Friendship

Friendship is not essentially a union of personalities, it is an attraction and magnetism of souls. Friendships often begin in a soulful way through the workings of fate. We might “just happen” to meet a person and find even the slimmest basis for a relationship. Over the years, each of us encounters many, many people, and yet only a few become friends, and over a lifetime maybe only a very few become truly intimate friends - soul mates.

(Thomas Moore, Soul Mates, p. 96)

24 January 2016

Narcissism Defined

Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin.
(Promises Of Joy, Proverbs 18:24 (NRSV), p. 197)

Too many people learn to function in their dysfunction. ... You can never change what you tolerate.
(Joel Osteen, Become A Better You, p. 43-4)

... narcissism, the habit of focusing attention on oneself rather than the world of objects and of others, is considered a disorder.
(Thomas Moore, Care Of The Soul, p. 55)

How deep are your thoughts?
(The One Year Book Of Bible Readings, 4 November)
14 March 2014

Love & Friendship

It is one of the laws of life that, if a man places all his happiness in material things he misses the greatest things of all - love and friendship with his fellowmen. (The Revelation Of John, Vol. 2, p. 164, William Barclay) 27 October 2012

Inventory

Depending on how you look at it, it's either time for an end of the month inventory or a beginning of the month inventory.

An occasional review of our progress is an encouraging exercise, for it shows us that we are gradually learning how to live in poise and serenity.

At any rate it is a good time to look back over the month just passed to see what progress we've made and what changes have taken place in our lives as a result of practicing our programs.

• Have we given sufficient attention to our program?
• Have we done at least a little reading each day?
• Are our family relationships more serene and happy than they were a month ago?
• Have we renewed a strained friendship; or made good for an injury to someone?
• Did we make an effort to avoid gossip?
• Did we try to learn something new?

Make this a day of review and preparation for the coming month in which you will renew your efforts to progress in your personal development.

If you don't see any improvement in the month which just ended, do not be discouraged.  There are still many things to learn, one of which is, to accept yourself as you are.  Everything good we can bring about must begin with that.

(after One Day At At A Time In Al-Anon, 31 July) 1 August 2012