Wisdom Of The Rooms - 2020

[bluidkiti]

October 12

Quote of the Week

"Life is tough because you get the test first and then the lesson."

When I was in school we would spend weeks, and sometimes even whole semesters, preparing to take tests. I remember studying lesson plans and course outlines, reading and highlighting books and taking chapter quizzes, and attending lectures and taking copious notes. I studied this material all in preparation for midterms and finals. How I did on these tests depended on how well I studied the lessons beforehand.

In life, it’s quite a different story. We get the test first, and then it’s up to us to learn the lesson. And while this may be tough, what’s worse is that if we don’t learn the lesson, we get another test, then another, and another, until we learn the lesson. This is something I never understood while I was in the fog of my drinking, and because of it I seemed to end up in the same bad situations over and over again.

One of the things I love about recovery is that I’ve been taught to look for and learn the lesson. Today, when I get a test I immediately look for my part, examine my motives, and look for how I can either make amends or act better the next time. This is called a daily Tenth Step inventory, and it ensures that I learn the lesson quickly. Life may still be tough sometimes, and the test may still come first, but now I know how to learn the lesson to avoid having to take the test again.