Embracing the Now

January 2nd - Reflection for the Day

Before I came to the Gamblers Anonymous Program, I hadn’t the faintest idea of what it was to Live in the Now. I often became obsessed with things that happened yesterday, last week, or even five years ago. Worse yet, many of my waking hours were spent clearing away the wreckage of the future. To me, Walt Whitman once wrote, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.

Can I truly believe that in my heart?

Today I Pray

Let me carry only the weight of twenty-four hours at one time, without the extra bulk of yesterday’s regrets or tomorrow’s anxieties. Let me breathe the blessings of each new day for itself, by itself, and keep my human burdens contained in daily perspective. May I learn the balance of soul that comes through keeping close to God.

Today I Will Remember

Don’t borrow from tomorrow.

When I first walked through the doors of recovery, I carried the weight of two lifetimes—one filled with regrets and shame from my past, and another filled with fears of a future I couldn’t control. I was living everywhere except in the present moment. It was exhausting.

Gambling was my escape, but the more I chased that escape, the more I robbed myself of now. Recovery taught me the profound power of living one day at a time. It’s not just a cliché; it’s a lifeline.

There’s freedom in letting yesterday be yesterday and allowing tomorrow to take care of itself. Today, I choose to embrace the unspeakable miracle of this moment—the laughter of a loved one, the warmth of the sun, the steady rhythm of my breath. These things are small but profound when you’re no longer shackled by the past or the future.

So, I remind myself: I don’t have to clear the wreckage of the past or prepare for every storm ahead. I just need to be present for this day, trusting that if I keep my focus here, I’ll have the strength to face whatever comes next.