Language of Letting Go - June 27 - Achieving Harmony
Nature Girl
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: By The Lake
Posts: 60,328
Language of Letting Go - June 27 - Achieving Harmony
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go
Achieving Harmony
When a pianist learns a new piece of music, he or she does not sit down and instantly play it perfectly. A pianist often needs to practice each hand's work separately to learn the feel, to learn the sound. One hand picks out a part until there is a rhythm and ease in playing what is difficult. Then, the musician practices with the other hand, picking through the notes, one by one, until that hand learns its tasks. When each hand has learned its part - the sound, the feel, the rhythm, and the tones - then both hands can play together.
During the time of practice, the music may not sound like much. It may sound disconnected, not particularly beautiful. But when both hands are ready to play together, music is created - a whole piece comes together in harmony and beauty.
When we begin recovery, it may feel like we spend months, even years, practicing individual, seemingly disconnected behaviors in the separate parts of our life.
We take our new skills into our work, our career, and begin to apply them slowly, making our work relationships healthier for us. We take our skills into our relationships, sometimes one relationship at a time. We struggle through our new behaviors in our love relationships.
One part at a time, we practice our new music note by note.
We work on our relationship with our Higher Power - our spirituality. We work at loving ourselves. We work at believing we deserve the best. We work on our finances. On our recreation. Sometimes on our appearance. Sometimes on our home.
We work on feelings. On beliefs. On behaviors. Letting go of the old, acquiring the new. We work and work and work. We practice. We struggle through. We go from one extreme to the other, and sometimes back through the course again. We make a little progress, go backward, and then go forward again.
It may all seem disconnected. It may not sound like a harmonious, beautiful piece of music - just isolated notes. Then one day, something happens. We become ready to play with both hands, to put the music together.
What we have been working toward, note by note, becomes a song. That song is a whole life, a complete life, and a life in harmony.
The music will come together in our life if we keep practicing the parts.
Today, I will practice my recovery behaviors through the individual parts of my life. I trust that, one day, things will come together in a full, complete song.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.
Achieving Harmony
When a pianist learns a new piece of music, he or she does not sit down and instantly play it perfectly. A pianist often needs to practice each hand's work separately to learn the feel, to learn the sound. One hand picks out a part until there is a rhythm and ease in playing what is difficult. Then, the musician practices with the other hand, picking through the notes, one by one, until that hand learns its tasks. When each hand has learned its part - the sound, the feel, the rhythm, and the tones - then both hands can play together.
During the time of practice, the music may not sound like much. It may sound disconnected, not particularly beautiful. But when both hands are ready to play together, music is created - a whole piece comes together in harmony and beauty.
When we begin recovery, it may feel like we spend months, even years, practicing individual, seemingly disconnected behaviors in the separate parts of our life.
We take our new skills into our work, our career, and begin to apply them slowly, making our work relationships healthier for us. We take our skills into our relationships, sometimes one relationship at a time. We struggle through our new behaviors in our love relationships.
One part at a time, we practice our new music note by note.
We work on our relationship with our Higher Power - our spirituality. We work at loving ourselves. We work at believing we deserve the best. We work on our finances. On our recreation. Sometimes on our appearance. Sometimes on our home.
We work on feelings. On beliefs. On behaviors. Letting go of the old, acquiring the new. We work and work and work. We practice. We struggle through. We go from one extreme to the other, and sometimes back through the course again. We make a little progress, go backward, and then go forward again.
It may all seem disconnected. It may not sound like a harmonious, beautiful piece of music - just isolated notes. Then one day, something happens. We become ready to play with both hands, to put the music together.
What we have been working toward, note by note, becomes a song. That song is a whole life, a complete life, and a life in harmony.
The music will come together in our life if we keep practicing the parts.
Today, I will practice my recovery behaviors through the individual parts of my life. I trust that, one day, things will come together in a full, complete song.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Upstate, NY
Posts: 718
Oh man... this is it! I have been struggling big time with the fact that nothing seems to be coming together. I can see the parts but I can't see how it is all going to come together into anything "good". This just seems to say how I feel and gives me hope that if I keep practicing it may lead to something good. Can't see it right now and the pain is horrible... but I know I need to push through. Thanks, Ann.
