Grateful for my Survival Instincts

Nature does nothing uselessly.  - Aristotle

The For Today reading reminds me that I have adapted and re-adapted to ensure my survival.  Some of my coping mechanisms were necessary and now I can see they no longer serve me.  But they did serve me at one time -- they were essential, in fact, to my very survival.

The reading today is profound:

What does it take for any living thing to grow straight and true to itself?  And if survival is threatened or growth interfered with, what further measures are needed?

There is a natural force in all things that keep pushing to make them as true to the original plan as possible.

If compulsive overeating meant survival for me, it did indeed serve a useful purpose, and I am thankful it was a recourse that was open to me.  To regret what was necessary to save my life is to fail to appreciate the value of that life.

For today, I cannot regret my past, for it allowed me to endure to the present.

When I search for the full Aristotle quote, it is even better.  It reads, “Nature does nothing in vain. Therefore, it is imperative for persons to act in accordance with their nature and develop their latent talents, in order to be content and complete.”    

Blessed be.