THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 2/8/10

I am no longer a victim of my past. I am free to move in new directions today. I am at choice in my life. "TIME FOR JOY"

This was a book quote from TIME FOR JOY and for some reason it really spoke to me today. We have all gone through some pretty horrible things in our past and I understand that these things are what probably brought us to our addiction in the first place (mine was anyway along w/depression) and affect how we handle or react to some things in the present. However, it really bothers me when I hear someone say that because of their past or "what my mom did to me" or "what my dad did to me" is why I am WHO I AM TODAY!

Yes, these things were horrible but it is time to stop letting your past dictate your life today! You can choose to react a different way or choose to deal with the hurt in a different way. I know that because of some of the things I suffered through as a child, I am more careful and watch out for in my own children. I remember also some of the ways in which my mother treated me that wasn't fair or right, but it has helped me make sure I don't do the same thing to my own children.

I am not discounting the hurt, the unfairness or the sadness that comes along with what happens in our past, it still hurts when I think about some of the things my mom allowed me to go through because of her own problems at the time, but by NO means do I allow my past to dictate my life today. I AM NO LONGER A VICTIM TO MY PAST!

That doesn't mean that it EASY or that it still doesn't hurt when we think about it, or that it still wasn't a terrible thing, but WE are the ones who control our lives, not our past and we when can stop living in the past or allowing the past to control us, we have passed a major goal in our recovery.

I know from my own experience that all addicts and recovering addicts HATE to be controlled or feel like we have no control, so why should we let our past control our lives today?