Recovery Meditations ~ Live and Let Live ~ One Day at a Time ~ October 19, 2010

~ LIVE AND LET LIVE ~

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"If I knew for a certainty that a man

was coming to my house with the

conscious design of doing me good, I

should run for my life."

Henry David Thoreau

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I have gleaned from the OA program that

I can let others be themselves and make

their own decisions unless an issue

involves me as well. What a powerful

concept. I have struggled long and hard

with the issue of letting others live

their lives as they choose without the

benefit of my wise, profound advice. I

really believed that I had all the

answers and that by listening to me, one

could get his or her life on the right

track and be forever grateful to me for

the magnanimous favor I had done them. I

REALLY believed this. I was also deeply

frustrated when people did not

immediately do whatever it was I

"advised" them to do. How could

they be so dumb?

More importantly, how did I overlook the

fact that my own life was heading down

hill at a remarkable clip? Thanks to

the OA program, I have slowly learned to

keep my mouth shut. My motto for

relationships is simple: sweep off my

side of the street. It makes being me so

much easier ~ and it makes the lives of

those around me a bit better too.



ONE DAY AT A TIME . . .

Today I will accept and love those


around me without acting on the urge to


make their lives better, as if I knew


what "better" for them might be. I will


live and let live as I continue to


realize the freedom the program offers


me.