StrivingToThrive
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: san diego, ca
Posts: 425
This was a good one for me. I read it last night and took a big breath.
I like to learn things and grow from them.
When i first accepted my life was unmanageable I understood that I had a need to change and grow. The problem was I was looking for a turbo boost to my growth process!
I had to get away from the thinking that all it took to grow was the knowing and the understanding what to do.
That understanding was an important step but its the PRACTICE that gets the growth for me.
Its slow and sometimes I shrink a little when I tumble into all my old patterns and thoughts, but I keep growing overall and I see it everyday in every relationship.
Learning patience, and accepting the set-backs are all a part of my growth.
Thanks again for these Ann,
Cathy
I like to learn things and grow from them.
When i first accepted my life was unmanageable I understood that I had a need to change and grow. The problem was I was looking for a turbo boost to my growth process!
I had to get away from the thinking that all it took to grow was the knowing and the understanding what to do.
That understanding was an important step but its the PRACTICE that gets the growth for me.
Its slow and sometimes I shrink a little when I tumble into all my old patterns and thoughts, but I keep growing overall and I see it everyday in every relationship.
Learning patience, and accepting the set-backs are all a part of my growth.
Thanks again for these Ann,
Cathy
Guest
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 628
Thank you for your post, Ann. Slowly, very slowly, but surely I and my dear wife are letting go of our son so he can get on with our lives. The grief of broken dreams returns periodically with a vengeance but each time its slightly less than before. I have faith one day our family will return to health and happiness.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 2,684
Thank you, Ann.
The message is so relevant for me today! I've been back and forth over recent weeks between obsessing about things out of my control and second guessing my ability to let go and let God (that is, can I really do this, am I strong enough) versus actually practicing the behaviors needed to stay on my side of the street, choosing to not obsess, and then feeling pretty good about the little lightbulbs going off in my head, like, yes, I can do this (if that makes any sense, lol
).
Your share today reassures me that I am headed in the right direction, must be patient, and can look forward to achieving harmony.
^^^Want to add that after I posted the above, I saw the date of Ann's original post, realize it's from 2008 but still want to thank Ann very much for the message anyway!
The message is so relevant for me today! I've been back and forth over recent weeks between obsessing about things out of my control and second guessing my ability to let go and let God (that is, can I really do this, am I strong enough) versus actually practicing the behaviors needed to stay on my side of the street, choosing to not obsess, and then feeling pretty good about the little lightbulbs going off in my head, like, yes, I can do this (if that makes any sense, lol
). Your share today reassures me that I am headed in the right direction, must be patient, and can look forward to achieving harmony.
^^^Want to add that after I posted the above, I saw the date of Ann's original post, realize it's from 2008 but still want to thank Ann very much for the message anyway!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 2,684
More about my post above...it also occurred to me that had I read the message at the time it was posted in 2008, I know for sure that I would not have been ready nor able to understand and accept what it brings.
ODAT.
ODAT.
Nature Girl
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: By The Lake
Posts: 60,328
Anaya, it's good for me to read these readings over and over as well. As my life changes, how I apply my recovery changes and in time it has become more comfortable but I take care not to become complacent and it's good to take pause and ask myself how I am applying recovery to my life today.
I also try to work the 12 steps once a year. Each year I am in a different place in my life, so it is refreshing to use the step work to progress in my recovery as my life changes.
For a codie like me, recovery is a lifetime plan. My life today is filled with peace, beauty, love and adventure and I plan to keep it that way.
Hugs
I also try to work the 12 steps once a year. Each year I am in a different place in my life, so it is refreshing to use the step work to progress in my recovery as my life changes.
For a codie like me, recovery is a lifetime plan. My life today is filled with peace, beauty, love and adventure and I plan to keep it that way.
Hugs
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