Jan. 17, 2013 - Today's Gift from Hazelden


Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013
Today's thought from Hazelden is:
Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. -- Hannah Arendt

When we refuse to forgive ourselves, we think we are being very noble for not letting ourselves off the hook. What we're really doing, however, is setting ourselves up to use again.
We're not accepting the fact that we are powerless over our addiction. It changed us into people who did not act according to our values. We did things that hurt others. If we accept our powerlessness, we are saying that addiction controlled us, and not the other way around. We did not choose this disease and, therefore, must forgive ourselves for getting a human disease called addiction. It doesn't mean our behavior was okay, it means we no longer hold a grudge against ourselves.

Today let me forgive myself.
From the book:
Our Best Days by Nancy Hull-Mast. © 1990 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.

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