A Peer Specialist serves people with mental health conditions and substance misuse. This person tells the story of a Nobel Peer Specialist who gives the 12 steps to the people he supports before finishing up their monthly support group.
The Peer Specialist encourages them to share the steps with others in recovery until the next support group. He/She expects his people practicing recovery to be responsible and prudent in sharing the steps with others who will benefit from Recovery.
Now as the story unfolds we learn all but 1 of the people in recovery multiplies the number of people now familiar with the 12 steps and the power of healing they offer people. The Peer Specialist is pleased and rewards those in recovery well. However, a person from the support group returned with the 12 steps informing him/her, “I stowed them away during the past thirty days”.
The disappointed Peer Specialist takes away the 12 steps and gives them to a new support group member. So what is he/she conveying in this story? This story does not offer advice on memorization or a cure for a mental health condition and substance misuse. Rather we are being drawn in deeper into the reality of the story. He/She tells the story to teach us about the meaning of life.
We are reminded that life is a gift from our Higher Power (God) and the gift of each human life comes with talents and capacities unique to each one of us. We have been given talents that no one has been given. This is part of our unique dignity and worth as a son or daughter of God. The 12 steps and other forms of Recovery give us space for our gratitude, and for our talents regardless of how big or small they may be.
Our talents are God’s particular blessing on us and our lives that are unique to us alone. So as we hear the steps speaking to us we are invited to reflect on the one or two gifts we have been given to us. If we are not sure of these gifts ask God (or other life force) in humble prayer and meditation to reveal them to us. Once we identify our gifts let’s seek inner wisdom on how to put our talent at the service for our Recovery and the Recovery of our brothers and sisters in our community.
The meaning and purpose of our life are the gifts we give back to God and those we serve that bring joy, gratitude, and peace. Our efforts in Recovery can surpass all understanding.
Superhuman being
Peace
Larry
email: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net/