When Enemies Become Your Teachers

I know there are a few music threads on here, but I figure there’s always room for one more! For this thread, I would love for people to share a song that has helped them stay sober or has taken on new meaning because of their sobriety - and please let me know why and how!

My song is “Truth” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Here’s why:

Yesterday I began my AA 4th step - a fearless and searching moral inventory - with my sponsor, and we worked on one of my main resentments. A friendship that had meant a lot to me ended unexpectedly recently ended. It’s been very difficult for me because I had invested a lot of time, energy, and love supporting this person through many rough times, and then when I needed her support I was abandoned. This in turn opened up a bunch of old wounds. I was trying to find a way to still live in gratitude about the relationship, but I was failing. Then my sponsor said something that helped enormously.

She said that this person has become not my friend, but my teacher. She has given me the opportunity to feel a pain that I had buried deep inside - to let it out, work through it, and emerge on the other side healed by my own love.

It reminded me of some lyrics from “Truth”:

“Say you’re my lover, say you’re my homie
Tilt my chin back slit me throat take a bath in my blood get to know me
All out of my secrets
All my enemies are turning into my teachers”

I’ve always loved this song, and I understand the line on a rational level - but I had never FELT it before yesterday. Now I love the song even more, and it has become my Song for Sobriety.

Now it’s your turn! I can’t wait to hear what songs have helped you learn and grow during this crazy wonderful endeavor we’ve undertaken.

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