Image credit: Photo by rachel a. k. on Flickr Licensed under Creative Commons

An Al-Anon friend and I were talking the other day about how frustrating it can be as we progress on our journeys, to see what that next healthier behavior looks like (just a step beyond where we are currently), but not be able to actualize it quite yet.

"You know, I've gotten more forgiving of myself around this," I told her, "I'm trying to think of it like yoga. There are times when I'm not actually flexible or strong enough to do the full pose. I know what the full pose looks like and where I'm heading, but I can't get my body into that position yet. So, I accept what my body is capable of now, use blocks and straps to extend my reach in the meantime and do the best pose I can today. I think there are times I can see what healthy behavior looks like, but my emotional and spiritual muscles aren't strong or flexible enough yet to handle it. I have to try to do the same thing I do in yoga: know what the full pose looks like, but accept what I'm capable of now and use my spiritual and emotional blocks and straps to help me as I work on building my spiritual and emotional muscles."

"And that's what we are there for," she said, "Program friends are our blocks and straps. I'm there helping you and you're helping me. And over time, with practice, we're both getting a little closer to the full pose."

"Ha! So true!"

"I'm glad," she said, "to know you are one of my straps and blocks, and that I am one of yours."

"And I'm so glad you're one of my straps and blocks and I'm yours too."