**SPIRITUAL** A DAY AT A TIME

06/03 REFLECTION FOR THE DAY "The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise," wrote Thomas Merton, "we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them." As I replace my self-destructive addicitons with a healthy dependence on The Program and its Twelve Steps, I'm finding that the barriers of silence and hatred are melting away. By accepting each other as we are, we have learned again to love. DO I CARE ENOUGH ABOUT OTHERS IN THE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THEM AS LONG AS NECESSARY? TODAY I PRAY May I be selfless enough to love people as they are, not as I want them to be, as they mirror my image or feed my ego. May I slow down in my eagerness to love -- now that I am capable of feeling love again -- and ask myself if I really love someone or only that someone's idea of me. May I remove the "self" from my loving. TODAY I WILL REMEMBER Love is unconditional. hugss with love for myself.. I really need to work on this one, especially when looking for a long time companion.

Wow , truly beautiful.