Blog entry for:

Fri, May 4, 2007 09:58:50 AM


↔ the love found in the rooms of helps me recover from addiction. ↔
posted: Fri, May 4, 2007 09:58:50 AM

 

i must remember to give to others what was so freely given to me.
and exactly what was given to me that i need to give back? well that question is one i ponder often when considering what i need to do to pay back my debt to the fellowship that has allowed me a new manner of living. well for one, they did not kick me out when all i could do is vent and puke about how i hated being in recovery, what would i call that -- well tolerance and perhaps love. they kept trying to tell me that i did not have to use no matter what, what would i call that, well i would have to call that love. those folks did everything in their power to guide me into this life, and all i did was resist for the longest time.
so flash forward to early May 2007, and what am i getting from the group today? after all it is all about me! well i still have a place to go and vent when i am angry or need to puke. i am still told that i do not have to use no matter what. but these days i get a reminder of what i was like all those days ago and i get a sense of gratitude about the direction my life has taken since i finally stopped fighting and surrendered to the fact that i am an addict and i do have a way out.
now what i have to think about what i am giving back. well lately not much. i have stopped sharing on a regular basis. if i share i might get asked to sponsor another newcomer. i do not show up at many meetings at all, after all TV and work are more important than going to a meeting. when i go to a meeting i do my best to ignore members i do not know.
so here cames a reading reminding me that the best service i can give is to be present for the newcomers arriving in the rooms today, which i am trying my best to avoid by rationalization and justification. so after that brief inventory it appears to me that i need to become better at doing what i am expected to do, that is carry the message to the newcomer, and that message is that there is HOPE WITHOUT DOPE and i am living example of that.

∞ 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!

↔ creating atmosphere of recovery  ↔ 352 words ➥ Wednesday, May 4, 2005 by: donnot
α offering that same fellowship to others Ω 367 words ➥ Thursday, May 4, 2006 by: donnot
∞ but once i have gotten clean, i must remember to give to others what was so freely given to me. ∞ 321 words ➥ Sunday, May 4, 2008 by: donnot
δ i need to reach out to the addict who still suffers. after all … 519 words ➥ Monday, May 4, 2009 by: donnot
∞ i am grateful for the warm fellowship i have found in my home group ∞ 434 words ➥ Tuesday, May 4, 2010 by: donnot
¹ our primary purpose? to carry the message to the addict who still suffers ¹ 932 words ➥ Wednesday, May 4, 2011 by: donnot
— to carry the message to the addict who still suffers — 585 words ➥ Friday, May 4, 2012 by: donnot
‡ sometimes when i go to meetings, i know almost everyone ‡ 361 words ➥ Saturday, May 4, 2013 by: donnot
¿ what about the newcomer ? 685 words ➥ Sunday, May 4, 2014 by: donnot
Ω after all, where would i be Ω 551 words ➥ Monday, May 4, 2015 by: donnot
😵 giving to others 😵 746 words ➥ Wednesday, May 4, 2016 by: donnot
✋ reaching out ✋ 858 words ➥ Thursday, May 4, 2017 by: donnot
🏠 one primary purpose 🏘 491 words ➥ Friday, May 4, 2018 by: donnot
🤝 reaching out 🤝 626 words ➥ Saturday, May 4, 2019 by: donnot
🛸 the addict 🚀 462 words ➥ Monday, May 4, 2020 by: donnot
🎈 freely giving 🎈 413 words ➥ Tuesday, May 4, 2021 by: donnot
😬 the still-suffering addict 😨 370 words ➥ Wednesday, May 4, 2022 by: donnot
🚥 willingness 🚦 460 words ➥ Thursday, May 4, 2023 by: donnot
🦄 i am not a 🦄 437 words ➥ Saturday, May 4, 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 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.