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Fri, May 5, 2006 07:09:33 AM


∞ what do you mean, any lengths? ∞
posted: Fri, May 5, 2006 07:09:33 AM

 

the reading today is one that warms me to the cockles of my heart as well as chills me to the bone, depending who is asking this question. when i am asked by a peer, friend or sponsee i have the privilege of explaining in great detail what going to any lengths means to me and my recovery, and what it has meant for me across the course of my time clean. HOWEVER, when i am asking the question of my peers, friends or sponsor, the last thing i want to hear is the onerous and apparently heinous means they may expound on with great gusto.
so the time has come for me to now pause and consider this question in detail. yes my recovery is important to me, but there was a time i was unwilling to travel twelve miles to get to a meeting of my fellowship. my rationalization (and i understand that word means a lie to myself) was that recovery was recovery, regardless of the fellowship i happened to be attending at the moment. after one of my "a-ha moments" i saw this idea for what it was and help start meetings in my home town. you see i was still unwilling to drive those twelve miles every day, but i was willing to get some meetings started and we stumbled, fumbled, and made more than our share of mistakes back in those days, but the outcome is that today, no addict in my home town has my excuse for not going to a meeting of my fellowship -- we have them every day of the week!
do i go to any lengths to maintain my recovery today?? no i can honestly say i do not -- BUT i do go to what some may consider great lengths, although for me those are just the minimum lengths that i need to, to stay clean and grow in my recovery. and if you ask me what those lengths are, i will gladly tell you at great lengths, :))!

∞ 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!

∞ any lengths or whatever it takes ∞ 467 words ➥ Thursday, May 5, 2005 by: donnot
∞ i usually had an open mind when it came to the finding ways and means ∞ 99 words ➥ Saturday, May 5, 2007 by: donnot
μ **any lengths?** i asked, **what do you mean, any lengths?** μ 302 words ➥ Monday, May 5, 2008 by: donnot
Σ my best thinking, it is often said, got me into the rooms. Σ 422 words ➥ Tuesday, May 5, 2009 by: donnot
¿ why do i often find it so hard to take direction in recovery ¿ 472 words ➥ Wednesday, May 5, 2010 by: donnot
¿ i was ready to go to any lengths to stay clean ¿ 655 words ➥ Thursday, May 5, 2011 by: donnot
ƒ IF i am willing to go to any lengths, follow direction , 288 words ➥ Saturday, May 5, 2012 by: donnot
¿ why do i find it so hard to ask for ? 1014 words ➥ Sunday, May 5, 2013 by: donnot
« my best thinking, it is often said, » 803 words ➥ Monday, May 5, 2014 by: donnot
∼ any lengths ∼ 580 words ➥ Tuesday, May 5, 2015 by: donnot
∘ become as ∘ 603 words ➥ Thursday, May 5, 2016 by: donnot
😔 am i ready ❓ 708 words ➥ Friday, May 5, 2017 by: donnot
‼ was i willing ‽ 587 words ➥ Saturday, May 5, 2018 by: donnot
🚪 i can stay clean, 🚣 609 words ➥ Sunday, May 5, 2019 by: donnot
🤔 what does 🤨 502 words ➥ Tuesday, May 5, 2020 by: donnot
🛇 taking direction 🛡 526 words ➥ Wednesday, May 5, 2021 by: donnot
💡 just get me out 💨 591 words ➥ Thursday, May 5, 2022 by: donnot
😵 gratitude 🤯 530 words ➥ Friday, May 5, 2023 by: donnot
😏 open-minded 😕 488 words ➥ Sunday, May 5, 2024 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

He who in (Tao's) wars has skill
Assumes no martial port;
He who fights with most good will
To rage makes no resort.
He who vanquishes yet still
Keeps from his foes apart;
He whose hests men most fulfil
Yet humbly plies his art.

Thus we say, 'He ne'er contends,
And therein is his might.'
Thus we say, 'Men's wills he bends,
That they with him unite.'
Thus we say, 'Like Heaven's his ends,
No sage of old more bright.'