The Language of Letting Go, April 6
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The Language of Letting Go, April 6
APRIL 6
You are reading from the book "The Language of Letting Go."
Patience
How sick and tired we may become of people telling us to be patient or to learn patience. How frustrating it can be to want to finally have something, or to move forward, and then not have that happen. How irritating to have someone tell us to wait while our needs have not been met and we're in the midst of anxiety, frustration and inaction.
Do not confuse the suggestion to be patient with the old rule about not having feelings.
Being patient does not mean we go through the sometimes-grueling process of life and recovery without having feelings! Feel the frustration. Feel the impatience. Get as angry as you need to about not having your needs met. Feel your fear.
Controlling our feelings will not control the process!
We find patience by surrendering to our feelings. Patience cannot be forced. It is a gift, one that closely follows acceptance and gratitude. When we work through our feelings to fully accept who we are and what we have, we will be ready to be and have more.
Today, I will let myself have my feelings while I practice patience.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.
You are reading from the book "The Language of Letting Go."
Patience
How sick and tired we may become of people telling us to be patient or to learn patience. How frustrating it can be to want to finally have something, or to move forward, and then not have that happen. How irritating to have someone tell us to wait while our needs have not been met and we're in the midst of anxiety, frustration and inaction.
Do not confuse the suggestion to be patient with the old rule about not having feelings.
Being patient does not mean we go through the sometimes-grueling process of life and recovery without having feelings! Feel the frustration. Feel the impatience. Get as angry as you need to about not having your needs met. Feel your fear.
Controlling our feelings will not control the process!
We find patience by surrendering to our feelings. Patience cannot be forced. It is a gift, one that closely follows acceptance and gratitude. When we work through our feelings to fully accept who we are and what we have, we will be ready to be and have more.
Today, I will let myself have my feelings while I practice patience.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Posts: 2,281
Some of my first Thanks this morning were for the patience and kindness I've had for myself lately. So true that it can't be forced and it is a gift.
This was the first time I've been so fully aware of being so emotional and out of sorts for this length of time, and not actively trying to change it. To let it all just set and work itself through. To allow the irritation, anger, frustration, etc. and not need to do anything about it all.
I gave myself permission to feel, to not have to get things done, and went to a hot springs to soak.
This was the first time I've been so fully aware of being so emotional and out of sorts for this length of time, and not actively trying to change it. To let it all just set and work itself through. To allow the irritation, anger, frustration, etc. and not need to do anything about it all.
I gave myself permission to feel, to not have to get things done, and went to a hot springs to soak.
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Good job KTF!
I too have been working on just allowing myself to feel anxious and not doing anything about it. Just recognizing and allowing myself to feel without all the pressure of my codie side needing to "fix" it all is a huge load off.
I too have been working on just allowing myself to feel anxious and not doing anything about it. Just recognizing and allowing myself to feel without all the pressure of my codie side needing to "fix" it all is a huge load off.
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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In thinking more about today's reading and about KTF's post here, I wanted to share this poem. Some of you may have seen it before; I know that I have. However, I never understood it in the way I do now.
The Invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of
meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for
your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow,
if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled
and closed from fear of further pain!
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without
moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can
dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic,
or to remember the limitations of being human
It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself;
if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own
soul.
I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty
everyday, and if you can source your life from God's presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and
still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the
moon, "YES"!
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you
have.
I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the
children.
It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else
falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly
like the company you keep in the empty moments.
The Invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of
meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for
your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow,
if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled
and closed from fear of further pain!
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without
moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can
dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic,
or to remember the limitations of being human
It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself;
if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own
soul.
I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty
everyday, and if you can source your life from God's presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and
still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the
moon, "YES"!
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you
have.
I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the
children.
It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else
falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly
like the company you keep in the empty moments.
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