Blog entry for:

Sun, Oct 1, 2006 09:34:44 AM


∞ emotional pain provides a basis for comparison when i am joyful. ∞
posted: Sun, Oct 1, 2006 09:34:44 AM

 

i could not appreciate joy without knowing pain. well maybe i could, but that is not what is going on in my life today. today i am at the end of a period of time where i have felt like doing nothing and hiding from the world around me. i have not been in any pain, nor have i caused much pain, BUT i have been on the verge of doing or saying something that will tip my world off its axis. so through the filter of the reading i need to look at what really has been going on over the past ten days or so. inside of me, the landscape has been anything but bleak, i am excited about the direction my life has taken and am gaining some confidence that this is going to last.
however what seems to be happening is that as i gain confidence. i am also regaining the ability to trust my self-will and that is a dangerous place for this addict to be in. self-will has never been something that has been good for me and in the theme of the reading today, the results of acting on self-will are always the same -- my pain , my suffering and as a result of my pain and suffering, the pain and suffering that i inflict on others.
so am i willing to allow myself to hurt myself today? maybe, after all the world according to don is still spinning the way i want it too, it is everyone else that is having some problems with the way that world is spinning. so my choice is to continue to live in selfish, self-centered self-will or allow the next phase of healing of my spirit to continue -- and i have yet to decide which of those two mutually-exclusive events i will allow to occur. pain is optional and joy is one of those gifts that is based on the relative nature of my internal emotional state -- it is up to me to decide and right now i am unwilling to let go and make that decision, but who knows perhaps the events in the next couple of hours will tip the balance one way or another -- i am after all, clean and feeling honest about who and what i am this morning.

∞ 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!

pain vs joy 337 words ➥ Friday, October 1, 2004 by: donnot
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∞ i see no good purpose for pain ∞ 409 words ➥ Monday, October 1, 2007 by: donnot
α PAIN -- who needs it!? ω 447 words ➥ Wednesday, October 1, 2008 by: donnot
∞ just like physical pain, emotional pain ∞ 323 words ➥ Thursday, October 1, 2009 by: donnot
Œ i have learned that pain can be a motivating factor in my recovery process Œ 621 words ➥ Friday, October 1, 2010 by: donnot
¿ what if human beings did not feel pain -- either physical or emotional ? 475 words ➥ Saturday, October 1, 2011 by: donnot
ƒ i will accept pain as a necessary part of human life ƒ 246 words ➥ Monday, October 1, 2012 by: donnot
♣ if someone happens to mention spiritual growth to me while i am in pain, ♣ 752 words ➥ Tuesday, October 1, 2013 by: donnot
∃ PAIN, huh, what is it good for? ∃ 466 words ➥ Wednesday, October 1, 2014 by: donnot
‡ not just a ‡ 544 words ➥ Thursday, October 1, 2015 by: donnot
😒 emotional pain  😕 670 words ➥ Saturday, October 1, 2016 by: donnot
🜚 appreciating joy 🜛 649 words ➥ Sunday, October 1, 2017 by: donnot
👾 a pointless exercise in suffering 👹 240 words ➥ Monday, October 1, 2018 by: donnot
🚑 a basis for comparison, 🚒 333 words ➥ Tuesday, October 1, 2019 by: donnot
🚧 when to stop 🛑 532 words ➥ Thursday, October 1, 2020 by: donnot
⚖ a basis ⚖ 403 words ➥ Friday, October 1, 2021 by: donnot
😟 accepting pain 😢 225 words ➥ Saturday, October 1, 2022 by: donnot
🎖 compassion 🎖 405 words ➥ Sunday, October 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) Shrinking looked they like those who wade through a stream in winter;
irresolute like those who are afraid of all around them; grave like
a guest (in awe of his host); evanescent like ice that is melting
away; unpretentious like wood that has not been fashioned into anything;
vacant like a valley, and dull like muddy water.