I mentioned a couple weeks back that I was scheduled to go to VT to facilitate a workshop at the Wilson House. \u00a0That’s the Bill Wilson House. And for any of you reading this who are in AA, you can only imagine what a thrill this was for me to have been asked to lead a workshop there. \u00a0And 90 people attended. \u00a0Mostly women but there were 10 or 12 brave men who showed up and they added a lot to our discussions.<\/p>\n
One of the primary themes in any workshop I do is that whom ever shows up is there by divine appointment. \u00a0I believe that wherever any one of us shows up any moment of our lives is by divine appointment, as a matter of fact. \u00a0Choosing to believe this has taken the angst out of experiences. \u00a0I know that I am always where I need to be. \u00a0And that who I need to meet will show up. \u00a0Whether I think I want to meet them or not. \u00a0All those who came to the program in VT I was thrilled to meet. \u00a0Everyone last one of them.<\/p>\n
The topic I chose for the weekend was creating peaceful relationships and then maintaining them. \u00a0It’s really not all that hard to do, actually. \u00a0More than any thing, it takes willingness followed by commitment. \u00a0The tools are actually quite simple. \u00a0Listen with an open heart is one of them. \u00a0Choosing to be kind, always, is another. \u00a0Trusting that whomever has come into your life has been “invited” is another. \u00a0And when we honor that one, in particular, it changes how we behave in the multiple encounters we will have.<\/p>\n
One of the most important tools\/principles of peaceful relationships is to give up the tendency to control others. \u00a0We simply can’t succeed at control, at least not for long. \u00a0Even our children can’t be controlled. \u00a0Until we experience the peace that comes with surrendering our need to control others, it’s not likely that we will make a commitment to it. \u00a0I have experienced the peace with letting go enough so that I lean far more easily into that practice now than in past relationships. \u00a0Giving my loved ones the respect they deserve to make their own choices allows our relationships to grow into all that they can be.<\/p>\n
Learning how to live more peacefully has so many wonderful payoffs, the least of which is less stress in one’s life. \u00a0At my age, I want that. \u00a0Lots of it.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I mentioned a couple weeks back that I was scheduled to go to VT to facilitate a workshop at the Wilson House. \u00a0That’s the Bill Wilson House. And for any of you reading this who are in AA, you can only imagine what a thrill this was for me to have been asked to lead […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-what-i-believe-you-and-your-higher-power"],"yoast_head":"\n