Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬-‭3

It’s easy to shirk away from the messy lives of others.

It’s easy to forget the mess we brought with us.

No one is proud of carrying their crap around, exposed to the world. But it takes a true friend, a real selfless person to lend a hand when you know it’s gonna get dirty.

Didn’t others do this for us though? When we struggle in recovery, one of the remarkable features of its people is their ability to look beyond circumstance and to highlight possibility.

It isn’t a blind proposition either. It’s one born from experience and hard work.

And in this, they reach into our mess and help us find the way forward when it’s not convenient.

There’s an interesting balancing act here.

The act is selfless, but the rewards come anyway. For we can spot genuine care as opposed to required platitudes.

In recovery, each person’s own survival depends on arresting the progressive obsession to drink and use.

And this obsession is disarmed on an emotional and spiritual level by helping (or at least trying to help) others.

The best part is it’s a case of having your cake and eating it too.

We do get to feel better ourselves while also growing more and more in the service of others. And we end up wanting to do this the more that we actually do it.

And the cycle continues. This time it’s a good cycle. It’s a good progression. It’s a good way to live.

God, show me who to help today.