August 24

Why do you envy that person? You know little about them. And yet, you secretly say things to cut them down and assassinate their character without trying to really understand who they are? Envy is an ugly trait; we don’t always want to admit how much we do it because it is so ugly. We will easily call ourselves selfish, self-centered, or even addicts and alcoholics, but to readily admit that we are envious? Not out loud, anyway. But given the opportunity to supplant someone’s opinion about someone we are jealous of, we will do it with a smile on our green-with-jealousy face. Being in recovery does not make you immune to the human condition, but it can give you the tools to respond, examine your feelings, and check your motives. The tools of recovery don’t protect you from the qualities of being a human as much as they give you the ability to become one.

Reflections

Am I experiencing an addict/alcoholic problem, or is my problem just part of the human condition?

Daily Challenge

Can you determine today if that problem is within your power to change? What would solving that problem look like? Write it down!