MIDWEEK MESSAGE – January 24, 2024

Many years ago, I learned a thing called taking contrary action.  What does that mean?  Taking contrary action in our lives means doing things differently than we did in the past. It is taking a chance and trying something new.

It’s similar to doing the same things and expecting different results, which is the 12-step definition of insanity.  If our lives are not exactly like we like them, and yet we continue to do precisely the same things we have always done, we will not get anything different than we have always gotten.

That is ok if your life is precisely what you want and you are satisfied with not growing beyond where you currently are.   However, remember water that does not flow becomes stagnant, mucky, and murky.  If we want positive change in our lives, new results, and new attitudes, we have to do things differently.

In my final act of life, I want new experiences and adventures and to grow spiritually and emotionally until my last breath.  It is not the first time I have made significant changes in my life.  I certainly did so when I got sober and when I got married after years of being on my own.

Once again, I find myself making significant changes to my life, which involves doing things differently and trying new things. It has required me not to live on autopilot.  So when someone in a meeting asked me if I wanted to go to a Bingo Mania Saturday night event, which is bingo to benefit the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus and is hosted by a fabulous drag queen, I said yes.

It was one of the most fun things I have done in a long time, and although I didn’t win anything, I laughed a lot, spent time with new friends, and actually got so much more from it than winning money.

So remember, change is not necessarily negative.  It can bring new activities, new adventures, and a new outlook that keeps life alive and vibrant at whatever stage of life we are at.

Quote of the Week

“You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery and always challenge yourself to try new things.” 

Nate Berkus