Category: Daily Reflection

“Can any of you by worrying, add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27)

I think we all do it, worrying at times about this or that. But is the majority of that worry really ever worth it? And doesn’t it frequently seem that some of that worrying often causes us to miss out on something else in life. Case in point, there have been a number of times that my blog’s website has experienced serious technical issues. Most of them have usually been out of my control and due to a problem with my domain provider, except that never was able to stop me from incessantly worrying about it so much so, that my life usually came to a screeching halt because of it. I’d avoid answering phone calls from loved ones, cancel various recovery commitments and social engagements, and even avoid spending time with my own partner, all the while keeping myself glued to my computer screen until it got fixed. But just the other day, when I found myself once again facing this very thing, unable to login to the database that contains the repository of all my blog articles, my phone rang. It was my best friend from Boston ringing for our weekly scheduled call to catch up. As my heart raced about this inability to login to my site, I heard a small voice inside that said to let it go for now and that it’d be ok. For once I listened. I got up and left the vicinity of my computer, headed into my bedroom, and then gave my friend from Boston my entire attention. And wouldn’t you know it, when I returned to my computer approximately thirty minutes later, the problem was gone and I was able to login to my site successfully once again. So, thank you God for the simple reminder of how worrying really doesn’t ever add a single hour to my life, or in this case how it actually might have taken away about thirty minutes from it, if I hadn’t listened to your little nudge from within.

I pray that I may never let worry consume and overwhelm me to the point of missing out on life, and that I will always remember and trust how things have a way of resolving themselves in the time they’re meant to.

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

“Negativity only breeds more negativity, as when one focuses solely on the negative, that’s all they’ll ever see, even when some positivity comes along and attempts to be a part of their life.” (Unknown)

It seems like everywhere I go lately everyone is talking negatively about President Donald Trump. At social outings, recovery meetings, and various other get-togethers I’ve attended, I continue to hear one negative thing after another come out of far too many people’s mouths when it comes to this new administration. And from what I hear, it’s pretty much the same on the news, during the day-time talk shows, and even the ones on late-night as well. Everyone seems fixated on the negative side of what they perceive is happening in our country! But even though I may not have voted for Trump or find much spiritual connection in what he stands for, I haven’t become one of those who has joined in on all this negativity. Why? Because it’s actually allowed me to see something quite positive happening throughout our country, and even our world for that matter. I’m watching countless people starting to come together and unite for a greater cause. A cause that supports women’s and LGBTQ rights, a cause that seeks to have racial justice and freedom of religion, a cause that purses increased protection of our natural environment, and a cause that’s finally beginning to truly expose all those divisions, barriers, and imbalances in our world that have kept us from moving forward towards a much higher vibrational state of being. So, while many may choose to keep concentrating on each of the negative things they observe in this new administration, I’ve opted to take a Higher Path. One where I’m not going to be blinded from seeing all the positive and unifying actions taking place, and one where I’m fully able to witness the Light growing through it all.

I pray to be free of all the negativity that surrounds me and to become fully aware of all the good and positive things happening, including the ones that are always around me each and every day.

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

“Be careful about glancing back at the past…It’s possible to get pulled back to a place you no longer belong. Savor the memories, take the lessons, but keep moving forward in this hour.” (Jolynne Whittaker)

When I posted one of my questions to ponder for the day on my blog recently that asked what was the worst day you can remember and to name one positive thing that was done to deal with that day, one of the responses I received was similar to today’s quote. In short, they said, “You can look back, but don’t stare.” There is great wisdom in this comment, because it’s actually quite easy to look back into the past at something that was exceedingly painful and get caught back up in that pain all over again. Just as much as it’s very easy to look back into the past at something that was incredibly wonderful and start feeling like life was far better way back when. I’ve been guilty of doing both, falling into anger and frustration if I dwelled too long on things like my parent’s tragic deaths and former intimate relationships that fell apart, or reminiscing on what I perceived as a much better life before much of the physical pain I’m currently working on healing from started. But neither has ever been that helpful to my spiritual journey and quest to become closer to God. Instead, they’ve kept me from moving forward and seeing any presence of God in the moment. That’s why these days I may still reflect on those painful or uplifting experiences from my past at times, but I do so now with one caveat. I treasure all the lessons I learned from them, and seek to only share the positive things that came out of them, hoping it will help inspire others who may be going through something similar in the present. I feel much healthier because of this and want to thank the reader who inspired me to write today’s daily reflection.

I pray that I may never forget my past, nor all the lessons I learned from each of my experiences there, painful or not, and that I may keep moving forward, always doing my best to share my experience, strength, and hope, which I learned through them all.

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson