“Ever since I can remember, I was caught up in the rush of life.”

Three readings. A song that says the rest. And inspiration for whatever this day is here to teach.

A lone surfer riding inside a great curling wave

Read — the readings that opened the day

Excerpt From Contemplative Prayer

Thomas Merton & Thích Nhất Hạnh

The prayer of the heart introduces us into deep interior silence so that we learn to experience its power. For that reason, the prayer of the heart must always be very simple, confined to the simplest of acts and often making use of no words and no thoughts at all.

Grapevine Daily Quote

“Trusting the Silence”, Beginner’s Book

Often on this journey, I’ve prayed when I needed to meditate. I’ve yammered at God so much that God can’t get a word in edgewise. (What I practice with people, I cannot help but practice with God.) To me, meditation is simply being quiet and listening for a change. It is buttoning up my lip – and my mind that yaps even when my mouth is shut.

Meditation for the Day

Twenty-Four Hours a Day, Hazelden Foundation

I will link up my frail nature with the limitless Divine Power. I will link my life with the Divine Force for Good in the world. It is not the passionate appeal that gains the Divine attention as much as the quiet placing of the difficulty and worry in the Divine Hands. So, I will trust God like a child who places its tangled skein of wool in the hands of a loving mother to unravel. We please God more by our unquestioning confidence than by imploring Him for help.\n\nToday, I pray that I may put all my difficulties in God's hands and leave them there. I pray that I may fully trust God to take care of all of them.

Reflect — Steve L.'s own words

Sitting here overlooking the bay, I remember my parents reviewing my grade school report cards with me. The teacher wrote, “Steve is very smart, but he’d do much better if he took his time!” Ever since I can remember, I was caught up in the rush of life. And the discovery of alcohol and drugs made it so much better. Until it didn’t. I asked for help.

Now, listening to the soothing Hawaiian music, watching the palms sway in the breeze, it’s easy to take in the beauty and serenity. When I first did the emotional inventory on fear and self-reliance, I saw that I was driven by the hundred forms of self (fully explained in How It Works.)

Last night, I drove over to the meeting in Lihue on Kauai. Located in a small, beautiful church on the island, it was perfect. There were 20 people, and they welcomed me, gave me a cup of coffee, and The Big Book Study Guide from the Primary Purpose Group to read and discuss the weeks portion in the book. The format was that each person would read one sentence; then, there were questions asked out of the Guide. And there was a Websters Dictionary from the 1930’s to look up each word!

One word or one sentence at a time, the discussion uncovered our common problems of fear, pride, shame, and living on self-reliance and clearly suggested a simple solution.

Instead of charging forward to get it done, it’s a very basic, easy to understand, simple solution:

“how did you, and how do you stay sober?”

Thank you, this must be the place I was always looking for.