Blog entry for:

Wed, Jan 31, 2024 07:59:33 AM


😶 having empathy 🤗
posted: Wed, Jan 31, 2024 07:59:33 AM

 

for each other, as well as for myself, is without a doubt a **learned behavior** for me. to say i was less than empathetic when i arrived in recovery, would be an understatement. i was out for myself and although i could feel pity and sympathy, empathy was not part of my feelings repertoire. even today, i sometimes lapse into judgment rather than understanding, especially when it comes to the addicts who are part of my life, who choose not to do anything to treat their addiction. there are more than enough people in my life who seem to demand understanding, rather than judgement, that i am getting well-practiced at moving my emotional scale towards empathy rather than pity or sympathy.
today, as i sat in my nearly normal physical mode, i feel better than i have been feeling the past few days. i am still working on getting my leg back to the place where i can restart my physical therapy and fitness routines. i am less emotionally drained and i am starting to feel the weight of my Mom's passing. time and again, i find myself pausing, wondering if i am proceeding in the correct manner in dealing with her affairs and looking for clues as to where to look for moneys she has left behind. i know that i have to keep the lights on at her home and allow my nice the comfort of having the internet. i also know that when the the money i “inherited” gets released, i will need to consider the ways and means to share it with my brothers and sisters. for right now, i keep coming up against the wall of “not yet” which is one of the most frustrating places for me to be. accepting “what is” instead of forcing what i desire, is what i keep hearing. there are times when i am okay with that and over the past few days, i have been far from okay living in that state. this morning, i am more accepting and ready to roll on out to see what “may be.”
now that the one year cycle of the latest daily spiritual reading has come to its end, i wonder if i will continue down this path, or mix it up with the original set of readings. that is something i will consider tomorrow, as i enter my last day of bereavement leave and help my friend and sponsee celebrate the end of twenty-six years clean. more will certainly be revealed and just for today, i can be okay with waiting for that to come out.

∞ DT ∞

 

djtConsulting Brand
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.

Another Look!

∞  who do i trust?  ∞ 283 words ➥ Monday, January 31, 2005 by: donnot
α a decision to trust α 732 words ➥ Tuesday, January 31, 2006 by: donnot
∞ learning to trust is a risky proposition. ∞ 493 words ➥ Wednesday, January 31, 2007 by: donnot
∞ now that i am in recovery, trust is essential. ∞ 367 words ➥ Thursday, January 31, 2008 by: donnot
μ finding someone i can trust makes it easier to ask for help. μ 454 words ➥ Saturday, January 31, 2009 by: donnot
± in active addiction, i could not and would not trust myself ± 575 words ➥ Sunday, January 31, 2010 by: donnot
∫ just for today i will have faith in someone ∫ 663 words ➥ Monday, January 31, 2011 by: donnot
! i will decide to trust someone , 505 words ➥ Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by: donnot
∴ my past experience as a using addict has taught me ∴ 322 words ➥ Thursday, January 31, 2013 by: donnot
∑ most of all, i could not trust myself. ∑ 409 words ➥ Friday, January 31, 2014 by: donnot
ƒ i need something to hang onto, ƒ 517 words ➥ Saturday, January 31, 2015 by: donnot
😎 trust 😎 608 words ➥ Sunday, January 31, 2016 by: donnot
⊙ learning to ⊛ 870 words ➥ Tuesday, January 31, 2017 by: donnot
🎲 a risky proposition 🎲 864 words ➥ Wednesday, January 31, 2018 by: donnot
🛫 learning 🛬 419 words ➥ Thursday, January 31, 2019 by: donnot
🗦 something, 🗧 632 words ➥ Friday, January 31, 2020 by: donnot
🌄 trusting myself 🌅 414 words ➥ Sunday, January 31, 2021 by: donnot
🚶 my past experience 🚶 432 words ➥ Monday, January 31, 2022 by: donnot
😲 feeling 😌 525 words ➥ Tuesday, January 31, 2023 by: donnot
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☯ 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

1) What (Tao's) skilful planter plants
Can never be uptorn;
What his skilful arms enfold,
From him can ne'er be borne.
Sons shall bring in lengthening line,
Sacrifices to his shrine.