Credit Where It's Due

I finally went to my first Addiction Recovery Meeting in Texas yesterday. And while it wasn't necessarily what I was expecting, or necessarily what I was looking for, the meeting, and my interactions with various people throughout the day, left me with a feeling that people are a lot more complex and intricate than I think I usually give them credit for.

Thinking about all the things going on in my life that people are not aware of... thinking about the other people in the meeting who can probably say the same thing about people in their lives being unaware of much of what they are experiencing... And realizing again, that basically everyone can say the same thing. There is always something happening behind the scenes in people's lives that we aren't necessarily made aware of. 

On the flip side, there are people with whom we do share the intimate, sad, and sensitive parts of our lives. There are people who despite knowing the things that I hide from, still see me as a whole person, and not just the sum of my faults. Moments when I am stupid or selfish, naive or manipulative, or broken and stumbling... they are still somehow able to composite that view of me with the positive attributes. And today, that seems inspiring. People are a lot more complex than I give them credit for--capable of love despite the failings, capable of sadness despite the love. I am sorry that I give people reasons to make loving me a complicated thing, but I am grateful regardless.

I can't speak for tomorrow. But today I am committed to focusing on believing that is true. I am grateful for the many people in my life that are an example of unconditional love, even when they don't understand my failings. I am grateful for the Atonement of Christ that teaches us that we can be made whole. I am grateful for the people who make that feel possible. I'm grateful for the forgiveness I am granted.