Blog entry for:
Mon, Aug 16, 2004 04:52:01 AM
up or down
posted: Mon, Aug 16, 2004 04:52:01 AM
... sorry i was out of town on a mini-vacation and did not write, and events conspired against me writing yesterday... so it goes.
i do need the reminder that i must work on my spiritual condition on a daily basis -- and i got the reminder yesterday of what happens if i am less than spiritually fit! i watched the ravages of active addiction in the life of another addict during an extended 12th step call. it filled me with feelings of sadness, powerlessness, and gratitude. here is a fellow traveler who has been around the program 20 years and yet is unable to string together more than 2 or 3 weeks of clean time now. although i probably would not use if right away if i decided to stop doing what i have been, i know that it could be me sitting in that chair coming down from a 3 day run -- and i do not want to be in that spot ever again.
i only have today, and this morning i made the decision to do what i need to remain clean today. while this does not guarantee that i will not use it does reduce the odds.
i am currently stepless and assignmentless for the first time in a while, but that does not mean i do not have things to do to maintain my spiritual growth. i still have to do my daily inventories, my daily prayer and my daily meditation if i expect to continue along the path i have been chosen for and i do believe that somehow i was chosen to recover and that this is a gift to be nurtured and cherished just for today.
-- DT --
i do need the reminder that i must work on my spiritual condition on a daily basis -- and i got the reminder yesterday of what happens if i am less than spiritually fit! i watched the ravages of active addiction in the life of another addict during an extended 12th step call. it filled me with feelings of sadness, powerlessness, and gratitude. here is a fellow traveler who has been around the program 20 years and yet is unable to string together more than 2 or 3 weeks of clean time now. although i probably would not use if right away if i decided to stop doing what i have been, i know that it could be me sitting in that chair coming down from a 3 day run -- and i do not want to be in that spot ever again.
i only have today, and this morning i made the decision to do what i need to remain clean today. while this does not guarantee that i will not use it does reduce the odds.
i am currently stepless and assignmentless for the first time in a while, but that does not mean i do not have things to do to maintain my spiritual growth. i still have to do my daily inventories, my daily prayer and my daily meditation if i expect to continue along the path i have been chosen for and i do believe that somehow i was chosen to recover and that this is a gift to be nurtured and cherished just for today.
-- 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!
∞ uphill journey ∞ 379 words ➥ Tuesday, August 16, 2005 by: donnot↔ up or down -- it is one or the other, with very little in between, where spiritual growth is concerned. ↔ 351 words ➥ Wednesday, August 16, 2006 by: donnot
∞ my spiritual condition is never static; if it is not growing, ∞ 458 words ➥ Thursday, August 16, 2007 by: donnot
∞ my only option is to actively participate in my program of spiritual growth. ∞ 534 words ➥ Saturday, August 16, 2008 by: donnot
Λ if i stand still, my spiritual progress will lose its upward momentum Λ 544 words ➥ Sunday, August 16, 2009 by: donnot
¦ the STEPS are my road to spiritual growth ¦ 432 words ➥ Monday, August 16, 2010 by: donnot
⇓ this is my road to spiritual growth. i change every day ⇑ 555 words ➥ Tuesday, August 16, 2011 by: donnot
∂ the only constant in my spiritual condition is change ∂ 707 words ➥ Thursday, August 16, 2012 by: donnot
β i cannot rely on the program i worked yesterday β 557 words ➥ Friday, August 16, 2013 by: donnot
℘ my spiritual growth is not the result of ℘ 545 words ➥ Saturday, August 16, 2014 by: donnot
⇓ up or down ⇑ 465 words ➥ Sunday, August 16, 2015 by: donnot
✫ not the result ✬ 517 words ➥ Tuesday, August 16, 2016 by: donnot
🏔 back to where 🏜 487 words ➥ Wednesday, August 16, 2017 by: donnot
🌄 not fueled 🌅 493 words ➥ Thursday, August 16, 2018 by: donnot
👍 wishing 👎 533 words ➥ Friday, August 16, 2019 by: donnot
👍 my spiritual condition 👎 440 words ➥ Sunday, August 16, 2020 by: donnot
🖖 is it 🙋 549 words ➥ Monday, August 16, 2021 by: donnot
🧞 my recovery 🧚 324 words ➥ Tuesday, August 16, 2022 by: donnot
🤝 a commitment 🤝 550 words ➥ Wednesday, August 16, 2023 by: donnot
😞 wishing and dreaming, 😞 312 words ➥ Friday, August 16, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
3) The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps
his mind in a state of indifference to all. The people all keep their
eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children.