Written by, Ernest F.

I remember someone saying to share at a meeting. Someone may be going through what you have been through or have known personally. Victories should be shared even if they are little; it provides others with a sense of looking forward, or hope!

Meditation has gotten better for me, I use it all the time, I had to be patient with the time it took for me to be better at it. It is sooo worth it to me. I was starting a relationship with a friend from an old job that I had. We spent some time getting to know one another, we became friends and did things together. When it became physical, knowing each other and being friends made it a lot better. I had not gone about relationships this way before. My emotions and feelings had me understand it was a victory. I had overcome habits and behaviors—that were not really bad, but also not good—besides Cannabis and cigarette smoking. Some C.B.T. helped me (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)—the idea and concept of it, and doing it.

I had heard in meetings that the one-second pause, after some recovery time, becomes a few more seconds in reacting and feeling to things and people. There are lists of thoughts and feelings about an action or word that took place that I can use. Am I not communicating? Did they not understand? They may have some problems. Maybe they are trying their best, and I don’t know that.

I cannot make a resentment for someone, put “it all” upon myself. There is much more, very much more to this. It may be important to know this. In the few seconds pause you can re-frame the thought and the emotional reaction with a conscious and logical effort to try not to be misunderstood or even a little harmful. That few seconds pause got longer than one second. Creativity and reading about how many religious beliefs and psychological concepts are the same or similar and align, the effort helped. The meditation (11th Step) creativity, new relationships and sound healthy beliefs and faiths that are very much similar are the little victories for me. Sharing “little victories” helps you!! Sharing how it was, how it is now, and what you are working towards, helps. EXPERIENCE, STRENGTH, AND HOPE!!

Ernest F.

Published in A New Leaf – July 2025