November 23 (71)

”The best fighter is never angry.” Lao Tzu

I remember early in recovery hearing a good number of members talking about their issues with anger. I didn’t think it was a problem for me personally, probably until I started working the 4th step, and had it reconfirmed as I made my list of people I had harmed in my 8th. Anger may not have been one of my key triggers or reactions but it still had played a part. It was usually brought out at the wrong time at the wrong person for reasons nowhere near related to the situation at hand. In short, most of my anger in my life has been misplaced or misdirected or both. That being the case, it doesn’t really matter how often I got angry if it was not justified. I am thankful to have gained a new perspective and that more and more often I manage to keep my initial reactions in check, acknowledge my emotions, and then choose to act without either repressing my feelings or transferring them to someone else. It’s still a work in progress but I am witnessing steady improvement. It has taken a great deal of courage, work and effort to incorporate emotions back into my life. The most important part of my journey has been rebuilding the road between my head and my heart, but certainly worth every inch.

Affirmation I may not relate to everything that other members share, but will come to see things in a new light as my own recovery progresses.