Blog entry for:
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 07:13:42 AM
¢ i will look beyond the character defects of others and recognize my own. ¢
posted: Mon, Sep 26, 2011 07:13:42 AM
or even better yet, look past what others are doing, and direct my laser vision in on myself.
as i have been busy controlling, directing and yes manipulating others, over the past 10 days, and suffering the consequences for doing so, i can finally stop for a second and see what it is i am really doing. i am deflecting myself from facing the FEAR of what the FOURTH STEP may reveal. as long as i am doing something, anything, i do not even have to acknowledge that i am afraid. listening to others, i hear the same process going on in my head. the circular logic, that always leads me back to the same old place, choosing the familiar pain for the unknown pain of spiritual growth. why on earth would i want to open a whole new can of worms, when i have more than enough creepy-crawlies to deal with in my life today. the reason, just may be, that perhaps there is a chance that IF i face my FEAR, allow the personality change process to commence, once again, the current set of creepy-crawlies will be removed and NOT be replaced by more sinister and heinous ones. the HOPE that i am feeling this morning, is that there is happiness and joy on the other side of that pain. the irony here is, that no matter what i tell others, i still come back to this place myself. paralyzed by the very thought of the pain that i am about to endure, and the uncertainty of what my life will look like tomorrow, IF i let go, do the next right thing and allow the POWER that fuels my recovery to do IT's gig without my interference and resistance.
as bizarre as that sounds, perhaps fro the first time in a month, i am actually on the verge of letting go and surrendering to the next part of my spiritual journey. part of the FEAR i feel, is that the last time i started this step, i chose to end one of my sickest relationships, by trying to force into becoming a healthy one. what damage will i wreak this time? yes i miss my friend, but i do not miss the disrespect and the subservient position that relationship placed me in. the honest truth is, had i been healthier, i would have never participated in that relationship on those terms. the place where i ended-up was not the fault of someone else. it was mine and mine alone. i see no entry point to return to that relationship as a peer after being THE trained monkey and a sycophant for all that time. that is, what it is and although, right here and right now i feel regret and remorse, i know i cannot go there again.
which of course, leads me back to the topic at hand, acting out to blind myself to the behaviors that i am engaging in, whether they are a result of character defects or just the human condition. what is important today, is that i move forward, grow a bit of courage and do the next right thing, which right now, is to hop in the shower, shave and head on out to the office. i CAN do that and i will, after all, all i DO have is right now, and wasting it in diversion from myself, will do me no good in the long or short run. so it is off to work i go.
as i have been busy controlling, directing and yes manipulating others, over the past 10 days, and suffering the consequences for doing so, i can finally stop for a second and see what it is i am really doing. i am deflecting myself from facing the FEAR of what the FOURTH STEP may reveal. as long as i am doing something, anything, i do not even have to acknowledge that i am afraid. listening to others, i hear the same process going on in my head. the circular logic, that always leads me back to the same old place, choosing the familiar pain for the unknown pain of spiritual growth. why on earth would i want to open a whole new can of worms, when i have more than enough creepy-crawlies to deal with in my life today. the reason, just may be, that perhaps there is a chance that IF i face my FEAR, allow the personality change process to commence, once again, the current set of creepy-crawlies will be removed and NOT be replaced by more sinister and heinous ones. the HOPE that i am feeling this morning, is that there is happiness and joy on the other side of that pain. the irony here is, that no matter what i tell others, i still come back to this place myself. paralyzed by the very thought of the pain that i am about to endure, and the uncertainty of what my life will look like tomorrow, IF i let go, do the next right thing and allow the POWER that fuels my recovery to do IT's gig without my interference and resistance.
as bizarre as that sounds, perhaps fro the first time in a month, i am actually on the verge of letting go and surrendering to the next part of my spiritual journey. part of the FEAR i feel, is that the last time i started this step, i chose to end one of my sickest relationships, by trying to force into becoming a healthy one. what damage will i wreak this time? yes i miss my friend, but i do not miss the disrespect and the subservient position that relationship placed me in. the honest truth is, had i been healthier, i would have never participated in that relationship on those terms. the place where i ended-up was not the fault of someone else. it was mine and mine alone. i see no entry point to return to that relationship as a peer after being THE trained monkey and a sycophant for all that time. that is, what it is and although, right here and right now i feel regret and remorse, i know i cannot go there again.
which of course, leads me back to the topic at hand, acting out to blind myself to the behaviors that i am engaging in, whether they are a result of character defects or just the human condition. what is important today, is that i move forward, grow a bit of courage and do the next right thing, which right now, is to hop in the shower, shave and head on out to the office. i CAN do that and i will, after all, all i DO have is right now, and wasting it in diversion from myself, will do me no good in the long or short run. so it is off to work i go.
∞ 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!
another day -- another blog 144 words ➥ Sunday, September 26, 2004 by: donnot∞ looking for defects in others ∞ 313 words ➥ Monday, September 26, 2005 by: donnot
∞ what i dislike in my fellows is often those things i dislike most in myself. ∞ 478 words ➥ Tuesday, September 26, 2006 by: donnot
↔ how easy it is to point out the faults of others! ↔ 408 words ➥ Wednesday, September 26, 2007 by: donnot
δ when i am stricken with the impulse to judge someone else, δ 418 words ➥ Friday, September 26, 2008 by: donnot
ϖ the defects i identify most easily in others are often the defects ϖ 647 words ➥ Saturday, September 26, 2009 by: donnot
¥ it will not make me a better person to judge the faults of another ¥ 641 words ➥ Sunday, September 26, 2010 by: donnot
ℑ i can redirect impulse to judge someone else in such a way ℑ 573 words ➥ Wednesday, September 26, 2012 by: donnot
¢ as i recognize my own defects more clearly, ¢ 536 words ➥ Thursday, September 26, 2013 by: donnot
√ what i may see can guide my actions toward recovery √ 430 words ➥ Friday, September 26, 2014 by: donnot
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😇 the defects 😈 758 words ➥ Monday, September 26, 2016 by: donnot
🌈 becoming an 🎢 409 words ➥ Tuesday, September 26, 2017 by: donnot
🌘 the process 🌒 680 words ➥ Wednesday, September 26, 2018 by: donnot
🌤 a spiritual advantage 🌪 494 words ➥ Thursday, September 26, 2019 by: donnot
😠 faults of others 😷 406 words ➥ Saturday, September 26, 2020 by: donnot
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🙈 what i dislike 🙉 557 words ➥ Monday, September 26, 2022 by: donnot
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🙃 an impulse to 😶 499 words ➥ Thursday, September 26, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
1) The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of
the people his mind.