My Higher Power Practices Unconditional Love and Acceptance of Me and Everyone



Before Recovery, I always attracted people who couldn't possibly love and accept me for who I am. Looking back, I realize the real reason why I attracted and was attracted to those people; because I was unable to love and accept myself for who I am.

 Recovery has taught me that I have to have a good, loving relationship with myself-- I have to love and accept myself warts and all-- if I want to fix my radar when it comes to relationships. The more I come to love and accept myself, despite all of my perceived/real faults and failings, the more I am attracted to people who also love and accept me for who I am. And the less I am attracted to people who don't accept and love me for who I am because they are unable to love and accept themselves for who they are.

 Loving and accepting people for who they are doesn't mean that we have to love or accept all of their beliefs, attitudes and behaviors; nor do they have to accept all of our beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. 

 What loving and accepting people for who they are means is that we love and accept the image and likeness of God, the beauty of each others' souls, that is always there underneath some of the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that we don't mutually agree on with each other.

 In the Christian Bible, the story of the Prodigal Son truly underscores this point. (And FYI: Prodigal doesn't mean "wayward." In terms of love it means lavish, abundant and unconditional). The "Prodigal" Father (God or Higher Power) doesn't love or accept the bad behaviors of either of his sons, but he unconditionally and endlessly loves and accepts those two sons for who they are underneath, or despite of, their behaviors. And he never stops loving them regardless of anything they have done that was harmful to themselves, him or anyone else. He forgives all of the inappropriate beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of his sons because his love and acceptance of them is unconditional.

 This is why my God, or Higher Power, is the Prodigal Father-- the Higher Power who is always understanding of my mistakes and imperfections and who always waits on me with open arms, an open heart and endless unconditional love when I need it the most.

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