“Now we no longer have to rely on the weak force of self-will to solve our problems.”

– Life with Hope, first edition, page 13

How freeing to read that it is arrogant to criticize myself! If I know that you’re perfect just the way you are, how can I not believe the same about me? Am I suffering under the illusion of terminal uniqueness? Criticizing myself is just another form of self-centered fear. I came to recovery believing I needed to be perfect, and never make mistakes. In recovery, I’ve learned that’s what humans do: make mistakes, and hopefully learn from them. As I learn to care for myself, and give myself the nurturing I’ve wanted from others, I feel freer, kinder, and more loving.

Final thought: Today, I accept myself the way I am, a perfectly imperfect child of the universe.