Blog entry for:

Thu, Aug 6, 2009 09:18:03 AM


∫ everything i had loved had been given to my addiction ∫
posted: Thu, Aug 6, 2009 09:18:03 AM

 

once i got clean, i put all my energy into recovering material possessions, only to feel more dissatisfied. inner peace, a sure sense of direction, and emotional security, however, do not come from material things, but from within me.
okay perhaps the second time is the charm, i tried to to do something fancy and it failed and of course, even though i thought about saving my work, i only half-assed it, so the wonderful, spiritual, witty and intelligent blog that i just crafted is somewhere down the bit bucket and i am stuck starting from scratch.
yesterday, in the late afternoon, after working hard all day, i took a silly little quiz. while that is not all that important, when i got my results i was quite insulted, angry, and yes i had the desire to prove the author of the quiz wrong. since the author is not part of my reality, the next thing i could have done is go shopping. the amazing thing is, that idea did not cross my mind, purist form hell or not, i took an entirely different tack and as a result i got to grow spiritually, instead of materially. do not get me wrong, many of the bright and shiny things i have were reactions to feelings. although the hole in my soul, that is created and maintained by the part of me i call my addiction has been diminished in surface area, the depth is still bottomless, and i am certain that the opening can be stretched wide enough to accommodate anything i choose to put down it. in the past, my little fit of pique would have certainly sent me shopping, as i have found that shopping and eating and hundred other ‘normal’ activities can be turned into things to feed that addict within, although i would love to think of myself as some sort of spiritual, oh i do not know, for lack of a better term guru, and i find that i can still be obsessed with physical appearances (mine) and material wealth (mine too!). this reading reminds me of where i need to set my sight, namely for the spiritual wealth that is within my grasp and leave the rest alone. since i am hardly so ascetic yet, i will move in that direction while enjoying the benefits of material comfort. so it is off to pound the pavement and see how far i can run this morning, it is a great day to refocus on who i can become, instead of whine about who i am not.

∞ DT ∞

 

djtConsulting Brand
The views expressed on this page are solely the opinion of the author.
While the author is a member of a 12 Step recovery fellowship, these writings are not intended to endorse or express the published wisdom of any fellowship.
These writings are not meant to be socially or politically correct, and if you take issue with any opinions expressed, please seek the guidance of someone wiser than me.

Another Look!

finding joy in my life 305 words ➥ Friday, August 6, 2004 by: donnot
↔ the real source of joy ↔ 281 words ➥ Saturday, August 6, 2005 by: donnot
μ inner peace, a sure sense of direction, and emotional security μ 609 words ➥ Sunday, August 6, 2006 by: donnot
μ there is nothing inherently wrong with material things μ 442 words ➥ Monday, August 6, 2007 by: donnot
∞ where, then, can true joy be found?   603 words ➥ Wednesday, August 6, 2008 by: donnot
• since beginning my journey on the path of recovery • 606 words ➥ Friday, August 6, 2010 by: donnot
$ the REAL problem is, emotional fulfillment cannot be bought $ 691 words ➥ Saturday, August 6, 2011 by: donnot
$ material things make my life $ 663 words ➥ Monday, August 6, 2012 by: donnot
¢ true joy cannot be bought ¢ 737 words ➥ Tuesday, August 6, 2013 by: donnot
$ the problem is, emotional fulfillment $ 682 words ➥ Wednesday, August 6, 2014 by: donnot
¼ easing my ¼ 604 words ➥ Thursday, August 6, 2015 by: donnot
☠ impoverished by addiction ℞ 878 words ➥ Saturday, August 6, 2016 by: donnot
🌵 the joy within 🌶 767 words ➥ Sunday, August 6, 2017 by: donnot
🙒 seeking within 🙔 537 words ➥ Monday, August 6, 2018 by: donnot
🤑 inner peace, 🙌 589 words ➥ Tuesday, August 6, 2019 by: donnot
💸 material things 🏃 506 words ➥ Thursday, August 6, 2020 by: donnot
“ TRAVEL DAY ” 8 words ➥ Friday, August 6, 2021 by: donnot
🤞 without expectation 🤞 284 words ➥ Saturday, August 6, 2022 by: donnot
🎈 spiritual 🎈 458 words ➥ Sunday, August 6, 2023 by: donnot
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☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯

THE TAO TEH KING, OR THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge

Book 2

3) Thus it is that a great state, by condescending to small states,
gains them for itself; and that small states, by abasing themselves
to a great state, win it over to them. In the one case the abasement
leads to gaining adherents, in the other case to procuring favour.