Bart Ross | Recovery & Alumni Services Coordinator
A common thought we alcoholic folks have is the idea that life will be easy when we get sober.
This thought is a half-truth. Easier? Perhaps. But I like to say it in a different way. Sobriety provides a new perspective in looking at life. Life has always been hard. Even in sobriety, life is hard. Look at where our world is today. Just because we live life sober doesn’t mean we are exempt from the trials and tribulations of life. Our lives involve facing death, and living a spiritual life is about many deaths.
When most of us think about death, we think of the end of life.
But on the spiritual path, we think of death as a new beginning. I’m not talking about physical death but the death of one’s self.
When we accepted the 12-Steps as “a way of life” we entered into an ongoing ego-deflating process. The first death we must experience in sobriety is the death of the false self. Our Third Step prayer asks us to make a decision for God to take away our difficulties. These difficulties are referring to the self that has manifested in various ways. Doing this requires humility. For us to have begun the process, we first had to experience humility. This means we had to experience our own powerlessness before our spiritual journey began.
If you or a loved one need help, call our admissions team today at 561-841-1033.Humility is extremely important for human truth and happiness.
Our First Step experience of admitting powerlessness moves us simultaneously into our Second Step, which is being humble enough to believe in a Higher Power for help. We then turn our thoughts and actions over to the care of this Power, accepting the results of our actions. Sometimes our will is in line with this Higher Power, and sometimes the results are far from what we wanted. Either way, this is a form of humility. After searching out our defects and sharing them with our Higher Power and another person, we discover the illusion by which we were living.
Now we become willing to allow our Higher Power to lead us into what it would have us be. “We were reborn.”
In order for us to be reborn to who we are intended to be, we must have the willingness to experience the death of self. We gain a fresh perception of life through this new relationship and the beginnings of our true self. As the old-timer Chuck C. said, we look at life through a new pair of glasses. Our past trials and tribulations now become our greatest assets, and our present challenges become opportunities for growth.
We often find ourselves praying for others and for this world’s troubles asking, “How can I best serve thee?” and saying, “Thy will (not mine) be done.” Together with the help of our Higher Power, we can make many changes for the better.
“We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity, and we will know peace.”
Hanley Center – A Path to Recovery
Hanley Center is a well-known care provider offering a range of treatment programs targeting the recovery from substance use, mental health issues, and beyond. Our primary mission is to provide a clear path to a life of healing and restoration. We offer renowned clinical care and have the compassion and professional expertise to guide you toward lasting recovery.
For information on our programs, call us today: 561-841-1033.
