July 20

”Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” Helen Keller

I had a great, positive experience recently that also gave me a long time to reflect as well. It was a team obstacle course, and I was part of a fairly large team, most people whom I only met for the first time the day of the event. The challenges were spaced out a fair distance so there was lots of time to job between them. And most of the challenges were set up so that the team had to act in unison to help each other complete the tasks. Somehow, I found myself in front of the team about halfway through the course. Not believing that I could have surpassed them, I pressed on, determined to find the head of the pack, denying that it could be me given my current level of fitness. A few challenges later without site of any of my team mates, I started to slow down, eventually stopping before the final few event to let my friends catch up. That time alone made me think about the importance of sticking together. It also made me think of how my initial reaction often, when I feel alone or isolated, is to run further away, instead of slowing down to let people catch up to me. At the end of the event was a very difficult challenge that needed almost everyone’s assistance and participation to complete. I am grateful that I took that pause to be part of the team in overcoming that hurdle. It was a moment of service, celebration and triumph. And it would not have been the same if I had done it on my own.

Affirmation

Being part of a team or a group is an important part of my recovery. Whether or not I lead, or my presence is important to how the group functions and behaves.