I hope wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you right where you are.
Recovery maturity is neither offensive nor defensive. It allows us to accept reality as it is. If we want to become free, we need to grow up spiritually. Richard Rohr writes in Falling Upward that the True Self we discover is very hard to offend.
Carl Jung, a well-known psychologist, popularized the idea of the “two halves of life.” He described two major stages of growth, each with its own tasks. Many of us in Recovery can also see clear stages and steps in our journey. Recovery and spiritual growth have a direction. They are not about simply pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps and moving on.
As we grow in Recovery, wisdom, age, and grace, we become more patient, inclusive, and understanding of the earlier stages of our journey. True spiritual maturity helps us look back with compassion. We become more forgiving, compassionate, and open to others. We do not need to create enemies. We can move beyond the boundaries of our own “peer groups” while still honoring them and receiving the support they offer.
Tom, a person in Recovery, often criticizes his own Recovery network, yet he never leaves it. Mature people in Recovery do not think in terms of either-or. They learn to live in the world of both-and. They can appreciate what is good while also recognizing what needs to grow.
I believe I am in the second half of my Recovery. How do I know this?
First, I have taken time to look honestly at my behavior during the first half of my Recovery. My thinking was rigid, and I often tried to control myself and my life. One example was my struggle with an eating disorder.
Second, I have reached a deeper stage of Recovery. I know this because I have been able to release much of the bitterness and anger I carried toward my dad because of the physical abuse I experienced. I no longer want to live from that pain.
I also experience a deep spiritual connection with God. This connection was mostly absent during the early stages of my Recovery. Today, my relationship with God has become an important part of my healing and my life.
As Albert Einstein said, “No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it in the first place.”
Perhaps Recovery asks us to grow beyond the person we once were. What worked in an earlier stage may not be enough for the next one. With grace, we are invited to become more open, forgiving, and free.
What stage of Recovery are you in at this time?
What evidence do you have to support your answer?
Remember, Recovery is happening right now, in this moment.