I hope wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you right where you are.
Is there such a thing as human perfection? It seems that true growth comes from how we respond to the imperfections that are all around us, especially our own. What a beautiful place for Recovery to hide healing. It is often found by those who are humble enough to admit they need it.
A truly “perfect” person is not someone who never makes mistakes. Instead, it is someone who learns to forgive, accept, and grow through imperfection. The desire to be perfect is often the greatest enemy of becoming good.
When we ignore our pain or avoid the suffering that leads to growth, we also avoid the healing our souls long for. Recovery teaches us that the way forward often begins with surrender. We do not naturally choose the downward path of humility. We resist it. Yet Recovery gently reminds us that lasting healing begins when we stop running from our weakness. If we spend our lives chasing perfection, we will never find it on this side of heaven.
Our resistance to the 12 Steps can be so strong that it becomes denial, even when we truly want to Recover. Our ego will choose almost anything over admitting we need to change. It would rather avoid falling, surrendering, or letting go of old ways of thinking.
This reflection comes from my own Recovery journey. One of the most meaningful truths I have learned is this: “Being ‘perfect’ is being imperfect.” Those words guide me every day.
Early in my Recovery, I knew what I needed to do. I understood the 12 Steps, but I struggled to live them. What held me back? I was afraid of making mistakes. I wanted people to like me. I had grown comfortable with unhealthy habits. I isolated myself, exercised too much, struggled in relationships that eventually led to the end of my first marriage, and worked 12 to 16 hours a day to avoid what was happening inside me.
Recovery has taught me that growth is rarely a straight line. Like a basketball player moving down the court, we move forward by dribbling from side to side. There are setbacks, corrections, and new beginnings along the way.
Perfection belongs to God. Goodness is the calling of every human heart. As we let go of our need to be flawless, we become more open to grace and taking risks. Our souls already know the way. When we listen deeply, we discover hope, healing, and the health we have been seeking all along.
Remember, Recovery is happening right now, in this moment.