I find a corner of quiet within me where I can spend a few moments with my Higher Power.
Today I Will Remember

To spend a quiet moment with my Higher Power.

*Meditations can be specific, but themes are universal: apply as needed on your personal journey.

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March 4

Sponsors keep the program alive.

The founders of Alcoholics Anonymous understood the importance of telling other people how they had overcome the struggles and multiplied the successes in their lives. Sponsorship is a key element in every Twelve Step program. Every one of us reading these words has a part to play.

Sharing our experiences with newcomers or old-timers is equally valuable. None of us has the perfect program. We are always learning and relearning to use the tools that promise saner living. Every time we answer a call for help or offer ourselves as a sounding board to a friend in pain, we’ll have an opportunity to strengthen our program.

The program continues to thrive because individuals keep talking to each other and seeking from one another the wisdom that can make each new day more serene.

I will have an opportunity to help someone today. God sees to that every day. I pray for the willingness to do my part.

Today's reading is from the book A Life of My Own: Meditations on Hope and Acceptance*

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March 5

Into the dangerous world I leapt…

~William Blake

Life is full of risks. We may be tempted to maintain the status quo in areas of our lives where we’ve achieved some kind of stability, even though our deep needs aren’t being fulfilled. We may be reluctant to reach out to new friends or potential loves if we are grieving a loss or hurt. We may not want to take on the risk of changing jobs, the expense of furthering our education, or the hard work of pursuing recovery or therapy.

There are no guarantees that we’ll like the new experiences for which we’ve exchanged our old ones. We may be loath to change routines that are familiar and comforting. We are not lazy. More likely, we’re feeling frightened or inadequate. Many courageous people have experienced the hesitation we’re experiencing. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is having the willingness to take action in spite of fear.

Today, I’m willing to risk doing something differently.

Today's reading is from the book Glad Day: Daily Meditations for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People*

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March 6

Safety

One of the long-term effects of living in a dysfunctional family—as children or adults—is that we don’t feel safe.

Much of what we call codependency happens because we don’t feel safe in relationships. This can cause us to control, obsess, or focus on the other person, while neglecting ourselves or shutting down our feelings.

We can learn to make ourselves feel safe and comfortable, as part of a nurturing, loving attitude toward ourselves.

Often, we get a feeling of safety and comfort when we attend Twelve Step meetings or support groups. Being with a friend or doing something nice for ourselves helps us feel protected and loved. Sometimes, reaching out to another person helps us feel safe. Prayer and meditation help us affirm that our Higher Power cares for us.

We are safe now. We can relax. Perhaps others haven’t been there for us in a consistent, trustworthy way, but we are learning to be there for ourselves.

Today, I will concentrate on making myself feel safe and comfortable.

Today's reading is from the book The Language of Letting Go: Daily Meditations on Codependency*

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March 7

Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.

~Voltaire

To learn more about anything is to become increasingly able to make meaningful observations: “Aha! That’s why the teacher said to do it this way!” or “Now I get it! It’s this command, not that one, that runs the program!” In large part, to know the difference is to know the right questions.

We can’t change the fact of a divorce, for example, but we can deal more creatively with loneliness. If we’re short, we can’t make ourselves taller, but we can learn to deal with insensitive jokes. If someone has died, we can’t make that person live again, but we can do something about the despair we may feel. What’s the correct question? Will God reverse what has happened? Or is the question really this: Will God give us the spiritual power to deal with what is?

If we have been asking that God spare us pain, perhaps we should try a different question: Will God lead us through our pain to a greater understanding of life?

I will learn to trust more in my Higher Power and the direction He gives my life.

Today's reading is from the book Days of Healing, Days of Joy: Daily Meditations for Adult Children*

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March 8

Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.

~Theodore Rubin

It’s more important to be kind than it is to be smart. Being kind means actually doing things that help other people and make the world a better place. Being smart, or wise, is really nothing in itself without action.

Notice what happens when someone pays attention to us with a smile. We experience a wonderful, heart-warming feeling. And we can do that for others anytime we want.

