Blog entry for:
Wed, Oct 18, 2017 07:35:34 AM
😏 politics makes 😝
posted: Wed, Oct 18, 2017 07:35:34 AM
strange bedfellows. what may seem a departure from the nature of this writing, is actually the entry to a topic that is often on my mind: how the heck did i learn to trust, make friends and yes even long-term relationships with those in the rooms, when i am the most asocial, judgemental, a$$hole in the bunch? 🤢 i am one of the strangest bedfellows i know and as i move through the interview and hiring dance at the various places that have expressed interest in adding me to their workforce, i need to remember that fact.
life in this northern town, has not always been a piece of cake for me, and when i came to the fellowship after nearly two years of noodling around and playing the part of a “recovering drug addict and alcoholic,” i was not quite sure how to be real, and quite certain that i would not find anyone in these rooms that i could establish any sort of relationship with, at any time, they were all SO FREAKING DIFFERENT!
that was then, and this is now. it really was not until i started my fourth round of steps that i started to make any progress with my social retardation and realize how envious and resentful i was of those who just seemed to fly through social situations with the greatest of ease. it is true, that i certainly had made major strides, before starting that round of steps, and as i approached that round, my FEAR was that i was far too broken to have more than a handful of close relationships and would never be able to have any sort of social network beyond those. sure i knew lost of my peers in recovery, as being a “slave” to serving my fellowship allowed me to step out of one box and into another. as i stayed clean, stepped out of the box my mantle of service created for me, i discovered life in the open is a whole lot easier and when i am just being myself, people may come to like me or not. when i stopped trading in that coin, the approval of others, amazingly my social network grew and i became more self-assured and saw that those i envied,. worked hard at juggling all of those social situations as well. ironically, they seemed to grow less comfortable in that world as i grew more confident in mine and i realize today, that was because i shifted my perceptions, and they were, as they always were.. the adage that nothing changes if i do nothing to foster those changes, is as true for them, as i have found it to be for me.
ah well, i do not have a new job and my current employers have expectations that i need to meet today. life in the real world may be stressful, but at least i know what my paycheck will look like at the end of the week. the attitude i need to carry forward today is, that even if i am a short-timer, i NEED to treat all of them with the care and consideration, i myself would like to feel. it is after all a great day to be clean and a better day to walk the path of self-acceptance and see if social acceptance follows.
life in this northern town, has not always been a piece of cake for me, and when i came to the fellowship after nearly two years of noodling around and playing the part of a “recovering drug addict and alcoholic,” i was not quite sure how to be real, and quite certain that i would not find anyone in these rooms that i could establish any sort of relationship with, at any time, they were all SO FREAKING DIFFERENT!
that was then, and this is now. it really was not until i started my fourth round of steps that i started to make any progress with my social retardation and realize how envious and resentful i was of those who just seemed to fly through social situations with the greatest of ease. it is true, that i certainly had made major strides, before starting that round of steps, and as i approached that round, my FEAR was that i was far too broken to have more than a handful of close relationships and would never be able to have any sort of social network beyond those. sure i knew lost of my peers in recovery, as being a “slave” to serving my fellowship allowed me to step out of one box and into another. as i stayed clean, stepped out of the box my mantle of service created for me, i discovered life in the open is a whole lot easier and when i am just being myself, people may come to like me or not. when i stopped trading in that coin, the approval of others, amazingly my social network grew and i became more self-assured and saw that those i envied,. worked hard at juggling all of those social situations as well. ironically, they seemed to grow less comfortable in that world as i grew more confident in mine and i realize today, that was because i shifted my perceptions, and they were, as they always were.. the adage that nothing changes if i do nothing to foster those changes, is as true for them, as i have found it to be for me.
ah well, i do not have a new job and my current employers have expectations that i need to meet today. life in the real world may be stressful, but at least i know what my paycheck will look like at the end of the week. the attitude i need to carry forward today is, that even if i am a short-timer, i NEED to treat all of them with the care and consideration, i myself would like to feel. it is after all a great day to be clean and a better day to walk the path of self-acceptance and see if social acceptance follows.
∞ 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!
who knows??? 218 words ➥ Monday, October 18, 2004 by: donnot∞ i belong? ∞ 349 words ➥ Tuesday, October 18, 2005 by: donnot
δ we meet on mutual ground with our focus on the two things we all have in common δ 516 words ➥ Wednesday, October 18, 2006 by: donnot
μ the most unlikely people form friendships, sponsor each other, and do service work together μ 459 words ➥ Thursday, October 18, 2007 by: donnot
∞ what a mixture of folks here in the fellowship! in any given meeting on any given night, ∞ 373 words ➥ Saturday, October 18, 2008 by: donnot
Ξ in any given meeting on any given night, one may find a variety of people, Ξ 692 words ➥ Sunday, October 18, 2009 by: donnot
Œ although **politics makes strange bedfellows,** as the old saying goes Œ 668 words ➥ Monday, October 18, 2010 by: donnot
… no matter what my personal circumstances, i belong … 460 words ➥ Tuesday, October 18, 2011 by: donnot
♥ i meet others like me in the rooms of recovery ♥ 500 words ➥ Thursday, October 18, 2012 by: donnot
∃ on any given night, i find a variety of people ∃ 385 words ➥ Friday, October 18, 2013 by: donnot
∪ the focus of the fellowship is ∪ 629 words ➥ Saturday, October 18, 2014 by: donnot
≈ we all belong ≈ 600 words ➥ Sunday, October 18, 2015 by: donnot
❖ addiction ❖ 640 words ➥ Tuesday, October 18, 2016 by: donnot
🌤 sharing the bonds 🌥 400 words ➥ Thursday, October 18, 2018 by: donnot
🤨 strange bedfellows 🤭 653 words ➥ Friday, October 18, 2019 by: donnot
🌄 hope for 🌄 259 words ➥ Sunday, October 18, 2020 by: donnot
🙄 on mutual ground 🙄 505 words ➥ Monday, October 18, 2021 by: donnot
🚪 that room 🕴 497 words ➥ Tuesday, October 18, 2022 by: donnot
🌬 FAITH, 🌪 425 words ➥ Wednesday, October 18, 2023 by: donnot
🥀 getting through 🥀 498 words ➥ Friday, October 18, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
2) He (who knows it) will keep his mouth shut and close the portals
(of his nostrils). He will blunt his sharp points and unravel the
complications of things; he will attemper his brightness, and bring
himself into agreement with the obscurity (of others). This is called
'the Mysterious Agreement.'