Loss

 A loss is not always a loss. That is, it can be a “repositioning” as someone said.  If you lose keys you may have to get a new set. But what if you lose strength or agility due to injury or age?  You can remain depressed or angry or whine about this. Or you can reposition your life, adjust, to doing things in a new or different way. Maybe you use muscles you now need to overcome the parts that don’t work so well anymore. Or if you lose one of your senses you develop another to compensate somewhat. If I don’t run, then maybe I walk more?  Someone who loses the ability to drink safely can reposition themselves to enjoy sobriety. Loss can have gains, new vistas. 

Second Self

There is the true self and the false self.  But there is also a “second self.”  Stuff happens in life, especially if we live long enough.  I cannot run anymore because of hip and tendinitis.   But I can walk at a good pace.  When walking I get to look around and see things that I used to miss when I ran.  Running I had to always look down at the ground so I would not trip over something.  When I walk in Boulder I can go downtown and see all the Christmas lights.  The same in San Francisco.  People who cannot see very well learn to hear better and sense things around them better than when they had more perfect sight.  Plus, gratitude is quite possible when we lose some physical aspect to our life.  After the complaining and whining, we learn to appreciate what we do have.  Sober people don’t miss alcohol.  They are full of gratitude for what they do have and new possibilities afforded them in their new way of life.  

Communion

 For me, the word “communion” refers to all being the same.  You don’t have much of a community if it is focused on differences, better and worse, rich and poor, skin color or language.  That is why I like my religion.  It has the word communion.  It means, in part, that everyone receives same host, no matter whatever outer differences may appear.  My religion is less capitalistic in attitude.  People can sit wherever they want.  No red-lining.  All receive the host at a particular time.  No one gets more God than someone else.  It is the same in a recovery meeting.  Recovery is the great equalizer.  No one is better than someone else.  Mass and meetings can keep one right-sized.  

New Year

 Today is a “Happy New Year” refrain that fills the air around me.  Well, what will make it happy?  A little more being present in the morning to the present time, and not jumping ahead to planning the future, while skipping the present.  Before I make a lot of resolutions, I want to make sure that this day begins a series of “being in the present” in the morning before I run off to living in the future.  A future is a mess if not grounded in the present moment.  Happy New Year!