It’s so easy to do kind things. We can smile and say hello. Hold a door open for someone. Help with the dishes after dinner. Send a note or make a phone call to brighten someone else’s day. Make the coffee or set up chairs at our recovery meeting. Sponsor a newcomer.

When we can, we should do kind actions that are a bit more difficult. We might help out at a food kitchen for the poor, run errands for a shut-in neighbor, or coach a children’s sports team. No matter if our kind actions are big or small, they make the world a happier place.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, remind me today that I can do a favor for you. I can make your love real in the world by giving away a smile, a greeting, or a kind word to someone.

Today's Action

Today I will practice being kind. I will say hello to at least five people while I look them in the eye and smile. I will notice what happens when I do this.

Today's reading is from the book God Grant Me: More Daily Meditations from the Authors of Keep It Simple*

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March 9

To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else.

~Bernadette Devlin

It is a humbling experience to admit there is a Power greater than ourselves. We felt powerful as an addict, especially when we were acting out. But that power was illusion; we used it to hide the truth. We truly believed that our addiction was all-powerful. It was the force we counted on and protected.

What an undertaking then to admit our powerlessness and to acknowledge our need for a Power greater than ourselves. Our life can feel like a battleground, with our addiction pulling us one way and our recovery urging us another. And where is our Higher Power during this struggle? Unlike our addiction, our Higher Power does not force us to do anything, but waits until we choose. We do not have to take action any particular way; we will decide to turn our life over to the care of our Higher Power as we’re ready. We need only sense a spiritual presence ready to help us when we are ready to accept our powerlessness.

Step Two is a way for me to start to know my own spirituality. Can I accept this gift from my Higher Power?

Today's reading is from the book Answers in the Heart: Daily Meditations for Men and Women Recovering from Sex Addiction*

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March 10

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

~Don Marquis

We were constant procrastinators before we began our Twelve Step program. Addiction created the habit of delay because, as long as we had our substance, everything else could wait.

Now we know that action truly is the magic word. The slogan “Easy does it” doesn’t mean to put things off. It means to do it, but to do it in God’s good time. Slow growth doesn’t mean postponement.

We can’t put off airing problems to other people for fear of being ridiculed. We need answers early during our progress. When we attempt to ask for solutions, we can be clear and direct in our questions. We know our friends will always give us the right to be wrong and quickly correct faulty thinking.

I can solve problems just by pressing on. Procrastination is not living one day at a time. I will do today what I am meant to do today.

Today's reading is from the book Easy Does It: A Book of Daily Twelve Step Meditations*

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March 11

Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition.

~Alexander Smith

One reason our program has such power to change lives is that it is based on the principle of sharing between people with similar problems and experiences. We are able to help each other when nothing else seems to work because we can identify with one another. We recognize ourselves in each other, making it easier to love one another.

God made us all equal. It is hard for us to believe this until we see others who seem so different, but are really just like us. The knowledge that we are essentially alike—that God gave each of us the same feelings, the same inner needs—comforts us and gives us confidence. That’s why it’s important that we share ourselves by revealing our feelings.

I will share my feelings with others today and delight in the recognition it brings.

Today's reading is from the book In God's Care: Daily Meditations on Spirituality in Recovery*

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March 12

I want to get you excited about who you are, what you are, what you have, and what can still be for you. I want to inspire you to see that you can go far beyond where you are right now.

~Virginia Satir

Deciding to recover was our first step. That decision meant we did want to go beyond where we were. We did want something better for ourselves. And at times, in fleeting moments, we have been excited about who we are and our prospects for a better life.

The excitement and the inspiration come and go; they are seldom stationary. We can actively create the excitement and the inspiration. We need not wait for them to come to us. That's one of the choices we have as human beings, as women.

Passively waiting for "the good life" is past behavior. Each day, this day, we can set our sights on reaching a goal—we can take a step, or two, toward that goal. Progress is there for the making—achievement is there for the taking.

Whatever our hearts' pure desires, we can move toward that goal. We are what we need to be. We have what we need to move ahead.

