Blog entry for:
Sun, Jun 19, 2016 11:26:53 AM
✹ to be happy, ✺
posted: Sun, Jun 19, 2016 11:26:53 AM
joyous, and free.
most of the time, this is one of those trite, little, throw-away phrases that irk the bejeezus out of me. not that i do NOT want to have the ability to be happy, joyous and free, it is just that i do not want to stop there. being happy, joyous and free is a wonderful place, but far from something on my bucket list. or ,maybe it is on my bucket list, just crossed off, because most days i have at least one third of that state reached -- FREEDOM. if i was a baseball player or a TV weather personality, that would be an excellent average, and i would never have to strive for anything more. a .333 batting average is bonus land. instead of focusing on one little phrase that i have chosen to pull out of context, there is much of this reading that speaks to my heart, namely once i lose self-obsession.
quite honestly, i do not believe there are many humans, who have achieved this state, but that does not deter me from right-sizing my obsession with self. yes, most of the stuff i worry and fret about on a daily basis, is comical, ironic or downright hilarious, when i let go of how it may make me look in the eyes of my peers. since the driving force behind my obsession with self, is how i look in your eyes, embarrassing or humiliating experiences are shoved down the bit bucket as soon as possible and replaced with a story that makes it out to be as if i had planned it that way from the start. i mean seriously the time i forgot my athletic supporter and my running shorts. when i pulled down my sweats, i ended up in my tightie-whities in front of the stands at a track meet. i ran that race in my sweats and when i look back on it, it is funny today, at the time, not so much. by the way, i went on to kill that race, dusting my opponents and turning in one of my personal bests at the 440 yard dash, 50′ 45″ and change. maybe a bit of a humiliation was what i needed and my results certainly shut down my opponents, fVck you all, see what i can do, even in my tightie-whities! my team mates, well that incident lived in infamy until the guy did something stupid and i was out of the hot seat. no one got a picture and i still have plausible deniability.
yes, i can laugh about it today, and as the steps right-size my ego, amazing things happen. conceit, arrogance and being far too serious, drop away. do not get me wrong, as much as i would love to say i was a spiritual guru and always had a properly sized opinion of myself, that is far from the case. what it does mean, is that most of the time, i find the idiotic and obsessive things i do, more than a bit funny and ironically, i share them with my peers, my friends and my acquaintances, instead of plopping them into the bit bucket of obscurity.
it is true, recovery is a serious business. it is also true that taking responsibility for my recovery is no laughing matter. HOWEVER, in the long run, seeing my foibles as funny, sharing with my peers, how they are funny and laughing at myself with others, makes me a better member and is certainly part and parcel of becoming a spiritual guru. it is after all, all about me!
most of the time, this is one of those trite, little, throw-away phrases that irk the bejeezus out of me. not that i do NOT want to have the ability to be happy, joyous and free, it is just that i do not want to stop there. being happy, joyous and free is a wonderful place, but far from something on my bucket list. or ,maybe it is on my bucket list, just crossed off, because most days i have at least one third of that state reached -- FREEDOM. if i was a baseball player or a TV weather personality, that would be an excellent average, and i would never have to strive for anything more. a .333 batting average is bonus land. instead of focusing on one little phrase that i have chosen to pull out of context, there is much of this reading that speaks to my heart, namely once i lose self-obsession.
quite honestly, i do not believe there are many humans, who have achieved this state, but that does not deter me from right-sizing my obsession with self. yes, most of the stuff i worry and fret about on a daily basis, is comical, ironic or downright hilarious, when i let go of how it may make me look in the eyes of my peers. since the driving force behind my obsession with self, is how i look in your eyes, embarrassing or humiliating experiences are shoved down the bit bucket as soon as possible and replaced with a story that makes it out to be as if i had planned it that way from the start. i mean seriously the time i forgot my athletic supporter and my running shorts. when i pulled down my sweats, i ended up in my tightie-whities in front of the stands at a track meet. i ran that race in my sweats and when i look back on it, it is funny today, at the time, not so much. by the way, i went on to kill that race, dusting my opponents and turning in one of my personal bests at the 440 yard dash, 50′ 45″ and change. maybe a bit of a humiliation was what i needed and my results certainly shut down my opponents, fVck you all, see what i can do, even in my tightie-whities! my team mates, well that incident lived in infamy until the guy did something stupid and i was out of the hot seat. no one got a picture and i still have plausible deniability.
yes, i can laugh about it today, and as the steps right-size my ego, amazing things happen. conceit, arrogance and being far too serious, drop away. do not get me wrong, as much as i would love to say i was a spiritual guru and always had a properly sized opinion of myself, that is far from the case. what it does mean, is that most of the time, i find the idiotic and obsessive things i do, more than a bit funny and ironically, i share them with my peers, my friends and my acquaintances, instead of plopping them into the bit bucket of obscurity.
it is true, recovery is a serious business. it is also true that taking responsibility for my recovery is no laughing matter. HOWEVER, in the long run, seeing my foibles as funny, sharing with my peers, how they are funny and laughing at myself with others, makes me a better member and is certainly part and parcel of becoming a spiritual guru. it is after all, all about me!
∞ 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!
Hey me 108 words ➥ Saturday, June 19, 2004 by: donnot↔ life on the terms of life is often anything but funny. ↔ 463 words ➥ Monday, June 19, 2006 by: donnot
↔ life on its own terms is often anything but funny. ↔ 346 words ➥ Tuesday, June 19, 2007 by: donnot
∞ even if i am deeply troubled, the joy that often fills the meeting rooms allows me … 322 words ➥ Thursday, June 19, 2008 by: donnot
α when i become annoyed with people and events … 527 words ➥ Friday, June 19, 2009 by: donnot
˜ i am beginning to finally see that when i lose self-obsession ˜ 396 words ➥ Saturday, June 19, 2010 by: donnot
μ when i make mistakes, and i DO make my fair share, μ 445 words ➥ Sunday, June 19, 2011 by: donnot
¹ when i make mistakes, and i will, that is a promise not a threat , 560 words ➥ Tuesday, June 19, 2012 by: donnot
β i find that when i lose self-obsession, β 505 words ➥ Wednesday, June 19, 2013 by: donnot
∩ an ability to find humor in a difficult situation is a gift, ∩ 730 words ➥ Thursday, June 19, 2014 by: donnot
¥ if i can keep a sense ¥ 609 words ➥ Friday, June 19, 2015 by: donnot
🗝 a sense 🔫 736 words ➥ Monday, June 19, 2017 by: donnot
🌤 things that might 🌥 300 words ➥ Tuesday, June 19, 2018 by: donnot
😖 all of those events, 🤣 534 words ➥ Wednesday, June 19, 2019 by: donnot
😬 losing self-obsession, 🙄 464 words ➥ Friday, June 19, 2020 by: donnot
😩 finding 😜 208 words ➥ Saturday, June 19, 2021 by: donnot
🤤 the humor 🤣 447 words ➥ Sunday, June 19, 2022 by: donnot
🗣 communicating 🗫 515 words ➥ Monday, June 19, 2023 by: donnot
😒 not all that 🤪 577 words ➥ Wednesday, June 19, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
3) He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and
rule. Ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call
the mysterious excellence (of a governor). Deep and far-reaching is
such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessor as opposite
to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him.