And now the Big Book promises us that we will know peace. That promise came true for me. I'm not saying everything in my life is peaceful .... not by a long shot. But I AM saying that I know peace. In my heart, I feel peace. And even though my world around me at times is not peaceful, it doesn't affect the peace that is in my heart. And that was put there by an OA program that I try to work each day of my life. A program that tells me that peace is a by- product of recovery.

Dear Friends,

The Fourth Promise: And we will know peace. WOW!! There was a time in my life, and even some periods now, when I thought that I would never be able to be at peace with my surroundings. It seemed like I had to fight for anything I wanted. Sometimes things would get so hectic that I felt like I was being swept helplessly down a flooding river. At those times, I felt that I had absolutely no control over ANYTHING.

A curious thing happens when working the steps. By giving up trying to control things we can't control, we actually gain MORE control over the things we CAN control. Now, whenever I feel that the river is beginning to catch me, I step back, take a deep breath, and make up my mind to do one thing at a time. I'll recite the Serenity Prayer to myself. Then I'm able to ignore the confusion and actually get things done. If I don't do that,

I drive myself crazy be running from one task to another, never finishing any of them. I takes some self-discipline to accomplish that.

But the best thing about this peace is the inner peace I have found. I have made peace with myself. I no longer fight myself. I can accept my good qualities along with my personal weaknesses. I have to work very hard sometimes to overcome my weaknesses, but I don't berate myself over them. They're a part of me. I don't think I'll ever be good at keeping things organized, but I lovingly push myself to be as organized as I can. I think I'll always be forgetful about such things as appointments, so I write them down.

On the other hand, I have certain skills that I should be proud of. These are things that have come to me naturally. I can paint, sew, draw, write, cook, teach, and ride horses very well. That's not to say that I don't have any more to learn about these things. That's where humility comes in. Its important to remain teachable. Its important to recognize the skills others have, and learn from them.

I think that peace comes from this humility. Knowing that I am no better and no worse than anyone else gives me an inner peace. I don't have to show off to impress people. I don't need to feel superior to anyone. We are all equal in this world, and we each have our own gift, and we each have our own weaknesses. By accepting the weaknesses within myself, I am more able to accept other's weaknesses. Also, by accepting my own weaknesses, I am able to be nicer to myself. That is, I don't beat myself up over small mistakes. I don't have so much of the drive to perfectionism.

Peace is a very spiritual concept to me. When I am at peace with the world and at peace with myself, I feel a connection to the creative spirit of the universe. I am actually a part of that creation. I have a role to play. Each of us has a place in the universe.

Thank you, Dawn.
This was beautiful. We'll be looking forward to the Fifth Promise.