Daily Reflection: Unity in Understanding and Surrender
“Let us put our minds together as one.” - Irving Powless, Sr., ONONDAGA
If we sat in a circle and placed an object in the center, each of us would describe different points of view, seeing various aspects based on our position. Some would even see opposites because they would be sitting on opposite sides of the circle. In other words, you don’t have to see what I see for you to be right. Everyone in the circle is right based on their own point of view. If we are willing to listen to everyone’s point of view, we can achieve a more accurate description of the object in the center. This is one way to put our minds together. When we gain clarity from each other, we should express gratitude and give thanks to one another.
Similarly, in the Fellowship, we don’t all realize our truth in the same way or at the same time. Some of us enter the rooms uncertain that we are like those people. Now with a couple of weeks clean, we remember our using days differently: Was it that bad? Do we really have a “disease”? Sure, we have a problem with drugs, but it’s not like we were ever arrested for it. We have a roof over our head and teeth in our mouth. Never have we exchanged sex for drugs, and all our student loan payments have been on time. Was our bottom so terrible? Was it terrible enough to warrant daily surrender? An oldtimer offers some unhelpful advice: “Maybe you aren’t done yet.” This sounds ominous, yet we do have some sort of problem, so we stay clean and get a sponsor. We begin working the steps, answering questions as honestly and thoroughly as possible.
Seeing it all there on the page, the proof in black and white–it’s undeniable. I am an addict. In an ideal world, that’s the moment of surrender we never look back from. For many of us, this is the beginning of our process of surrendering, opening the door to recovery. Others may get loaded, do more “research,” hit a lower bottom, and surrender later. Still, others may never make it back.
Just as Native wisdom teaches us to understand through collective insight, the Fellowship provides a communal space where we share our truths and support each other in surrender. We have already done enough research. What is unmanageable in our lives right now? What are we obsessing about? What can we do to surrender today?
By embracing diverse perspectives and acknowledging our own truths, we honor the unity in understanding and the strength found in collective surrender.