Category: Peace
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My wife told me this morning that she woke up in the middle of the night thinking about something that might help someone today, that everyone needs an “anchor.” Something to hold on to, through daily life, through rough patches, or through recovery. I thought that was a good point and idea. One of the…
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This is a hard thing to write about. I’ve had at least two attempts at writing this, trashing some drafts because I felt I came across too angry for it to get my point across. It’s personal, and I know it might stir some strong reactions, so I’m being careful here. But I can’t just…
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I feel exhausted today after really bad, fitful sleep last night. Those nightmares again. I finally got out of bed, made some tea, and sat looking out the window. I found myself searching for something good, something hopeful, so the dreams wouldn’t set the tone for the entire day. Nothing came at first. Then I…
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I had a post ready to publish today but just as I was about to hit “publish” I stopped myself. That post was driven by my own anger and I didn’t want to put that kind of energy out into the world. We’re all suffering enough already. I didn’t want to add to anyone’s suffering.…
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Have you ever had somebody try to bring up things from your past to hurt you or “cut you down to size”? Maybe you got clean or sober and now share your story so others know they can heal too. Most people, in my experience, are supportive of recovery and of someone trying to live…
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I wrote this today because I woke up this morning thinking about some people I knew in the past. People who never made it out of bitterness, anger, even hatred. Some never made it out of addiction too. You don’t have to be young to start over. You can begin again, reinvent yourself, and grow…
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It can be hard to do anything when you’re sick. Depending on how sick you are, formal meditation can feel impossible. Sometimes just laying in bed is all you can manage. Two nights ago I didn’t meditate at all for the first time in months. That got me thinking about Dogen, the founder of Soto…
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Some people may think a thought is just a thought, just a passing thing in the mind with no real weight or consequences to it. But I can tell you from experience that thoughts can carry an insane amount of power over the body, especially the gut. A single thought can change how the body…
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One of the most profoundly life changing changes in how I think and view the world since getting clean has been in regard to “other power” vs “self power.” This change in my thinking has brought me a kind of peace I didn’t even know was possible before. It hasn’t taken away every single struggle,…
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I have an all-time favorite movie. It’s not flashy and the pace is slow. It’s a Japanese movie called Twilight Samurai. I’ve seen it many times over the years, and these days it moves me to tears every time I watch it. Now that I’m sober and clean I understand its message more deeply than…