As we continue to learn about the basket of words I hope we begin to understand that there is an importance to the order.
We began with courage for it takes great courage to admit something is wrong and needs to be changed.
Then we moved to willingness, then to trust, then to tenderness, then to power and balance, then to change and rest.
Each one of these have great significance within the process of recovery.
The ninth word in this series will be healing.

Dictionary.com says: Healing is the act or process of regaining health, getting well, mending.
Restoring health to bring an end or conclusion.
Compose or soothe: to heal the soul.
After a time of resting the body begins to have a ‘new’ place inside for healing and restoring some sort of calm that will be needed to go further in the process.
For me it was slow but as I learned to listen to the internal feelings
I learned it was more healing to listen than to discount or dismiss.
Maya Angelou says it beautifully:
“It’s scary every time I go back into the past.
Each morning, my heart catches.
When I go there, I remember how the light was, where the draft was coming from, what odors were in the air.
When I write, I get all the weeping out.”
Yes… writing helps to form feelings into words.
That is what I struggled with the most.
I could write what I could not say ‘out loud’.
I could draw what I could not express.
I had the feelings but I couldn’t verbalize the words surrounding them for it didn’t feel safe or real to talk them out.
Until I healed and followed the process of healing I couldn’t go any further.
Each step is crucial and it took time. It took patience.
It took strength to go back into those ‘places’ as Maya so beautifully expressed.
It was scary.
I had to remember in order to move forward my fear could not stop me or hold me back.
There were days I did not want to do the hard work it took for me to become more healthy.
It felt like I was mountain climbing and just as in exercise or diet it takes a process of doing in order to get the result.
I also had to fight my doubt.
What my heart told me had to be processed with my counselor and then believed.
He was a huge ‘help’ in this journey toward healing.
Just like any coach he cheered me on and he encouraged and directed me towards the goal.
The goal of healing.
To heal the soul is one of the most difficult journeys as it is a delicate process.
The one in recovery must learn to grieve.
To learn what was broken and lost, then acknowledge the pain.
Each time I stepped into that therapy room I knew I was closer to the healing process.
It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:8
Our ninth word is healing