This afternoon I stopped and thought about the number of times I have focused on the positive or negative in my sober life. I mean on any given day there is at least as many positive things as there may be negative. What came to mind is how often I can grab onto one negative thing in spite of the fact that I may have so many positive things in my life.
More often than not, my life seems full of so many good things that I never stop and think negatively. If I’m tempted to go to the minuses I usually can sidestep them. But there are times, when I go right up and grab something, which is guaranteed to pull me down into the pits. That’s when I start making mountains out of molehills.
I know from experience that it is always possible to live in the sunlight of the spirit. The program has taught me this. My sponsor showed me the way and gave me his example of how to handle whatever comes up in my life. I learned that all my problems are solved by the spiritual life we all lead in here. That, as long as I’m willing to do the footwork. The next right thing. Or, as I interpret it, God’s will for me.
Of course the answer is simple. Use the Tenth Step and make the necessary corrections. Otherwise things could get a whole lot worse. That being said, it is obvious that it is far better to not think or act on the negative and to see the good things in my life, rather go on an emotional binge, as Bill said in the 12&12, and end up with a hangover. Or something far worse.
Anyway, as I sat today, contemplating on my sober life, I thought of the solutions I have been given. What came up was how fortunate I am to have the tools to correct some of my wanderings off the path. Tools for fools just hit me and made me laugh. They’re so often what keeps me sober.