Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Addiction Recovery Meeting

Tonight we had a Relief Society activity on the Addiction Recovery Program the church has. I have read about it and was very impressed by it and was excited to go but I had no idea how powerful the spirit would actually be once I got there.
It was an informational meeting, but at the end we had sort of our own little addiction recovery meeting, following the same pattern used in the real meeting. I bawled my way through the whole meeting. I was in shock at how many of my sisters around my are struggling with incredibly difficult challenges. For many of them, every day is a battle. It was quiet the eye opener.
I have been blessed with a love for people that comes pretty naturally...it truly is a gift from God. But too often I forget how real these people surrounding me are, how deep there sorrows, how they need love, support, and a friend, and I get caught up with my own selfish thoughts and endeavors or insecurities. So many of these sisters I had talked to associated with but I never had truly reached out to them. Hearing their stories made me want to be a better sister to them, because that's what we all really are right? Sisters.
I think it is so important in this extremely competitive world we live in that we take a step back from the fighting to out do one another and instead seek to uplift and support each other. That is what I loved most about this meeting...there was no judgement in the room and the only thing that was there was love, empathy, and encouraging words. It felt like heaven. And I wish I could hold onto that feeling forever.

I think what we can do to cultivate that feeling is to stop judging and start supporting. Start giving the benefit of the doubt. Reach out. Stop comparing. Stop thinking so much about ourselves....and start reaching out to love and help our sisters. So many are fighting battles we have no idea of. We must be kind and gentle...because we really never know what others are facing.


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