Category: Words To Live By

Happy New Year’s Day everyone! I’m sure some people have already set resolutions for themselves to begin today, as many consistently seem to do so at the beginning of a new year. While I’ve never had much success in keeping to any of those in the past, I do believe in setting goals for myself instead, and for 2018, I have three.

The first is to seek the will of God. I know that probably sounds quite religious, but to me it’s nothing of the sort. I simply just want to follow on a Higher Path with less Andrew and more God. As whenever my life has been more about Andrew’s will and less about God’s will, the results were usually about as successful as keeping to a New Year’s resolution I set for myself.

The second is to remain clean and sober from all my former addictions. Obviously, I could never achieve my first goal of following God’s will if I’m living in an addiction-laden life. Thus, sponsoring others, getting to 12 Step meetings, and continuing to share my experience, strength, and hope in recovery will help me stay aligned with this goal.

And the third is to be unconditionally loving to everyone, like Christ was, even to those who may show dislike, disdain, or any other unfavorable thing in return. This goal is definitely the hardest for me, especially because I’ve had a lot of negative attacks aimed at me as of late. Yet, I’ve learned from mistakes in the past that when I’ve withheld unconditional love, even to those who my ego felt didn’t deserve it, I’ve tended to seek an addiction to deal with the guilt I felt over it.

Thus, as you can see, each of my goals for 2018 are connected to each other, but, none hold the same context as a New Year’s resolution, which always seems to hold far more connotations of needing perfection to maintain them. While I know I’m not perfect and will probably fail at times in keeping to the goals I’ve set for myself in 2018, I am still going to strive for perfection to achieve them. Because in the end, striving for perfection with a goal is a lot easier than needing perfection with a New Year’s resolution.

Oh, and one more thing. I do have other goals as well, like becoming far healthier in mind and body, being able to work at least a part-time job, taking a vacation and a few more, but as far as I’m concerned, they all will fall into place so long as I keep focused on achieving my main three…

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

Dear Readers, it has recently come to my attention that there are a number of people out there who feel I am self-absorbed, especially because they see the majority of my writings in my blog are all about me and my life experiences. It saddens me greatly to hear this in light of the fact that I place all of my heart and soul into each and every one of my daily entries.

For those who don’t know, I began this blog back in January of 2013 solely because it was a homework assignment given to me by both a therapist and a spiritual advisor. The main purpose of their assignment was for me to get back into writing again, as I had once been a part-time columnist for a few local newspapers in Southern Virginia where my tagline was “Words to Live By”.

In that column, I did my best to share my life experiences with the hopes that it may help another going through something similar. Thankfully, it did, and actually a lot more than I thought it would. But somewhere along the line, I lost that column, I lost sight of that desire to utilize my life experiences to help others, and I lost my desire to write. Unfortunately, I have to credit a six-year descent into a sex and love addiction for that.

Nevertheless, I took on this writing assignment to overcome what I had lost and began my blog initially to help me heal from all that. While it still serves that purpose, and is on some level an online journal that I maintain, it ultimately is my deeper desire that my words may connect with the hearts of others out there and will help them on their own spiritual journeys in life.

Thus, if doing this somehow makes others think I’m self-absorbed, I can live with that. Because I’m not actually writing for them. I’m writing for all those, including myself, who are seeking a connection to something Greater, for those who are searching for their Higher Calling, and for those who are hurting and looking to heal themselves.

So, if you are one of those who are continuing to read along with my weekly musings and getting anything out of them, I truly thank God for that. As for all those who choose to keep holding onto a judgment that I am a self-absorbed individual, know I forgive you and still love you just the same. And I pray that one day you may only see the good in me and the Light I’m trying to emanate, by simply sharing each of my life experiences through all of my blog…

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

Merry Christmas to all! I wanted to send out this short reflection today because in all truthfulness, I know this day can often be a very difficult one for so many people.

While I’m sure there are those out there who will be celebrating with loved ones and basking in all that Christmas cheer and joy today, my heart is actually reflecting on all those who may be in hospitals sick and ailing, all those who may be going through debilitating pain, depression, anxiety and the like, all those who may be living on the streets looking for a place to keep warm, all those who may be lonely in their homes with no family or anyone close to be with, all those who may have lost someone they were close to and having to go through their first or second Christmas without them, all those who may be suffering from addictions trying to stay numb from a painful life, all those who may have not had any money to buy gifts this year for those they cared about, all those who may be living in homes where they are being abused even at this very moment, and all those who may be dealing with something else that’s making it quite challenging to even smile today.

It’s all of these individuals I’m thinking of this Christmas and am praying for as well. Praying that somehow God may guide at least one person into their lives today to let them know they are loved. Because on a day that is meant to be joyful and uplifting, but often isn’t for far too many, feeling loved is the very thing that is more than needed in each of their lives.

So, if you are someone who is having a great Christmas Day thus far, I merely ask you to take a small pause, and put out a simple prayer or two or send out some positive energy for those who may be far less fortunate than you, who won’t be experiencing much of that Christmas bliss, if any at all today. And also try to remember that for any gift you receive today that happens to not be something you really wanted, think about those who won’t be getting any gifts whatsoever today and think of the person who gave the gift to you as well that was probably from their heart. As maybe then through those prayers and positive energy you send to those less fortunate and remaining grateful for all of what you receive, you will get in touch with the true spirit of Christmas, that being to share in unconditional love with each other…

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