Blog entry for:

Tue, Jul 1, 2014 07:49:00 AM


⇔ the effort i put into helping others also helps ⇔
posted: Tue, Jul 1, 2014 07:49:00 AM

 

to keep self-centeredness, the core of my addict self, at bay.
okay, yesterday was far from ideal. i felt like a tool most of a day and like a bad self-fulfilling prophecy i did many toolish things. yeah, yeah, yeah, i can hear it now: “i should not beat myself up for having a bad, after all i am only human.”
well you know what, that is touchy-feely bullsh!t, and every now and again, i need to cold, blunt truth, especially from myself, about who and what i am. yes, i need to own my mistakes, take responsibility for being ignorant and most importantly of all, be accountable to myself. the nice part of all of that, is i have a framework to love by, that allows me the freedom to be who i am, and to measure how ell i am doing in the here and now. even after a bad day, my TENTH STEP revealed that i had twinges of envy and certainly m ore than a bit of just plain self-centered self-pity, and that is okay. at least i harmed no one, i walked away from a situation that was frustrating. at least i did not call anyone a ho or a skank in front of all their friends. at least i paid my bills, worked from home after the dentist office and generally was a citizen instead of some sort of lowlife stalker.
this morning, as i look back over yesterday, i may not be proud of what i did and did not do, but i know for certain, that i owe new amends, no new instances of having to say i was wrong, and most importantly nothing that i regret saying or doing for whatever reason. being a tool happens to me, and allowing myself to fall victim, and yes i still play the victim from time to time, to the frustration of unmet expectations, is not part of the person i am growing into becoming. the nice part is i am not seen by my peers as some sort of degenerate, old and creepy predator, and that gives me a bit of comfort, in and of itself. i am trusted and they rely upon me to give them the bit of experience, strength and hope that i have accumulated across the course of my recovery. for me, i get to synthesize what i have seen and learned and no longer need to hide in the shadows, as i am not doing anything shameful or gasp morally repugnant anymore. the program that gave me this new life, has transformed me into something more that i ever imagined and as a result, there is very little shame and guilt for me to deal with on a daily basis, even after a day like yesterday!
the truth is, i am not all that complex, but i am grateful that i have a very simple framework to follow on my way to becoming a better person, and there are no more bodies buried along the side of that road, today. it is however time to move forward in my life and hit the road to Boulder. i know how to fix what i struggled with yesterday and i can be productive and most importantly live a program of recovery today.

∞ 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!

complex?? a simple solution 323 words ➥ Thursday, July 1, 2004 by: donnot
∞ complexly simple ∞ 304 words ➥ Friday, July 1, 2005 by: donnot
∞ my complicated life can be made a lot less complicated... ∞ 269 words ➥ Saturday, July 1, 2006 by: donnot
↔ yes, i am a complex person. but the program simplifies my life, ↔ 325 words ➥ Sunday, July 1, 2007 by: donnot
α by sharing my experience, strength, and hope with other addicts, ω 290 words ➥ Tuesday, July 1, 2008 by: donnot
Σ practicing the Twelve Steps in my daily life makes the difference … 582 words ➥ Wednesday, July 1, 2009 by: donnot
℘ the program is simply sharing, working the Twelve Steps, attending meetings … 532 words ➥ Thursday, July 1, 2010 by: donnot
⊗ though i may be a complex person, the fellowship offers ⊗ 452 words ➥ Friday, July 1, 2011 by: donnot
¡ my life CAN be filled with serenity and hope when ! 657 words ➥ Sunday, July 1, 2012 by: donnot
∏ the effort i put into helping others also helps keep self-centeredness, ∏ 610 words ➥ Monday, July 1, 2013 by: donnot
¡ a few simple things — 611 words ➥ Wednesday, July 1, 2015 by: donnot
🌋 a simple program 🌋 480 words ➥ Friday, July 1, 2016 by: donnot
🌿 the simplest way 🍀 826 words ➥ Saturday, July 1, 2017 by: donnot
🌰 keeping self-centeredness 🌱 637 words ➥ Sunday, July 1, 2018 by: donnot
💨 freedom from active addiction 💨 617 words ➥ Monday, July 1, 2019 by: donnot
🌄 serenity and hope 🌄 566 words ➥ Wednesday, July 1, 2020 by: donnot
🌄 my complicated life 🌄 329 words ➥ Thursday, July 1, 2021 by: donnot
😊 a complex person 😊 294 words ➥ Friday, July 1, 2022 by: donnot
🤗 love and 🤗 502 words ➥ Saturday, July 1, 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

2) Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility),
and manifests it to all the world. He is free from self- display,
and therefore he shines; from self-assertion, and therefore he is
distinguished; from self-boasting, and therefore his merit is acknowledged;
from self-complacency, and therefore he acquires superiority. It is
because he is thus free from striving that therefore no one in the
world is able to strive with him.