I have been clean for:
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๐Ÿงœ THE overall ๐Ÿฆ„

Posted: Sun, May 3, 2020 10:26:27 AM

sense of joy, i can feel about my life in recovery, does fuel my sense of gratitude. i am not one of those human beings that runs around spouting off about how **beautiful** life is and how everything, regardless to what is happening in my life, is **part of GOD*s plan** in fact, there are times when i am openly derisive about my peers who seem to me to live in a fantasy land of unicorns and rainbows. that is not to say that i live with a constant cloud of gloom and doom over my head, even though i often go there. i live in the real world, as messed up as it is. i accept that i am part of that mess and do my best to ameliorate my contribution to the general fVucked-up-ness of the world at large. when i uncover that teeny-tiny part of the world, i made a better place, because i got clean, stayed clean and learned to live a program of recovery, i feel that sense of joy arising from my gratitude.
of course, here is where i could negate all i wrote above with a huge “BUT.” the cynical side of me, looks at that last paragraph and starts an inventory of what i still am. yes i still tend to see the storm clods on the horizon on a perfectly clear fay. yes, i still think i am “owed” something in recognition of doing this gig day after day. yes, i still think that others should automatically treat me with respect and respect my boundaries, regardless if i have explicitly set them or not. what has come up lately is that i am feeling disrespected by a friend and peer with whom i have a very close relationship. it “feels” as if their time is more valuable than mine and their schedule is more pressing. it feels as if the lack the willingness or open-mindedness to dive into the virtual fellowship and that i “have to” provide the connection they lack. of course, none of this may be true and it is part of my p[laying the victim, a behavior with which i am very familiar, instead of allowing them the freedom to do what they feel they need to do. the irony here is, that i spent nearly an hour on the phone when a FNG called on Friday afternoon, and never once felt imposed upon or put out.
today, as i sat and listened, i once again heard the roar of the void, i understood that i do not need to “manufacture” my gratitude, as i demonstrate it by attending a meeting six days a week, taking calls for my peers, being present for the men that call me their sponsor and do my best to live in the COVID-19 world of diminishing returns and greater chaos. i do not need to skip through my life pretending to be what i am not, on either side of the coin ↝ yin or yang. today what i heard was to live in balance between yin and yang and my gratitude will be revealed to me, my peers and those with whom i share my life.

∞ DT ∞


Another Look

This day in older entries

๐ŸŒฐ today i will ๐ŸŒฑ
683 words ➥ Sunday, May 3, 2026 by donnot
๐ŸŽˆ like so many ๐ŸŽˆ
496 words ➥ Saturday, May 3, 2025 by donnot
๐ŸŒœ all-encompassing, ๐ŸŒ›
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๐Ÿงซ the attraction ๐Ÿงฒ
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๐Ÿ’ฅ finding the words ๐Ÿ’ฅ
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๐Ÿ—จ when i care ๐Ÿ—ฉ
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๐Ÿ—ท unlike some ๐Ÿ—น
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๐ŸŒง from time to time, ๐ŸŒฆ
610 words ➥ Thursday, May 3, 2018 by donnot
๐Ÿ˜ the certainty of ๐Ÿ˜–
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โ–ธ sharing my gratitude โ—‚
705 words ➥ Tuesday, May 3, 2016 by donnot
ฮ” my feelings of gratitude are enhanced ฮ”
546 words ➥ Sunday, May 3, 2015 by donnot
โ€ฐ my gratitude speaks eloquently, โ€ฐ
540 words ➥ Saturday, May 3, 2014 by donnot
โ†” my gratitude has a voice of its own; โ†”
685 words ➥ Friday, May 3, 2013 by donnot
โˆž feelings of gratitude for my recovery โˆž
321 words ➥ Wednesday, May 3, 2006 by donnot
โˆž my gratitude speaks โˆž
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Tao Te Ching

☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯

The Tao Teh King, or The Tao and Its Characteristics
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge

Book 2

2) Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and the manes
of the departed will not manifest their spiritual energy. It is not
that those manes have not that spiritual energy, but it will not be
employed to hurt men. It is not that it could not hurt men, but neither
does the ruling sage hurt them.