Meditation reading for Friday April 18, 2025
NEED A FIX? FIX THE NEED
Recovering individuals sometimes say, “Need a fix? Fix the need.” This is powerful advice, especially when paired with a daily personal inventory. In both good and bad behavior, we strive to meet our needs. As compulsive people, we have plenty of experience with destructive ways of doing so. Driven by nameless hungers, we desperately tried to escape boredom, boost low self-esteem, or find companionship. Too often, these efforts only widened the gap between us and the true fulfillment of our needs.
On the path to recovery, one way to “fix” our needs is to understand them. Perhaps a need for success was really a frantic effort to prove to others that we were enough. We can still aspire to succeed, but let’s replace false goals with ones that align with our true selves. Some needs may stem from flawed principles or immature hopes, and those deserve re-examination.
What do we truly need? Self-honesty, self-worth, friendship, and purpose—these are universal, and all are attainable through the AA program as part of sober living. By embracing these, we gain the insight to sort through and understand other needs, perhaps discovering those that align with our heart’s deepest desires and lead to lasting happiness. We can trust this process, knowing that God understands our needs even before we ask.
Today, I’ll remember that my needs should support my way of life, not enslave me to them.