Today, I will let my excitement for life's possibilities spur me on.

Today's reading is from the book Each Day a New Beginning: Daily meditations for Women*

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March 13

We have ever more perfect eyes in a world in which there is always more to see.

~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Today’s quotation could be seen as one of the promises of recovery. When we enter into a program of spiritual and emotional renewal, we choose to become honest with ourselves. In the process, our eyes begin to see more clearly, and we become aware of the many ways we have been dishonest with ourselves. Each new bit of self-honesty builds the base for more insight and an ever-sharper understanding of ourselves and our world. When we started with our decision to be honest, we could never have predicted what we would find down the path.

We first surrender to the truth as we know it, and this clarity about ourselves and the world grows into great insight. The world opens up for us, and we find ever more to see and learn. We feel very alive every moment.

Today, I continue my commitment to see the truth wherever I find it.

Today's reading is from the book Stepping Stones: More Daily Meditations for Men*

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March 14

AA Thought for the Day

If we had absolute faith in the power of God to keep us from drinking and if we turned our drinking problem entirely over to God without reservations, we wouldn’t have to do anything more about it. We’d be free from drink once and for all. But since our faith is apt to be weak, we have to strengthen and build up this faith. We do this in several ways. One way is by going to meetings and listening to others tell how they have found all the strength they need to overcome drink. Is my faith being strengthened by this personal witness of other alcoholics?
Meditation for the Day

It is the quality of my life that determines its value. In order to judge the value of a person’s life, we must set up a standard. The most valuable life is one of honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love. All people’s lives ought to be judged by this standard in determining their value to the world. By this standard, most of the so-called heroes of history were not great humans. “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be honest, pure, unselfish, and loving. I pray that I may make the quality of my life good by these standards.

Today's reading is from the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day: A Spiritual Resource with Practical Applications for Daily Life*

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March 15

The difficulty in life is the choke.

~George Moore

How we choose to spend our time says much about what is important to us. If we have no goals, we may try to kill time. If we have too many goals, there may not be enough time in the day to do all we set out to do.

We must make some choices based on our values. We may need to take more time for some things, and let go of others. For example, this year will we try to learn to play the guitar? Perhaps we have finally decided to drop out of that club which seems to have little purpose. Will we give more time to work, or less time? With each of these choices, we shape our lives. We can do it with the touch of an artist if we pay attention to the choices we are making.

What is truly important to me today?

Today's reading is from the book Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families*

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March 16

Rest is the guardian of health.

~Melba Colgrove

Now that we’re sober, we’re feeling better than we have in years. We’re busy too. We attend meetings and visit friends. We have work, school, families, and homes to keep up with.

It’s easy to forget to rest. We forget that our bodies and minds need time off. We need plenty of sleep each night. And we need a lazy weekend now and then to let our bodies recover from the go, go, go of daily life.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me listen to my body. Remind me to slow down and rest now and then.
Action for the Day

How much have I rested lately? Have I gotten enough sleep each night? What can I do in the next two days to rest my body, mind, and spirit?

Today's reading is from the book Keep it Simple: Daily Meditations for Twelve Step Beginnings and Renewal*

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March 17

The reward of friendship is itself. The man who hopes for anything else does not understand what true friendship is.

~Saint Aelred of Rievaulx

The comfort of a true friend in a time of trouble, the strength we sense in being with someone who truly knows us, the affirmation of life that comes with enduring friendships—no other experience is like these. Recovery, once our addictive behaviors end, is mostly through relationships. In this program, we are developing a friendship with ourselves, with other men and women, and with our Higher Power.

True friendship happens when we lower our guard and let our feelings show. It happens when we listen without judgment. It accumulates over time in many little experiences with someone. There is friendship in returning to someone when we feel offended or hurt so the relationship can be repaired—and in returning to him when we have been the offender. Sometimes friendship means humility, or accepting our worthiness to be forgiven. The development and deepening of our friendships with other men, with women, and with ourselves sustains us in recovery.

