The Literature

I use the recovery literature tool today in a different way than when I first began. I used to read it like I was being entertained and if I learned anything, what a surprise. Now I read as if my life depends on learning what I need to know to live my life in recovery.  Now I write in my books.  This helps in finding particular places of interest when needed. For instance, I put five stars where heavy duty information is written.  I use a yellow highlighter on italics.  In places where I feel happy, relieved, etc. I draw a happy face.  If I feel warmth, love and comfort while reading a certain passage then I draw a heart. The meditation and a lot of Al-Anon literature are particularly gifted with love and comfort

All this matters most...when I need it.  Sometimes when feeling sad, I flip the pages and look for the happy faces. After reading a couple of pages I feel much better. When I feel alone, without, that nobody loves me then I read the places where the hearts are...somehow I am changed from how I was before I read the passages compared to how I think and feel after reading them. What a difference! 

This also helps when being of service to others because it is easier to refer them to those places in the literature applicable to a current situation--- if I can locate the passage that applies.  In this way it's much quicker to access the love, truth and wisdom so freely given by those who have trudged this path before us.  Thank GOD.