The kind things we do for others often follow us for a lifetime. I was reminded of that recently when I received a phone call from someone very dear to me who had been attending her grandmother's funeral. She said that the pastor, in his eulogy, mentioned how kind her grandmother had been to him many years before. He said that at the time he knew the grandmother she was supervising the the food preparation department of a children's home where they both worked.

He recalled that she had taken him under her wing and always made sure that he got "a little extra" when she served him his food. Her kindness, which probably occurred some 30 years previously, followed her to her death at 95 years of age. This gesture was significant enough that the pastor remembered it for many years and was able to recall it as part of the legacy she left behind.

This anecdote reminds me that when many of us come into recovery we don't leave behind us a lot of good memories. We have harmed others. We have taken from others because of our addictions. We haven't been very considerate of our loved ones and have disappointed them. We have not contributed to society. This is not a legacy of which we can be proud.

But as we stay sober and rebuild our lives, this can all change. We can choose kindness over anger. We can choose generosity over selfishness. We can make amends to those we have harmed. Because we're in sobriety, we are new creations. We can now leave a trail of good memories behind. These kinds of memories are treasures beyond value.

As did this 95 year-old grandmother, we can leave a positive imprint upon the lives of those we touch...