As the mist cleared

One very dark and misty night, much to my surprise,
A single bird flew the whole way home with me, right before my eyes.

The path you travel in recovery can be a lonely road,
Sharing and caring, can help ease the heavy load.

Hearts chained up, filled with pain, bitterness and regret,
Lead many individuals to engage in harmful neglect and disrespect.

Plagued by guilt and remorse, for things you have done?
Focus instead on the marvels of nature, like the moon, stars and sun.

Instead of worry and negative self-talk or too much time spent alone,
Opt instead to share your worries by picking up the phone.

As recommended by those “in the know”,
Take it one day at a time, take it really nice and slow.

By sharing your life story and being brutally honest too,
Your family reap the many rewards that were promised to them, by you.
Choking back the tears or with a voice that shakes
Is better than the old string of lies or stories that were fake.

Listening to other people speaking can help you learn a lot
It is not about their stories’ content but identifying how they too, had likely lost the plot.
Many have been there, done the same things you did too
You learn to give back to others knowledge that was passed on to you.

Mentoring and sponsoring are beneficial to those who make it a choice,
For many, many people, it is where they eventually find their voice.

Growing in confidence and finding you have a stronger will,
You begin to recognise the benefits of creativity,
Such as learning a brand-new skill.

See the beauty in all things, both the bright and the dark,
They are often really not that far apart.

The art of visualisation can heal the heart from the past,
Meditation and yoga create positivity that will last.

Looking back in anger at the things you used to do
Can only lead to regret, negativity and unhappiness too.

Selfishness and self-love are not the same at all,
Self-love is part of this journey and breaking down those walls.

No matter what you have been through, no matter what you’ve seen,
Your thoughts and prayers should focus on remaining completely clean.

Let love and understanding guide your inner voice today,
Let those around you always know you are listening to what they have to say.

Life is too short to focus all your energy on the past,
Move on to new exciting things and make memories that will last.

Trust in the God of your understanding, whomever they may be,
That is the first step on your journey called “self-discovery.”

niki turner ©

After awhile you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul.
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
And company doesn’t mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes ahead
With the grace of a woman or man
Not with the grief of a child.
And you learn to build your roads on today
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
And after awhile you learn
That even sunshine burns if you ask too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate you own soul
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn
That you really can endure
That you really are strong
That you really do have worth.
And you learn…
And you learn…
With every failure
You learn.
by Kara DiGiovanna

Our true home is in the present moment.
To live in the present moment is a miracle.
The miracle is not to walk on water.
The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment,
to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.
Peace is all around us –
in the world and in nature –
and within us –
in our bodies and our spirits.
Once we learn to touch this peace,
we will be healed and transformed.
It is not a matter of faith;
it is a matter of practice.
– Thich Nhat Hanh

(Moments of Grace and Illumination pg 367)
Life Prayers – Elizabeth Roberts & Elias Amidon

When your hopes and dreams are shattered
And cause you grief and pain,
Do not despair but start anew
Your cherished goals to gain.

Do not lose faith within yourself
If failure comes your way,
But battle on with head held high
You’ll find a brighter day.

Just as sunshine follows rain
And daylight follows night,
Your hopes and dreams are not in vain
If you keep God in your sight.

Harold F Mohn

Winners versus Losers

The Winner is always a part of the answer;

The Loser is always a part of the problem.

The Winner always has a program;

The Loser always has an excuse.

The Winner says, “Let me do it for you;”

The Loser says, “That’s not my job.”

The Winner sees an answer for every problem;

The Loser sees a problem in every answer.

The Winner says, “It may be difficult but it’s possible;”

The Loser says, “It may be possible but it’s too difficult.”

– Unknown

“She had blue skin,
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by-
And never knew.”
― Shel Silverstein, Every Thing on It

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile
And mouth with myriad subtleties,

Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but oh great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile,
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1872 – 1906

Love is….

Love makes us patient,
Understanding, and kind,
And we judge with our hearts
And not with our minds,
For as soon as love enters
the heart’s open door,
The faults we once saw are
not there anymore.

Helen Steiner Rice

Desiderata
Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

May you find serenity and tranquillity
in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known and the
conflict you have experienced
give you the strength
to walk through life facing each new
situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding
will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.

May you discover enough goodness
in others to believe in a world of peace.

May a kind word, a reassuring touch,
a warm smile be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.

Remember the sunshine
when the storm seems unending.

Teach love to those who know hate,
and let that love embrace you
as you go into the world.

May the teaching of those you admire
become part of you, so that you
may call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you
have touched and who have touched yours
are always a part of you, even
if the encounters were less than
you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its’ form.

May you not become too concerned
with material matters, but instead place
immeasurable value on the
goodness in your heart.

Find time in each day to see the
beauty and love in the world around you.
Realize that each person has
limitless abilities, but each of
us is different in our own way.

What you may feel you lack in
one regard may be more than
compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the
present may become one
of your strengths in the future.

May you see your future as one
filled with promise and possibility.

May you always feel loved.
Unknown