Conscience is, in most men an anticipation of the opinions of others.
- Sir Henry Taylor
We are no longer in doubt about the right actions to take toward others. The program's Steps clarify what is appropriate behavior. Thus we know that doing any injury-physical or emotional-to other people harms us as well as them.
One of the many rewards of recovery is being free to live without guilt. Name-calling, harmful gossip, intentional put-downs, hateful rejections no longer provide the perverse pleasure of years gone by. We now recognize the subtle joy of sincere and loving efforts. We find this joy in calling a friend who is faced with a painful decision, picking up groceries for an elderly neighbor, extending our friendship to the new person at work. We no longer need the fear of what others will think to curb our spiteful actions.
Our conscience may still guide our actions at times, but as we grow in our recovery, we begin to intuitively know what keeps us on track and in sync with God.
I will follow my God-given intuition today.
From my site JoAnne's Angels and Faeries