Today, I will be true in my friendships.

Today's reading is from the book Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men*

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March 18

Making amends

There is no benefit in trying to make amends until we are entirely willing to do it. We must be ready to make our amends without preconceived ideas about how the other party will receive them.

The success of the amends Steps does not depend on the acceptance of the other party but merely on our total willingness to admit where we were wrong. There is magic in working the amends Steps—magic we can never believe in until we work them.

Have I made all of my amends?

Higher Power, help me to be willing to ask forgiveness of you and to admit my mistakes to those I have wronged. Please remove my fear of doing so.

Today I will make amends to…

Today's reading is from the book Day by Day: Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts*

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March 19

Reflection for the Day

We must think deeply of all those sick persons still to find recovery. As they try to make their return to faith and to life, we want them to find everything about recovery that we have found, yet more, if that is possible. No care, no vigilance, no effort to preserve the program’s constant effectiveness and spiritual strength will ever be too great to hold us in full readiness for the day of their homecoming. How well do I respect the Traditions of the program?
Today I Pray

Higher Power, help me to carry out my part in making the group a lifeline for those who are still suffering from addictions, in maintaining the Steps and the Traditions that have made it work for me and for those who are still to come. May the program be a “homecoming” for those of us who share the disease of addiction. May we find common solutions to the common problems that are bred by disease.
Today I Will Remember

To do my part.

Today's reading is from the book A Day at a Time: Daily Reflections for Recovering People*

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March 20

Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf of springtime.

~Martin Luther

Springtime is a perfect metaphor for renewed life, recovery, and resurrection. All around us we see the buds of leaves and flowers bursting forth in celebration. Just like nature, we, too, experience our personal springtime of renewal. Our personal anniversaries are worthy of celebration, whether it be one day, one month, or many years of recovery.

Some people are shy about celebrating their days and years of recovery. Maybe they feel unworthy, or they don’t want to draw attention to themselves. But the true spirit of celebration is humility. It’s not because we have worked so hard that we deserve it; it’s that we have been given the gift promised in the Twelve Steps. Because we submit to the grace of God, we celebrate the gift we have received.

Today, I see the symbols of renewed life within me and all around.

Today's reading is from the book Stepping Stones: More Daily Meditations for Men*

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March 21

Captivity is Consciousness—So’s Liberty.

~Emily Dickinson

Opinions, reactions, criticisms, regrets—from morning till night, our thoughts spin the fabric of our day. We listen as if powerless as thoughts free or torment us, energize us or weigh us down. They may talk about shame, fear, and resentment—or pride, faith, and gratitude.

Instead of letting ourselves be controlled by the ceaseless voices in our heads, we remind ourselves of our options. We can sit in meditation, noticing the flow of thoughts and gently detaching from them. We can change our negative thinking, deliberately focusing on images of comfort, courage, and healing. We choose to give such positive thoughts our attention, letting them fill us with hope and serenity. We can receive help with releasing negative thoughts by talking with a trusted friend or sponsor or attending a recovery meeting.

Today, I am nourished and supported by positive thoughts. I choose my thoughts as I do my friends, staying with those I find uplifting.

Today's reading is from the book Glad Day: Daily Meditations for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People*

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March 22

Taking Care of Ourselves

We cannot simultaneously set a boundary and take care of another person’s feelings. It’s impossible; the two acts contradict.

What a tremendous asset to have compassion for others! How difficult that same quality can make it to set boundaries! It’s good to care about other people and their feelings; it’s essential to care about ourselves too. Sometimes, to take good care of ourselves, we need to make a choice.

Some of us live with a deeply ingrained message from our family, or from church, about never hurting other people’s feelings. We can replace that message with a new one, one that says it’s not okay to hurt ourselves. Sometimes, when we take care of ourselves, others will react with hurt feelings.

That’s okay. We will learn, grow, and benefit by the experience; they will too. The most powerful and positive impact we can have on other people is accomplished by taking responsibility for ourselves, and allowing others to be responsible for themselves.

