I am worthy of my body healing (erin jean warde)
I sit inside a space of being deeply grateful for my sobriety, while simultaneously focusing on the broader work of healing my body. Sobriety began this good work, but I am not done.
I am worthy of my body healing
I have terrible news for you — you can work for years on healing and never be done. (I assure you, no one is more upset about this than me.)
Right now, I sit inside a space of being deeply grateful for my sobriety, while simultaneously focusing on the broader work of healing my body. Sobriety began this good work, because not drinking is an act of loving and caring for my body. But, as the terrible news proclaims, I have worked for years on healing and I am not done. There are new ways I am being called to honor my body, to nourish it, to listen to its wisdom, to trust how it guides me.
It hit me — embodiment is about time. So, as I begin this discernment around caring for my body, I’m deeply aware that how I spend my time, specifically, is a reflection on how I treat my body. Oof.
And how do I spend so much of my time? Distracted. Distracted distracted distracted. Eyes on my phone, while my ears are on the TV, with a fork full of food I can’t taste for all the noise.
In this work of healing my body, there is of course the practical work, but practical work in my experience is always tied to the deeper work, the question I don’t want to ask, much less answer.
A question I’m holding, when I slip into patterns that aren’t serving me, is this:
What am I trying to distract myself from?
And to shift my way of thinking:
How am I distracting myself from joy?
How am I distracting myself from peace?
How am I distracting myself from feeling good in my body?
I hate to break this terrible news today, but I do have good news to offer in equal measure, that has become true in my life: The journey of healing is worth this lifetime of work. I would not change the work for anything in the world. I am exhausted by it — and there are days I want the magic wand, the quick fix — but I know this frustrating way of healing is also the joyous way of coming home to myself in mind, body, and soul.
May you trust that you are coming home to yourself in mind, body, and soul. And may you receive this good news that bears the kind of hope only healing can offer.
With love & care,
EJW
REQUEST: review on Amazon!
Whenever you’ve had the chance to read Sober Spirituality, please do me the huge favor of leaving a review on Amazon! You do not even have to order it from Amazon to leave a review there. Positive Amazon reviews are a huge support to me!
EVENT TOMORROW!
I hope you’ll join me THIS EVENING from 7:00-8:30EST for this event sponsored by the Stevenson School for Ministry! It’s not too late to sign up!
This workshop will explore the importance of hospitality in Christianity, name the current challenge our culture faces with alcohol, and talk through fun and thoughtful ways churches can grow in showing compassion toward those who don't drink. Churches growing in hospitality to sober people serves not just to change our churches for the better, but to grow them, as churches can become safe places for sober visitors and their friends.
For questions contact ssfm@diocesecpa.org.