Blog entry for:
Fri, Jul 20, 2007 08:51:01 AM
∞ we become members, part of a collective **we** that allows us, together, ∞
posted: Fri, Jul 20, 2007 08:51:01 AM
to recover from our addiction. with membership comes a wealth of experience: the experience of other addicts who have found a way to recover from their disease.
okay, i did not change from first person plural to first person singular as i usually do, that is by design, because the reading may be about step one but what really hit me this morning was the part of changing from an **i** to a **WE**.
anyhow enough of the explanations, this morning i am much better off emotionally than i was yesterday. worked long and hard yesterday, cleaned up some messes and even had the chance to listen to a member share her experience, strength and hope. and then i slept like a dead person, oblivious to the world around me. so today i have been running, by choice, since about six-thirty and took care of a bunch of stuff for the weekend.
so why am i hearing about the change to the collective, this morning? well, if i could answer that i would have to be king of the fellowship that i am a member of. of course, being the king would probably destroy everything, so today, i am happy to be a member, with all the privileges, benefits and responsibilities of being part of that **WE**. today i accept the true extent of the part of my i call my disease and am willing to do whatever it takes to keep that part of me in check. the crux of the problem is, that i have no clue about how to keep my addict part in remission and let my true self enjoy being a member. i NEED to ask for help, from a POWER THAT KEEPS ME CLEAN, from my sponsor, from my closed mouth friends and from other members of the collective. that collective wisdom provides me the answers i NEED to have, and even some of those answers i WANT to have. that collective has the strength to give me the tools to move past self-will and into my own true will. and that collective provides me the information i NEED to get past the hopelessness of active addiction.
so yes, today i am part of a **WE** and grateful to be an member with the means at my disposal to not use anything no matter what. and now it is off to take care of the errands i need to take care of. thanks for letting me a part of this fellowship, even when i want to be apart from this fellowship, after all i do have the desire to stay clean today.
okay, i did not change from first person plural to first person singular as i usually do, that is by design, because the reading may be about step one but what really hit me this morning was the part of changing from an **i** to a **WE**.
anyhow enough of the explanations, this morning i am much better off emotionally than i was yesterday. worked long and hard yesterday, cleaned up some messes and even had the chance to listen to a member share her experience, strength and hope. and then i slept like a dead person, oblivious to the world around me. so today i have been running, by choice, since about six-thirty and took care of a bunch of stuff for the weekend.
so why am i hearing about the change to the collective, this morning? well, if i could answer that i would have to be king of the fellowship that i am a member of. of course, being the king would probably destroy everything, so today, i am happy to be a member, with all the privileges, benefits and responsibilities of being part of that **WE**. today i accept the true extent of the part of my i call my disease and am willing to do whatever it takes to keep that part of me in check. the crux of the problem is, that i have no clue about how to keep my addict part in remission and let my true self enjoy being a member. i NEED to ask for help, from a POWER THAT KEEPS ME CLEAN, from my sponsor, from my closed mouth friends and from other members of the collective. that collective wisdom provides me the answers i NEED to have, and even some of those answers i WANT to have. that collective has the strength to give me the tools to move past self-will and into my own true will. and that collective provides me the information i NEED to get past the hopelessness of active addiction.
so yes, today i am part of a **WE** and grateful to be an member with the means at my disposal to not use anything no matter what. and now it is off to take care of the errands i need to take care of. thanks for letting me a part of this fellowship, even when i want to be apart from this fellowship, after all i do have the desire to stay clean today.
∞ DT ∞
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.
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!
never alone 244 words ➥ Tuesday, July 20, 2004 by: donnotδ back to the beginning δ 283 words ➥ Wednesday, July 20, 2005 by: donnot
α with membership in the fellowship that gave me this new life, comes a wealth of experience Ω 342 words ➥ Thursday, July 20, 2006 by: donnot
∞ when i honestly admit my powerlessness over my addiction, ∞ 221 words ➥ Sunday, July 20, 2008 by: donnot
Σ there is great strength in making a verbal admission of my powerlessness Σ 675 words ➥ Monday, July 20, 2009 by: donnot
α i admit that I AM powerless over my addiction … 465 words ➥ Tuesday, July 20, 2010 by: donnot
¨ no longer must i try to solve the puzzle of my addiction on my own ¨ 694 words ➥ Wednesday, July 20, 2011 by: donnot
∗ i start each day with an admission of my powerlessness over addiction ∗ 448 words ➥ Friday, July 20, 2012 by: donnot
∅ i will start the day with an admission ∅ 645 words ➥ Saturday, July 20, 2013 by: donnot
µ i will remind myself that the First Step starts with **WE,** µ 364 words ➥ Sunday, July 20, 2014 by: donnot
‡ i never ‡ 411 words ➥ Monday, July 20, 2015 by: donnot
∈ step one ∌ 648 words ➥ Wednesday, July 20, 2016 by: donnot
🌦 i am powerless 🌤 572 words ➥ Thursday, July 20, 2017 by: donnot
🌩 gaining more than 🌪 644 words ➥ Friday, July 20, 2018 by: donnot
🚍 a wealth 🚌 264 words ➥ Saturday, July 20, 2019 by: donnot
👥 WE 👥 538 words ➥ Monday, July 20, 2020 by: donnot
🧩 solving the puzzle 🥨 472 words ➥ Tuesday, July 20, 2021 by: donnot
🤷 an admission, 🧬 447 words ➥ Wednesday, July 20, 2022 by: donnot
😒 forgiveness 😌 392 words ➥ Thursday, July 20, 2023 by: donnot
🤨 why would i 🤔 511 words ➥ Saturday, July 20, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 1
1) The skilful masters (of the Tao) in old times, with a subtle and
exquisite penetration, comprehended its mysteries, and were deep (also)
so as to elude men's knowledge. As they were thus beyond men's knowledge,
I will make an effort to describe of what sort they appeared to be.