Caring works. Caretaking doesn’t. We can learn to walk the line between the two.

Today, I will set the limits I need to set. I will let go of my need to take care of other people’s feelings and instead take care of my own. I will give myself permission to take care of myself, knowing it’s the best thing I can do for myself and others.

Today's reading is from the book The Language of Letting Go: Daily Meditations on Codependency*

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March 23

In thy face I see the map of honor, truth, and loyalty.

~William Shakespeare

People choose their mates for many reasons—the irresistible twinkle in a young man’s eye, the graceful curve of a woman’s ankle, to escape from home, to have a home, financial support, convenience—you name it. But to stay alive, a relationship has to have something else, something more basic going for it. It has to have trust.

Bedrock trust means that we know the other person is in our corner, reliably there for us no matter what. It means that in significant ways, they are “present” to us. If they are not, no matter how much we think we need them or how desperately we want the relationship to work, no trust equals no satisfaction.

Until the other proves trustworthy (beyond promises and good intentions), something in us holds back. Some aspects of the relationship may well be terrific, but the lasting test is always, “Can I trust them?”

Today, I am proud of the ways in which others trust me.

Today's reading is from the book Days of Healing, Days of Joy: Daily Meditations for Adult Children*

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March 24

The purpose of life is life.

~Karl Lagerfeld

Our active addiction took us away from a life connected to our Higher Power, family, friends, community, and spiritual principles. During our active addiction, our primary relationship was with alcohol or drugs. Addiction is an illness of mistaken relationship. We believed we could get emotional needs meet through a relationship with chemicals. We can’t.

Now, in recovery, we get back to living instead of dying. We work to heal the wounds our illness created within our families. We see trust being created. We no longer avoid police officers, for we are respectable citizens again. We regularly pray and meditate. We feel the presence of our Higher Power again in our life.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, you gave me life for a purpose. Help me live that purpose to its fullest. When I want to avoid life, place me back in the middle of it. When I feel like I can’t go on, give me strength.
Today's Action

Today I will do at least one task that I have been avoiding. I will remind myself that avoiding tasks takes more energy than doing them.

Today's reading is from the book God Grant Me: More Daily Meditations from the Authors of Keep It Simple*

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March 25

Dealing with daily problems

For many of us, substances were an escape from the trials of the world. We deeply resented them and earnestly sought escape. Simply getting sober did not wipe away all our problems. Now, however, we have an opportunity to deal with them constructively.

If we do not take that first pill, drink, or fix, our problems can be solved, and stumbling blocks can become stepping stones to a better life.

Am I learning how to deal with daily problems?

Higher Power, I pray to accept my daily problems and for your help in dealing with them.

One thing I will do today to deal constructively with my problems is…

Today's reading is from the book Day by Day, Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts

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March 26

Facing Problems

If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.

~Anonymous

We are constantly aware that problems aren’t burdens suffered by us alone. Since the beginning of time, all humanity has had to cope with problems. We need to remember to identify with others and their problems, and not compare our problems to theirs to see who has the greater troubles. This will also eliminate self-pity during crises.

By accepting these difficulties, we can begin at once to seek advice from friends who have solved similar problems. By walking through problems without complaint instead of timidly trying to sneak around them, we will grow spiritually.

Problems won’t get rid of my character defects; problems expose them. By facing difficulties through the program, I will grow spiritually.

Today's reading is from the book Easy Does It: A Book of Daily Twelve Step Meditations*

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March 27

The essence of prayer, even of a mystical experience, is the way we are altered to see everything from its life-filled dimension.

~Matthew Fox

Prayer can change us dramatically. It can open our eyes to the intricate beauty in the things and people in our life. Prayer can help us see the people we pray for—whether friend or adversary—with greater clarity and love. Our gratitude for friends is heightened; our resentment toward adversaries lessens. Barriers mysteriously disappear when we look upon our enemies prayerfully.

