Our
journey will allow us to meet and experience so many other people. It is not
all meant to be blissful and wonderful. But it is meant to be a learning experience.
As with
everything in life, there is a balance for each of us to learn, and it will be
different for each of us.
So who
are these “others” and how does “acceptance” come into play around them?
The
others are our family, friends, work acquaintances, and anyone else who walks
the planet. Acceptance is simply a place…a peace within…concerning the others
and yourself. It does not mean that we necessarily agree with what they say and
do, but we also know there is only so much we can do; or within our “balance”
of life that we are responsible for.
Acceptance
does not mean that we become a doormat for anyone. We certainly have to have healthy
boundaries in all of our relationships. These boundaries are constantly tested.
If you
think you can set boundaries and just walk away, you’re only kidding yourself.
Boundaries, as with many things, often change; as we change…as others change.
What
helps us to continually be confident within our boundaries is our knowledge of
what is right and wrong for us. This is why it is necessary to have guidelines,
spiritual laws, to guide us.
When I
first started my journey in sobriety, a counselor at the rehab I was at
suggested I also go to Al-Anon (a support group for friends and families of
alcoholics), and when my first AA sponsor also suggested it, I began attending
those meetings as well as my AA meetings off and on for the next five years.
What Al-anon helped me do was set boundaries in relationships and understand
what I can do and help me understand what was and was not my responsibility.
It was
extremely important and a huge asset to my early recovery. I had no history of
having any healthy relationships in my life up until then. There are other
support groups out there in the same line as Al-Anon. I also began to read
books about co-dependency and how that affected all my relationships. Also, for
me therapy was a huge help.
Again,
I had to find my own balance. Al-Anon and all the literature concerning co-dependency
helped, but what helped the most was aligning myself with Spirit through
meditation, prayer and reading bona fide scriptures.
The
importance of acceptance of others is for peace…peace for you, which will also
bring peace to others.
I hope
this small piece on acceptance and others has helped you.
Namaste,
Michael
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