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Sun, Nov 8, 2009 08:29:02 AM


δ it has been said unless i am insane, i cannot remember what insanity feels like δ
posted: Sun, Nov 8, 2009 08:29:02 AM

 

once i am free from insanity, i seem to forget how truly bizarre my thinking can be. i started down a path of judgmentalness and spite, and a quick swipe of the mouse, and i am going down a different path. it is quite easy these days to see where i fall in the whole insanity spectrum, and on some mornings it is even easier to see where others fall. quite honestly, i can also see that is insane thinking, rather than being grateful that the level of insanity i am currently engaged in, is quite minimal, i wanted to towards how terribly bad and insane i still am, and the examples of why it is perfectly alright for me to revel in that insanity based on the behavior of some of my peers with decades of clean time under their belts.
that is truly insanity, MINE, in all of its shining glory. one of the tricks i am particularly adept on pulling off, is distracting myself from what is really going on inside of me, by focusing on the behaviors of others, i tell myself that seeing their not so shining examples will give me an object lesson of what i do not want to become. that is probably true up to a point, here is where my insanity kicks in, instead of taking that particular pearl of wisdom and integrating it my life, i can and often do, sue it as a focus of attack on myself, and the fellowship in general -- after all, this particular train of thought goes, if they are still doing such and such after so many years of clean time, and i am still doing it, it must not be all that bad.
what the reading beings home for me today, is that this form of insanity is currently active in my life, evidence of my need to <GASP> work another set of steps. which in and of itself is not a bad thing.
the original premise now requires a twist, unless i realize i am acting and thinking in an insane manner, i cannot really see how insane i really am. yes i know a bit redundant and perhaps i will edit that last statement later, but what that means for me, is that the system of denial that i came to recovery with, still has pieces intact. i can deny my current state of mind with a quick set of lies, that is often called rationalizations and justifications. well this morning i see quite clearly -- i am using my critique of others not as an object lesson to help me improve, but as a distraction from what i am missing about myself. so my task today is to write out my step work to prepare for the inevitable next round of 12 steps, do a bit of service, and look at the insanity of others as a guide for how i can better behave, in a more sane manner. if by chance, i am not practicing that form of insanity, then express my gratitude that the program is working in my life, one day at a time.

∞ 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!

my insanity 111 words ➥ Monday, November 8, 2004 by: donnot
α restoration to sanity ω 458 words ➥ Tuesday, November 8, 2005 by: donnot
μ to be grateful for the degree of sanity to which i have been restored, μ 471 words ➥ Wednesday, November 8, 2006 by: donnot
δ the program, the fellowship, and my concept of a Higher Power have worked worked a miracle. Δ 527 words ➥ Thursday, November 8, 2007 by: donnot
α in active addiction. i was not in my right mind. each day i courted … 465 words ➥ Saturday, November 8, 2008 by: donnot
⊥ do i believe it would be insane to walk up to someone and say ⊥ 472 words ➥ Monday, November 8, 2010 by: donnot
∏ i will take some time to recall how insane i have been ∏ 524 words ➥ Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by: donnot
¾ the Second Step is not a vain hope -- it is reality ¾ 579 words ➥ Thursday, November 8, 2012 by: donnot
‡ each day i practiced active addiction, ‡ 644 words ➥ Friday, November 8, 2013 by: donnot
“ may I please have a heart attack or a fatal accident? ” 440 words ➥ Saturday, November 8, 2014 by: donnot
⁄ freed from insanity ⁄ 703 words ➥ Sunday, November 8, 2015 by: donnot
❖ on being released ❖ 668 words ➥ Tuesday, November 8, 2016 by: donnot
😲 even death 😱 841 words ➥ Wednesday, November 8, 2017 by: donnot
🌄 on being grateful 🌄 871 words ➥ Thursday, November 8, 2018 by: donnot
😵 how truly bizarre 🤪 632 words ➥ Friday, November 8, 2019 by: donnot
🤪 in active addiction 🤨 501 words ➥ Sunday, November 8, 2020 by: donnot
🙄 not a  🙃 505 words ➥ Monday, November 8, 2021 by: donnot
😰 recalling my insanity, 😳 526 words ➥ Tuesday, November 8, 2022 by: donnot
📿 praying 🙏 317 words ➥ Wednesday, November 8, 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 1

5) Thus it was that when the Tao was lost, its attributes appeared;
when its attributes were lost, benevolence appeared; when benevolence
was lost, righteousness appeared; and when righteousness was lost,
the proprieties appeared.