Endurance is nobler than strength, and patience than beauty.

 ~John Ruskin

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

 ~Helen Keller

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience,

but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

 ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Most of us have struggled with relationships because we were not taught how to have relationships, and our addiction didn't help! Step Eight challenges you not only to heal your current relationships, but to face your past and heal the relationships that have already been scarred by your addiction. Step Eight reinforces the importance of forming and keeping solid, healthy relationships. It introduces the very real possibility of forgiveness-from others as well as self-forgiveness. Juan was convinced that recovery couldn't last without self-forgiveness:

It starts with that unification of self, and that's huge. In time, I found that I really was taking responsibility for my behavior. For me now, the forgiveness of self is very closely linked to the forgiveness and acceptance of others around me.

If we are entitled to anything, it would be the gift of forgiveness. Steps Nine and Ten will offer you the freedom and opportunity to repair those relationships and to experience the reality of forgiveness in a most profound way.

All human beings are social creatures. We value and need relationships. That desire to connect is everywhere, even in the darkest bar or the grittiest part of town. That desire to connect is still alive even on the blackest days of your addiction or on the darkest day of your sobriety. Men want to be with others. We may not have learned how to be in relationships in the healthiest way, but we still want them. We may not be the best at asking for what we need, but we still have needs.

We regain our confidence in our ability to connect when we interact with one another before, during, and after meetings. We express ourselves and our affection for one another in a way that we may not have thought possible. We are reminded that, without meaningful relationships, life is miserable. With our recovery community, we can be "a part of" again. We can give ourselves the chance to feel, perhaps for the first time in our lives, that we're part of a strong link in the human chain of connection. When you commit yourself to thoroughly and honestly working Step Eight, you move further down the path away from isolation and shame toward the healing power of loving relationships with other people and your Higher Power.

Excerpted from A Man's Way through the Twelve Steps by Dan Griffin, M.A.

A difficult situation is challenging enough on its own. Don't make it worse by adding your own anxiety to it.

Instead, be peacefully and genuinely thankful. Whatever the circumstances are, choose to be thankful for the moment and for your opportunity to experience it.

Sincere, heartfelt thankfulness will calm your spirit and open your eyes to the positive possibilities. Instead of being intimidated by the challenges, you'll become inspired by the opportunities.

Be thankful for what has happened to bring you to where you are. After all, what has happened, has happened, and your best response is to find the value in it.

That value is most definitely there. By choosing to recognize it, you can make any moment, and any situation, into a powerful opportunity for making real progress.

When you feel anxiety creeping into your awareness, overwhelm it with peaceful, genuine thankfulness. And fill the moment with the power of your best possibilities.

~Ralph Marston

 Are you suffering from the dinner salad doldrums? Well, spice things up with this scrumptious veggie salad served in a mouth-watering vinegar marinade. It's sure to be a deviation from the norm that you'll all enjoy.

Ingredients

2 cucumbers, thinly sliced

2 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp. salt

1 tsp. coarse black pepper, fresh cracked

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Methods/steps

Arrange in alternate layers cucumber, zucchini and onions. Mix vinegar and sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add a couple ice cubes to chill. Drain any water formed from cucumbers before adding the dressing. Allow vegetables to marinate in the dressing at least 1 hour before serving.

Additional Tips

5 min preparation

Once a  month residents and staff have a volunteer operation at the DreamPower Therapeutic Equestrian Center located in Cumming, Georgia.  The center is a very special place as you will read below and the residents enjoyed being part of the experience. It will be an opportunity to give back to others with special and specific needs, to engage with the horses and to obtain a sense of accomplishment.

DreamPower's Mission :
Their mission is to provide an equestrian therapeutic environment for physically and mentally challenged children and adults which will allow them to explore and achieve basic life functions to the best of their abilities; to create a sense of freedom, independence and accomplishment for the challenged athlete which cannot be achieved or duplicated in the traditional therapy settings; and to continue to grow in our dedication and responsibility in providing a quality equine activities program for individuals with disabilities.

Magic of the Movement:
Horses are natural therapy tools.  Their walking gait almost perfectly simulates the movement of a person's pelvis when walking on two healthy legs. During a therapeutic riding session, this action relaxes and stimulates unused muscles, builds muscle tone, and improves balance, coordination and joint mobility.  The therapist directs the horse's movements to stimulate specific neuromuscular reactions.  In the case of mental or emotional disorders, the process of learning to ride is used to improve concentration, and increase confidence, patience and self esteem.

The Team:
The therapy team includes a horse, a therapist or certified riding instructor, and volunteers who work directly with the horse and rider to ensure safety.  Each horse is carefully chosen for its quiet personality and suitable movement, then specially trained for this type of work.

A Unique Bond Between Horse and Rider:
Therapy experts have found that patients respond to the horses with an enthusiasm that can't be matched in the traditional clinical environment.  Their horses accept each individual unconditionally, no questions asked.  The strong bond that soon develops becomes a vital part of therapy.