THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER

Ah, laughter — what a wonderful gift recovery brings us! In the Big Book, we see that laughter is often a sign of true freedom from the bondage of self. When we complete the Steps and begin living in the sunlight of the spirit, the Promises tell us 'we will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it' [Page 83]. That peaceful acceptance allows us to laugh at ourselves and the absurdities of life without the old shame. Bill Wilson himself wrote that the alcoholic can laugh at his own past once he knows he is forgiven by a Higher Power. The daily reprieve we receive from the obsession gives us 'a new freedom and a new happiness' [Page 83] — and what better expression of that happiness than genuine laughter? It bubbles up from gratitude, not from denial. So today, take time to laugh with a fellow traveler. It's proof that the spiritual awakening is working in you.