“Pain was the touchstone of all spiritual progress…” (Bill Wilson)
I’ve had a lot of pain in my life. A LOT! I endured it as a young kid growing up in a dysfunctional home. I endured it being bullied all throughout my grade school years. I endured it from being molested by an adult before I was even a teenager. I endured it when my father took his life. I endured it when my mother had her tragic drunken fall down the stairs. I endured it from the complete financial loss of a business I once owned. I endured it from each and every one of the addictions I succumbed to. I endured it from a number of breakups. And I even endured it from the many different health issues I’ve had to experience, especially in recent years. BUT, through all of these terrible times of pain I’ve gone through, something truly wonderful has happened to me as well. I was completely catapulted through great changes of spiritual growth where each has brought me so much closer to my Higher Power. I’m often asked if I could go back in time and avoid going through any of these somehow, would I? My answer today is no, because I wouldn’t have the relationship I have today with my Higher Power nor would I be the person I am today, and the fact is I really like both of these things these days. This is precisely why I thank my Higher Power for any pain I go through now, because in the long run, I know it’s only going to be another stepping stone to some great spiritual progress in my life.
I pray I may look at any pain that comes into my life as a gift and that I use it solely as motivation to grow closer to my Higher Power.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
