Peg O'Connor

“The man worried about what might fill the empty space left by these negative emotions. Would he become indifferent? What he discovered is that he felt full of positive energy. In ceasing to worry, he says, “Neither am I wasting any of this precious time formulating an idea of a future existence or a future Heaven. The Heaven I have within myself is as attractive as any that has been promised or that I can imagine; and I am willing to let the growth lead where it will, as long as their brood have no part in misguiding it” (145). This man embodies optimism as a living attitude. He welcomes possibility and growth with optimism. Heaven isn’t something Out There or separate from him. To the contrary, he sees the Heaven within himself. This Heaven he has within himself is one way to understand the Higher Power or something More to which he connects. In making and sustaining this connection, he has an expansive self that will say Yes to life’s possibilities. In many ways, this man is much like Walt Whitman, who sees the goodness of a more expansive order.”
― Peg O'Connor, Higher and Friendly Powers: Transforming Addiction and Suffering