The Eleventh Step suggests that prayer may be as simple as asking for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out. We therefore seek God’s presence anywhere we are and in anyone we’re with. This is prayer as action, as a commitment to fully invest ourselves in life. When prayer is how we live our life, we are able to honor whatever life gives us by responding with acceptance and hope.

Today I will look upon the people and events in my life prayerfully, and be open to the riches I am afforded.

Today's reading is from the book In God's Care: Daily Meditations on Spirituality in Recovery*

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March 28

There's a period of life where we swallow a knowledge of ourselves and it becomes either good or sour inside.

~Pearl Bailey

For too many of us, feelings of shame, even self-hatred, are paramount. No one of us has a fully untarnished past. Every man, every woman, even every child experiences regret over some action. We are not perfect. Perfection is not expected in the Divine plan. But we are expected to take our experiences and grow from them, to move beyond the shame for them, to celebrate what they have taught us.

Each day offers us a fresh start at assimilating all that we have been. What has gone before enriches who we are now, and through the many experiences we've survived, we have been prepared to help others, to smooth the way for another woman, perhaps, who is searching for a new direction.

We can let go of our shame and know instead that it sweetens the nuggets of the wisdom we can offer to others. We are alike. We are not without faults. Our trials help another to smoother sailing.

I will relish the joy at hand. I can share my wisdom. All painful pasts brighten someone's future, when openly shared.

Today's reading is from the book Each Day a New Beginning: Daily meditations for Women*

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March 29

We can handle everything as it is, just for today.

We want to change so many aspects of our lives. We want drinkers to get sober, jobs to be more fulfilling, defects to disappear. And we want it all to happen today! Impatience complicates the flow of our lives. “We get what we need when we need it,” say the wiser ones among us. Little by little we are coming to believe that there is a timetable for how our lives unfold; it simply is God’s timetable, not ours.

What helps us accept this is believing that we can handle everything as it is, just for today. Surely one more day of a job we don’t like can be tolerated. Living with an active addict can be handled too if we keep our focus on today only. Some new, positive behavior such as regularly saying more than just a cursory hello to other people can be tried just for today. The results will astound us. The possibilities will excite us.

Living just for today will give us a fresh outlook on every day as it unfolds. Few things will overwhelm us when we keep our focus on today.

I look forward to every experience today, knowing that God is giving me what I need.

Today's reading is from the book A Life of My Own: Meditations on Hope and Acceptance*

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March 30

AA Thought for the Day

Strength comes from honestly telling your own experiences with drinking. In religion, they call it confession. We call it witnessing or sharing. You give a personal witness, you share your past experiences, the troubles you got into, the hospitals, the jails, the break-up of your home, the money wasted, the debts, and all the foolish things you did when you were drinking. This personal witness lets out the things you had kept hidden, brings them out into the open, and you find release and strength. Am I receiving strength from my personal witnessing?
Meditation for the Day

We cannot fully understand the universe. The simple fact is that we cannot even define space or time. They are both boundless, in spite of all we can do to limit them. We live in a box of space and time, which we have manufactured by our own minds, and on that depends all our so-called knowledge of the universe. The simple fact is that we can never know all things, nor are we made to know them. Much of our lives must be taken on faith.
Prayer for the Day

I pray that my faith may be based on my own experience of the power of God in my life. I pray that I may know this one thing above all else in the universe.

Today's reading is from the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day: A Spiritual Resource with Practical Applications for Daily Life*

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March 31

Withdrawal is a preparation for emergence.

~Nor Hall

A man lost his family in a car accident and wanted to be alone for a while, but he worried whether he was doing the right thing. Then one day a friend told him that when pine cones fall off the lodge pole pine trees, they are sealed shut so the seeds inside can't get out. The pine cones lie on the forest floor—sometimes for decades—until a forest fire sweeps through. Heat from the fire melts the seal and the seeds fall out and finally grow, and that's why the lodge pole pine is called a "fire-origin species."

The man felt good about himself when he heard the story. "Fire-origin species" is a good name for people who've been burned by life and find new growth as a result.

How have I grown because of pain and difficulty?

Today's reading is from the book Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families*