Blog entry for:
Tue, Jan 29, 2013 08:57:08 AM
√ at first, i thought the First Step required no action √
posted: Tue, Jan 29, 2013 08:57:08 AM
-- i just surrender and go on to Step Two, however, Step One does require action! before i get rolling, i quick confession, i am writing this at work because i decided to slide on over to Boulder before the majority of the idiots got up and rolling on the diagonal and as a result the trip at 45 MPH took almost the exact same time as the trip usually does at much faster speeds. i am grateful this morning, that i am early riser and i can, when pressed get out of the house in less than 90 minutes.
back to my regularly scheduled blog…
with my original choice of where i got the notions of the recovery process, i certainly thought that this was just a surrender and go step. i could blame those others for my misunderstanding, but truthfully, i heard what i wanted to hear back in the day, and the last thing i REALLY wanted was a new way of life. ironically, as i uncovered more and more apparent loopholes, i finally reached a point where i was desperate enough to do something more than just hang out. the biggest loophole, and the one that almost took me out was admitting that i was powerless over mind and mood altering substances. that is similar to a diabetic saying they are powerless over their blood sugar. not that i am in any way equating addiction with diabetes, although that point has been made before, what i am saying is that i am NOT powerless over the most obvious symptoms of addiction, i am powerless over addiction, in all of its ugly glory. it is not the substances that kept me down, it was my uncontrollable use of them. in fact, meeting with another addict last night who has nearly nine years clean, or discussion DID not once focus on substance, but on other behaviors that are part of addiction for him. he, like me, is finally surrendering to the fact that what how, is far less important than why. and the why? because, i am an addict, plain and simple, and even with some days clean, i can still allow myself to think that i have some sort of power over addiction. in fact, the longer i stay clean, the greater the danger that i will succumb to that notion, based on the evidence of continuous clean time. clean time may be its own reward, but it is also a trap and an easy one for me to fall into and not be able to get out of again.
for myself and my program, i NEED to live the FIRST STEP on a daily basis, because anything else will result in a horror of a life, that i choose not to live today. anyhow, i do need to get cracking on the work on my desk, because that is the next right thing to do. perhaps as the day goes on, i will get some brilliant flash of inspiration and come back and add it, or perhaps not, all i know today, is: i am powerless over addiction and my life can be unmanageable as a result. it is up to me, to move forward from there and live the best program that i can, just for today.
back to my regularly scheduled blog…
with my original choice of where i got the notions of the recovery process, i certainly thought that this was just a surrender and go step. i could blame those others for my misunderstanding, but truthfully, i heard what i wanted to hear back in the day, and the last thing i REALLY wanted was a new way of life. ironically, as i uncovered more and more apparent loopholes, i finally reached a point where i was desperate enough to do something more than just hang out. the biggest loophole, and the one that almost took me out was admitting that i was powerless over mind and mood altering substances. that is similar to a diabetic saying they are powerless over their blood sugar. not that i am in any way equating addiction with diabetes, although that point has been made before, what i am saying is that i am NOT powerless over the most obvious symptoms of addiction, i am powerless over addiction, in all of its ugly glory. it is not the substances that kept me down, it was my uncontrollable use of them. in fact, meeting with another addict last night who has nearly nine years clean, or discussion DID not once focus on substance, but on other behaviors that are part of addiction for him. he, like me, is finally surrendering to the fact that what how, is far less important than why. and the why? because, i am an addict, plain and simple, and even with some days clean, i can still allow myself to think that i have some sort of power over addiction. in fact, the longer i stay clean, the greater the danger that i will succumb to that notion, based on the evidence of continuous clean time. clean time may be its own reward, but it is also a trap and an easy one for me to fall into and not be able to get out of again.
for myself and my program, i NEED to live the FIRST STEP on a daily basis, because anything else will result in a horror of a life, that i choose not to live today. anyhow, i do need to get cracking on the work on my desk, because that is the next right thing to do. perhaps as the day goes on, i will get some brilliant flash of inspiration and come back and add it, or perhaps not, all i know today, is: i am powerless over addiction and my life can be unmanageable as a result. it is up to me, to move forward from there and live the best program that i can, just for 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!
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α i will learn to feel my feelings rather than trying to control them ω 504 words ➥ Monday, January 29, 2007 by: donnot
∞ surrender is only the beginning. ∞ 401 words ➥ Tuesday, January 29, 2008 by: donnot
∞ i stop trying to be my own and only guide on my recovery journey and self-sponsorship ceases. ∞ 584 words ➥ Thursday, January 29, 2009 by: donnot
§ the action i take in the First Step will be evident in the way i live § 349 words ➥ Friday, January 29, 2010 by: donnot
¿ do i understand that i have no real control over addiction ¿ 719 words ➥ Saturday, January 29, 2011 by: donnot
√ as time goes on, i will continue with the basics and add new actions √ 637 words ➥ Sunday, January 29, 2012 by: donnot
∞ just surrender and go on to Step Two -- BOOM -- i am done ∞ 792 words ➥ Wednesday, January 29, 2014 by: donnot
‡ i look to a Power greater than myself ‡ 694 words ➥ Thursday, January 29, 2015 by: donnot
✺ the first step ✺ 712 words ➥ Friday, January 29, 2016 by: donnot
🌄 no real 🌅 743 words ➥ Sunday, January 29, 2017 by: donnot
👯 spiritual satisfaction, 👯 456 words ➥ Monday, January 29, 2018 by: donnot
😕 do i truly 😵 581 words ➥ Tuesday, January 29, 2019 by: donnot
🛎 reservations 💩 515 words ➥ Wednesday, January 29, 2020 by: donnot
¿ do i understand ? 573 words ➥ Friday, January 29, 2021 by: donnot
🥶 the way 🥵 481 words ➥ Saturday, January 29, 2022 by: donnot
🦡 not having any 🤨 401 words ➥ Sunday, January 29, 2023 by: donnot
👍 encouraging growth 👍 446 words ➥ Monday, January 29, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 1
1) In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there
were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised them.
In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them. Thus
it was that when faith (in the Tao) was deficient (in the rulers)
a want of faith in them ensued (in the people).