A family member entered treatment and completed treatment recently but I have not called to talk about it or discussed it with them yet.

I guess I am fearful of jinxing their recovery or more likely I just am wary because it took so much of my emotional energy to unsuccessfully convince them years ago to go into treatment during an "intervention" and eversince they cut me out of their life almost completly that I never really recovered or forgave them for it.

Forgiveness is a wonderous thing I sometimes wonder if animals can forgive or do they just forget or does the memory fade enought that they can let it go?

I am reminded of the scorpion crossing the stream on the frog or turtle or whatever story. They dont get all the way across and the scorpion stings the good samaritan frog/turtle and says it was his nature of course he stung him though now both will die.

I guess I am being prudently wary of getting stung again as many people relapse and arent intially successful. Actually they had been in treatment before but I believe their commitment this time is more wholehearted as evidenced by their atending 5 meetings a week and also and aftercare group session. This is a profound difference from before where they probably were considered a "hard case" ie highly supsicious of recovery process and 12 step in general.

Rethinking the story I wonder is it also in the frog/turtule's nature to forgive or to know the risk of death if he helps the scorpion but be compelled to offer it regardless because its his nature? Is this a foolish trait or a noble trait?

What would Jesus say about this fable I wonder? I mean love doenst always conquer all. I guess I take from it today to mean go in with your eyes open and expectations reasonable or better yet without expectations. Suffering is linked to what we want to be not matching what is. When the scorpion learns he is connected to the frog/turtle and killing the turtle is really harming himself then maybe he can gain a sense of compassion. 

I endeavor to be compassionate but not a pushover. I always hated the term "tough love" but I also admired individuals with the courage of their convictions such as the frog and people who take actions to better their world rather than complain about it. So tomorrow I will call and offer up my compassionate understanding to learn how to become more aware of our interconnectedness and interdependence by making the small step of taking the first step in restoring trust between us.

What will you do today to foster compassion?