Blog entry for:
Wed, Nov 21, 2018 10:08:34 AM
👁 hiding under a rock, 👁
posted: Wed, Nov 21, 2018 10:08:34 AM
or behind a wall of seeming indifference, the result, at least for me is the same, a boring and empty existence. realistically, most of my peers, can detect my character defects far better than i can, and pretending that those defects do not exist, is just one more fantasy that i attempted to live for far too long.
yesterday i wrote about the envy i felt when my peers could act in ways that i may judge to be “shady” and inconsistent with the spiritual principles. as i sat with one of the men who call me their sponsor last night, it came to me that what envy certainly may be my reaction, what was really going on, was regret over making a choice not to live in a state of conflict with those principles. it boils down down to, “they can and i won't.” i have the DESIRE to sink to my lowest and most base behaviors and i have the DESIRE to live the principles that guide my life. these two DESIRES conflict on so many levels that i react by “hating on ” my peers who appear to be acting out on theirs. it is my interpretation of what i think i see them doing, that is the issue and my regret at no longer being willing to do what i THINK they are doing.
today, as i sat for the very short time, i could sit, what i heard was that in my life, there is enough that needs to be addressed and it is my infatuation with the fantasy that i am some sort of spiritual adept, that is interfering with that progress. it is true, that as a part of my last set of steps i had a deep and very moving spiritual awakening, but that was a process and far from an event. i keep looking at my life as a chain of events, rather than a melange of interacting processes, that manifest their effects as “events.” as i walk forward through today, figuratively and literally, i think i will remember that i did not arrive at this place, overnight and only by letting go of fantasy and regret will i continue to become that much better tomorrow.
yesterday i wrote about the envy i felt when my peers could act in ways that i may judge to be “shady” and inconsistent with the spiritual principles. as i sat with one of the men who call me their sponsor last night, it came to me that what envy certainly may be my reaction, what was really going on, was regret over making a choice not to live in a state of conflict with those principles. it boils down down to, “they can and i won't.” i have the DESIRE to sink to my lowest and most base behaviors and i have the DESIRE to live the principles that guide my life. these two DESIRES conflict on so many levels that i react by “hating on ” my peers who appear to be acting out on theirs. it is my interpretation of what i think i see them doing, that is the issue and my regret at no longer being willing to do what i THINK they are doing.
today, as i sat for the very short time, i could sit, what i heard was that in my life, there is enough that needs to be addressed and it is my infatuation with the fantasy that i am some sort of spiritual adept, that is interfering with that progress. it is true, that as a part of my last set of steps i had a deep and very moving spiritual awakening, but that was a process and far from an event. i keep looking at my life as a chain of events, rather than a melange of interacting processes, that manifest their effects as “events.” as i walk forward through today, figuratively and literally, i think i will remember that i did not arrive at this place, overnight and only by letting go of fantasy and regret will i continue to become that much better tomorrow.
∞ 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!
character defects and my job 202 words ➥ Sunday, November 21, 2004 by: donnot∞ letting the job get done ∞ 283 words ➥ Monday, November 21, 2005 by: donnot
δ letting go of something painful can be as difficult as letting go of something pleasant. δ 390 words ➥ Tuesday, November 21, 2006 by: donnot
↔ nowhere in the Sixth or Seventh Steps does it say i can learn to control my defects of character ↔ 334 words ➥ Wednesday, November 21, 2007 by: donnot
∞ i go through times of examining everything i say and do ∞ 389 words ➥ Friday, November 21, 2008 by: donnot
¿ it takes humility to recognize that i cannot control ¿ 540 words ➥ Saturday, November 21, 2009 by: donnot
⊄ if my character defects my contributed in a positive manner to my health and happiness ⊄ 616 words ➥ Sunday, November 21, 2010 by: donnot
≤ i sometimes feel as though i have so much wrong with me ≥ 546 words ➥ Monday, November 21, 2011 by: donnot
β i AM ready to have my defects removed β 790 words ➥ Wednesday, November 21, 2012 by: donnot
¾ when i really think about what i am holding onto, the effort just is not worthwhile. ¾ 588 words ➥ Thursday, November 21, 2013 by: donnot
√ under no circumstance would i want √ 432 words ➥ Friday, November 21, 2014 by: donnot
¦ letting go ¦ 689 words ➥ Saturday, November 21, 2015 by: donnot
⦳ holding on ⦴ 659 words ➥ Monday, November 21, 2016 by: donnot
🍋 my resistance to 🍍 563 words ➥ Tuesday, November 21, 2017 by: donnot
🏚 totally defective 🏡 511 words ➥ Thursday, November 21, 2019 by: donnot
😉 my inadequacies 😎 492 words ➥ Saturday, November 21, 2020 by: donnot
😈 horrible traits 🥴 431 words ➥ Sunday, November 21, 2021 by: donnot
🛎 the effort, 🛠 411 words ➥ Monday, November 21, 2022 by: donnot
😈 discernment 🤔 549 words ➥ Tuesday, November 21, 2023 by: donnot
😒 feeling as if 😕 562 words ➥ Thursday, November 21, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
3) Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary
of him. Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive
with him.