April 18: Day 108

STONE THREE CONTINUED
 
Question: I question every experience, all information, personal motives — mine and others — including the ideas presented by The Religious Recovery Program.

Instruction: Change questions.

Sometimes we get stuck in a situation because we keep asking the same question. It helps at times to ask a different question. For instance, sometimes we just want to understand why something happened, and we can get stuck in the “why” of it all. In some circumstances, no amount of asking “why” can help us move forward. A “why” question moves us into the past, and dwelling in the past can leave us moping about for answers that are not at our disposal. Answers have sometimes been buried with our loved ones and no amount of asking can give us peace. This is a situation in which changing the question can lend better results. Instead of asking “why?” we can ask “what now?” That question can lead us out of the past and into the present. “What now?” might lead to the question “how do I cope?” and “how do I move on?” All three questions are better than dwelling on the “why,” they move us forward into living in the present. That makes us available for the future.

Another question we might ask that is better than “why” is “Was there any good I can hold onto?” Another excellent question to ask is “How do I heal?” or “How do I release the pain?” or “How do I take what happened, apply it to my life, and make the most of what seemed like an awful situation?” All of this questioning helps us heal, but it also helps us when we are ready to move forward. If we are considering different religious or spiritual experiences, we can learn from the lessons of the past, apply those lessons to the present, and with emotional wisdom and enlightened intuition, we can make better choices.

Today’s Assignment concerns holding on to the question “why?” Make an effort to change that question to one that helps you move on with your life. “Why” questions often aren’t answered in the time frame you prefer, as in “now,” but you can leave the question of “why” in the hands of the Universe, choose to release the pain, and move on. Some “why” questions might never be answered, but you can learn to live with that.