Sit Still Enough to Know

                       

Dear Reader,

This morning I came across a simple thought:

“Don’t just do something, sit there! Sit there long enough each morning to decide what is really important during the day ahead.”
— Richard Eyre

At first, it seems almost backward.

We are taught to move… to act… to get things done.

Yet many of us have learned—often the hard way—that activity alone does not bring peace.
There are times when we are very busy… and still feel very lost.

We can rush into the day driven by impulse, fear, or the need to be seen.
And by the end of it, we may have done many things—but not the right things.

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Over time, through recovery and a spiritual approach to living, something begins to change.

We start to see the value of pausing.

Not as a way of avoiding life…
But as a way of entering it more honestly.

In those quiet morning moments—when we allow ourselves to sit, to breathe, and to reflect—
we begin to separate what is urgent from what is important.

And more than that… we begin to listen.

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Prayer can become a part of this stillness.

Not just in the asking… but in the waiting.

There is a difference between saying words and becoming quiet enough to receive something in return.

Scripture speaks to this in a simple but powerful way:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”
— The Bible

And also:

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings…”
— The Book of Mormon

These words suggest that guidance does not come from rushing forward—
but from being still long enough to be directed.

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In recovery, we are reminded:

“We pause… and ask for the right thought or action.”
— Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book

That pause becomes a turning point.

Because when we begin our day in stillness, we are less likely to be driven by old patterns—
and more likely to be guided by something better.

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This kind of stillness does not need to be long.

Just enough time to ask:

• What truly matters today?
• Where can we be of service?
• What is ours to do—and what is not?

And then… to listen.

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This is not a call to do less.

It is a call to live more deliberately.

Because when we skip this step, we tend to live by reaction.

But when we honor it—even briefly—
we begin the day with direction, peace, and a quiet confidence.

---

A simple truth emerges:

Stillness is not a retreat from life—
it is the place where life becomes clear enough to live well.

The hidden acts shine greater than glory

 

Dear Reader, 

This morning I received a message from a friend with a quote from Leo Tolstoy: 

“It’s much better to do good in a way that no one knows anything about it.” 

In reflection, The Tolstoy quote suggested a similar teaching of Jesus and a more expansive thought.  

In Matthew 6— Jesus teaches a principle of humility in giving, prayer and fasting.  A humility where we are not just to be seen but to own our sincerity. 

Prayer and service 

• Not outward > But inward.  

• Not for recognition > But for honest kindness 

 

My experience is that when I act without the promise of recognition but with a sincere desire to contribute, this motive brings me greater joy. 

I recall a period in my life when I needed to be seen and thought highly of.   
A desire to be acknowledged. 

Through a spiritual approach to life and recovery, I am achieving a beautiful peace that before was hidden in layers. 

Today, I ask a simple yet profound question of my actions.  

• Why am I doing this? 

• Who is this really for? 

Experience has shown that the most meaningful moments are often the ones where no one else ever knows about. 

• A kind word expressed or given 

• Prayer never announced. 

• A quiet act of service with no witness but God. 

 

Open Quote: 

“But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”   — Matthew 6:3–4 

Close Quote 

 

There is a kind of goodness that shines brightly in the world… 

And there is another kind—that grows silently in the soul. 

It is this quiet goodness that changes us. 

With gratitude for the unseen work within, 
🙏🏻🧘‍♂️💕🤗☮️ 

 

 

Two Thoughts… One Understanding

Dear Reader,

Each day I try to collect my thoughts in quiet reflection.

Most days, this serves me well.
Today… not so much.

I find myself sitting with two readings, and they seem to be asking something of me.

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The first comes from As Bill Sees It, a message from Bill Wilson:

“All A.A. progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words: humility and responsibility.
Our whole spiritual development can be accurately measured by our degree of adherence to these magnificent standards.”

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The second was sent to me this morning:

“It's this simple: If I never try anything, I never learn anything.
If I never take a risk, I stay where I am.” — Hugh Prather

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At first, I struggled to find the common ground between the two.

But as I sat with them, something began to come together.

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For the sake of humility and responsibility, I must first acknowledge the views, accomplishments, and prerogatives of others.
In doing so, I begin to accept that each of us carries a piece of what is good and useful in this world.

That simple shift moves me—from a closed mind and a guarded heart—into a place of community and fellowship.

And in that place, differences are not threats.
They become opportunities for understanding.

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So where does risk enter into this?

What I have learned—through Alcoholics Anonymous and through a life of faith—is that risk is not recklessness.

It is willingness.

A willingness to stretch beyond what I already know.
A willingness to try a new way of thinking.
A willingness to grow.

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The ancient philosopher Socrates suggested that wisdom begins when we recognize what we do not know.

In recovery, that recognition becomes a kind of freedom.

Because once I admit I don’t know everything…
I become teachable.

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Scripture speaks to this same truth:

“When ye are humble and full of love… then are ye taught from on high.”
— Book of Mormon, Alma 5:28

Humility opens the door.
It allows for correction.
It allows for growth.
It draws me closer to God.

---

So perhaps this is the understanding that is forming for me today:

When I take responsible risks with a humble heart…
something begins to change.

Not just in me—
but in the way I live with others.

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Risk allows me to move beyond the status quo.
Humility helps me set aside pride.
Responsibility connects me back to the world around me.

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I don’t know that I have fully resolved these thoughts.

But I do know this—

If I am willing to try…
willing to learn…
and willing to remain teachable…

then I am no longer standing still.

And for today,
that feels like enough.