The world is a wheel always turning. Those who are high go down low, and those who’ve been low go up higher.

–Anzia Yezierska

Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. And letting go of the way things are, anticipating instead what they might become, frees us to live each moment more fully.

Time marches on, and our destiny marches with it. There is purpose in how our lives unfold; the ups and downs serve our growth. We must neither resent the doldrums nor savor too long the elation. Giving too much attention to either state interferes with our awareness of the present. And the present has come to teach us.

We must move with time. We must focus our attention on the moment and accept whatever feelings each experience elicits. Emotional maturity is accepting our feelings and letting them go and facing instead the next moment with fresh receptivity. Our lessons are many, and they accompany the lows as well as the highs. We can be grateful for both.

The program has taught us freedom from lingering lows. It has given us the tools to move confidently forward, trusting that all is well. Nothing lasts forever, and within each struggle is the opportunity for real growth.

The highs will pass away, just as will the lows. They visit us purposefully. I will give them their freedom and find mine as well.

One of my favorite quotes from the program of Alcoholics Anonymous is “this too shall pass”. I need to constantly be reminded of this. The good times, the bad times, the ugly times, the painful times…. they will all pass. Many times, if I start feeling bad, I just need to wait 15 minutes and that will change. On average, we have ten thousand feelings each day. Of course, most of those feelings are unconscious. Further, it is hard for many people to be in touch with their feelings. Having ten thousand feelings per day is mind blowing! Using alcohol, drugs, and other substances is a way to medicate and not “feel”. There are many other ways to medicate and to keep us away from being in touch with our feelings. This includes looking at Facebook, exercising, watching TV, gambling, looking at Tinder, etc. Anything that occupies my mind can potentially take me away from being present, being in the moment, and feeling. Today, stop, pause, take notice, and embrace your feelings. Specifically, what emotions are you feeling?