I used to live my life as if I were on a ladder. Everyone was either above me - to be feared and envied - or below me - to be pitied. God was way, way at the top, beyond my view. That was a hard, lonely way to live, because no two people can stand comfortably on the same rung for very long.
When I came to Al-Anon, I found a lot of people who had decided to climb down from their ladders into the circle of fellowship. In the circle we were all on equal terms, and God was right in the center, easily accessible. When newcomers arrived we didn't worry about rearranging everyone's position, we simply widened the circle.
Today I no longer look up to some people and down on others. I can look each person in the eye, squarely and honestly. Today, being humble means climbing down from the ladder of judgement of myself and others, and taking my rightful place in a worldwide circle of love and support.
Today's Reminder
My thoughts are my teachers. Are they teaching me to love and appreciate myself and others, or are they teaching me to practice isolation? Today I will choose my teachers with greater care.
""Live and Let Live' sets us free from the compulsion to criticize, judge, condemn, and retaliate…[which] can damage us far more than those against whom we use such weapons. Al-Anon helps us to learn tolerance rooted in love."
~This Is Al-Anon