Ireland was more than I can even express. We didn’t sightsee; we didn’t need to. We had been there many times. We simply enjoyed the company of each other, long walks, great meals, (only 3 or 4 away from the house), and lots of relaxation. I read five books and didn’t even get out of my jammies at least 3 of the days I was there. A real holiday.
Picking up where life left off when I went has been slightly challenging. I had developed a rhythm of relaxing while there and returned to the tightening in my shoulders while sitting at the computer. I am remembering to remind myself to breathe, however, and all is well.
The book of fifty two essays on A Course in Miracles that I completed writing March 1 was already in my email box when I got back, as a copy edited document. The turn-around time was just a few days so there was little “reentry time” for me. Sometimes it’s best to simply jump back into the frying pan, however. I am used to that. And I work well with deadlines so I got it finished on time. Now I am breathing a bit more slowly again.
Life is full of rich rewards when we allow ourselves to see them. Any time I feel squeezed, I simply need to sit and marvel at all the joys that have come to me since walking into that first twelve step meeting in 1974. I could never have imagined, at that time, that I’d ever be happy again. I certainly didn’t imagine that I’d one day have a wonderful life partner and be “invited by the God of my understanding” to do the work that has kept me busy for nearly four decades. In fact, those early meetings didn’t make much sense to me at all. I just knew all those people had a joy that I had never known.
Now it’s my hope that I serve as an example of that joy to others who dare to walk into the many groups I still go to. As a matter of fact, I go to more meetings every week now than I did when I first came into the fellowship. It’s kind of funny that the more that I have been given, the more I feel called to give away that which has come to me.
I don’t know just where you are on your journey but I do hope you feel called to keep giving back all the good, the joy, and the hope you have been given. There really are no greater gifts than these. Thanks for joining me on my journey.
