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Thu, Oct 20, 2011 07:25:11 AM


◊ enforced morality lacks the power that comes to me when ◊
posted: Thu, Oct 20, 2011 07:25:11 AM

 

I CHOOSE to live a spiritual life. these days it is a choice and one that is not all that difficult to implement, MOST OF THE TIME. as i sit here this morning, i am wondering about who is being honest with whom. while i have been berated for dragging my feelings about others into this forum, i will stop there, only to say this when i get conflicting stories from both parties involved, and get them more than once, one may begin to suspect that the truth, such as it is, is not being revealed for whatever reason.
moving on, yes that was a choice, and yes today, i have decided that my suspicions need to be better investigated before i make any conclusions or start to color my perceptions by half-formed judgements. the fact is someone is lying to someone else, and if i am the one being conned, that fact will be revealed soon enough. i can live with that, and i guess i was not quite ready to move on after all. there are times when i get so locked into a notion, that all the FREEDOM, i have been given, feels like it has suddenly been withdrawn and i am once again stuck in a prison, made by the consequences of my actions and behaviors. it feels almost as bad as the prison of active addiction at times, and like active addiction, there is a way out, and that way is no mystery, it has been revealed to me by the members who were in the room way back when and the members who are in the rooms today.
so what game will i play today? always an interesting thought, for life in recovery has all sorts of twists and turns, and often. the best part is that i can often cover my tracks with a bit of spiritual camouflage.
nice work, when you can get it.
just as the example above illustrates, there are all sorts of ways i can take these stray and seemingly random thoughts and notions, i have, and turn them into something more than they are. i know all about obsession, it once felt like my middle name, although i was consciously clueless about how much it ruled my life. i know about compulsion, that too is something that fuels my life as an addict, and that too, comes back to haunt me from time to time. this morning? i CAN ALLOW myself to be trapped in that pattern, or i can actually give that over to the POWER that fuels my recovery. this morning? well i choose a bit more obsession before surrender. a shower and down to the office i go.the drive done there always clears my mind, and i will be able to focus on doing the next right thing, which is to wrap up my project, get ready for the convention this weekend, help my niece celebrate her birthday and maybe get some writing done or at east get my book club selection a little bit further digested. this io know for sure, I DO HAVE A CHOICE TODAY, my job is to make the deciosn that opens up my horizons instead of closing them down.

∞ 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!

freedom of choice 189 words ➥ Wednesday, October 20, 2004 by: donnot
α freedom to choose ω 569 words ➥ Thursday, October 20, 2005 by: donnot
∞ freedom from active addiction means, among other things, the freedom to make choices for myself. ∞ 529 words ➥ Friday, October 20, 2006 by: donnot
α freedom of choice is a wonderful gift, but it is also a great responsibility. ω 519 words ➥ Saturday, October 20, 2007 by: donnot
α i am responsible for my own recovery and my own choices. ω 583 words ➥ Monday, October 20, 2008 by: donnot
∏ if i do not use the gift of freedom of choice that i have been given, ∏ 462 words ➥ Tuesday, October 20, 2009 by: donnot
• in active addiction, i often live my life by default • 431 words ➥ Wednesday, October 20, 2010 by: donnot
+ as difficult as it may seem , 430 words ➥ Saturday, October 20, 2012 by: donnot
¹ today, i will accept responsibility for my recovery, ¹ 626 words ➥ Sunday, October 20, 2013 by: donnot
¿ i am grateful for … 877 words ➥ Monday, October 20, 2014 by: donnot
ℜ freedom to choose ℑ 480 words ➥ Tuesday, October 20, 2015 by: donnot
⅔ abdicating ⅔ 605 words ➥ Thursday, October 20, 2016 by: donnot
🌫 being unwilling 🌫 736 words ➥ Friday, October 20, 2017 by: donnot
⚖ weighing my choices ⚖ 547 words ➥ Saturday, October 20, 2018 by: donnot
🤔 seeking the experience 🤯 411 words ➥ Sunday, October 20, 2019 by: donnot
🤔 choosing to live 🤩 599 words ➥ Tuesday, October 20, 2020 by: donnot
😲 living 😲 253 words ➥ Wednesday, October 20, 2021 by: donnot
😠 enforced morality 😒 640 words ➥ Thursday, October 20, 2022 by: donnot
🤐 anonymity 🤐 528 words ➥ Friday, October 20, 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

He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches
his legs does not walk (easily). (So), he who displays himself does
not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who
vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self-
conceited has no superiority allowed to him. Such conditions, viewed
from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour
on the body, which all dislike. Hence those who pursue (the course)
of the Tao do not adopt and allow them.