Blog entry for:
Sat, Jan 17, 2015 07:51:30 AM
⊆ IF i feel affected by actions of someone else, ⊇
posted: Sat, Jan 17, 2015 07:51:30 AM
i can extend the principle of forgiveness.
so here i go again, looking at how the actions of someone else affects my life. or better put, my reaction to those actions. HOW i react is a function of how i judge those effects. if i see them as benefiting me in some manner, well then all is good. i smile and express my gratitude. if i judge that those effects are to my detriment, well that is where my program needs to kick in. i make a joke that once upon a time, if someone stepped on toe, i would desire to cut off their foot. a bit of hyperbole, i know, but it really is not that far off the mark, as evidenced by each and every NINTH STEP i have worked. what i took away from the reading this morning, is that i DO NOT have to behave in that manner any more. sure, anger, rage and revenge are easy for me to do, it was after all, that is where i lived when i was in active addiction. the program is all about becoming the person i never was, so learning to allow anger,rage and vengeance to be diffused before acting is not a bad thing for me to do. which takes me back to STEP SEVEN, allowing the POWER that fuels my recovery to remove this set of shortcomings. which quite neatly brings me back to STEP ELEVEN and my current worldview, how do i humbly ask a POWER that is beyond my ken and ability to even begin to comprehend to do something about who i am? which takes me back to STEP TWO: is it not insane to try and force my idea of what is, upon what i am coming to believe? which circles right back to where i started, how do i detach the actions of others' from the judge that resides within me?
the short answer seems to be, i forgive them, regardless of whether i perceive their actions to be to my benefit or not. i assume that they do what they do, because at that moment of time, that is what they needed to do, and my job is to interact with them, without plowing them down with a spiritual AK-47.
interesting metaphor, a spiritual terrorism, hmmmmm, one i think i will end with and hit the road. it is a great day to be clean and even better day to emulate...
so here i go again, looking at how the actions of someone else affects my life. or better put, my reaction to those actions. HOW i react is a function of how i judge those effects. if i see them as benefiting me in some manner, well then all is good. i smile and express my gratitude. if i judge that those effects are to my detriment, well that is where my program needs to kick in. i make a joke that once upon a time, if someone stepped on toe, i would desire to cut off their foot. a bit of hyperbole, i know, but it really is not that far off the mark, as evidenced by each and every NINTH STEP i have worked. what i took away from the reading this morning, is that i DO NOT have to behave in that manner any more. sure, anger, rage and revenge are easy for me to do, it was after all, that is where i lived when i was in active addiction. the program is all about becoming the person i never was, so learning to allow anger,rage and vengeance to be diffused before acting is not a bad thing for me to do. which takes me back to STEP SEVEN, allowing the POWER that fuels my recovery to remove this set of shortcomings. which quite neatly brings me back to STEP ELEVEN and my current worldview, how do i humbly ask a POWER that is beyond my ken and ability to even begin to comprehend to do something about who i am? which takes me back to STEP TWO: is it not insane to try and force my idea of what is, upon what i am coming to believe? which circles right back to where i started, how do i detach the actions of others' from the judge that resides within me?
the short answer seems to be, i forgive them, regardless of whether i perceive their actions to be to my benefit or not. i assume that they do what they do, because at that moment of time, that is what they needed to do, and my job is to interact with them, without plowing them down with a spiritual AK-47.
interesting metaphor, a spiritual terrorism, hmmmmm, one i think i will end with and hit the road. it is a great day to be clean and even better day to emulate...
∞ 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!
↔ forgiving others -- forgiving myself ↔ 314 words ➥ Monday, January 17, 2005 by: donnotα the worthiness of forgiveness ω 516 words ➥ Tuesday, January 17, 2006 by: donnot
μ in my recovery, i may still have a tendency to pass judgment on the actions of others μ 391 words ➥ Wednesday, January 17, 2007 by: donnot
δ but as i progress in my recovery i often find that, to accept myself, i must accept those around me. Δ 483 words ➥ Thursday, January 17, 2008 by: donnot
Σ it may be difficult to watch as the insanity of someone else manifests itself. … 426 words ➥ Saturday, January 17, 2009 by: donnot
¬ while in active addiction, and sometimes even in recovery ¬ 484 words ➥ Sunday, January 17, 2010 by: donnot
‰ at least i know that i am no longer intentionally making life miserable for people ‰ 724 words ➥ Monday, January 17, 2011 by: donnot
♣ i will strive to forgive rather than be forgiven ♣ 594 words ➥ Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by: donnot
∈ as i realize my need to be forgiven, ∋ 517 words ➥ Thursday, January 17, 2013 by: donnot
≈ if i detach myself from the problem ≈ 685 words ➥ Friday, January 17, 2014 by: donnot
✽ forgiveness ✽ 855 words ➥ Sunday, January 17, 2016 by: donnot
❪ forgive rather ❫ 794 words ➥ Tuesday, January 17, 2017 by: donnot
😵 acting in a way 😮 651 words ➥ Wednesday, January 17, 2018 by: donnot
🌀 watching as 🌂 492 words ➥ Thursday, January 17, 2019 by: donnot
🌠 feeling worthy 🌠 496 words ➥ Friday, January 17, 2020 by: donnot
👮 as the insanity 💩 487 words ➥ Monday, January 17, 2022 by: donnot
😧 intentionally 😶 541 words ➥ Tuesday, January 17, 2023 by: donnot
🏳 surrendering to change 🏳 420 words ➥ Wednesday, January 17, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 1
3) We meet it and do not see its Front; we follow it, and do not see
its Back. When we can lay hold of the Tao of old to direct the things
of the present day, and are able to know it as it was of old in the
beginning, this is called (unwinding) the clue of Tao.