Blog entry for:
Wed, Feb 28, 2024 07:11:35 AM
😵 reliability matters 😵
posted: Wed, Feb 28, 2024 07:11:35 AM
as i rise from the rabbit hole i went down this morning, i am running way behind the silly schedule i set for myself, this morning. it is not as if i have stuff left to do, it is just the stuff i do have left may need to have the location changed, due to my actions. oh well, so it goes. i am certainly not having my best morning it getting stuff done, but i am going to power forward and see what i can accomplish.
when i was using, i was what one might call more than a bit “flaky.” if i showed up, i was early so i could be “superior” to those who were punctual or a wee bit tardy. if i was running and gunning for something “twenty minutes” most of the time meant at least an hour. when asked to do something, i would hem and haw and if i agreed to do the task at hand, i would follow instructions to the letter, ignoring the spirit of what i was asked to do. the evidence of me being less that reliable, can go on and on and on and on, but to what point. my point is that reliability was not something that was expected of me.
when i came through the doors, even though the doors led to the rooms of another twelve step fellowship, i took a service position of making coffee for a noon meeting, to get me out of work and out of the house for two hours a day, as my movements were constrained by the courts. even though my motives were more than suspect, i still showed up five days a week and did a bit of service. as a result, i learned how to be reliable, even before i got clean or actually came to recovery. sure, it was all about looking good and hiding in plain sight, but doing that gig, started a process to create a reliable person.
today, after a minute clean, i see reliability as part of having integrity. if i say i will be somewhere or do something, i do exactly that, unless of course something outside of my control. prevents me from doing so. it also means that i show up for the stuff and events that i need to be a part of, such as my home group. i have been nursing a bit of a grudge against a few members of my home group who chose for one reason or another not to show up for the last month. the fact is, i do not know why and it does not matter, i show up and i participate in a consistent and reliable manner. what they do or do not do, may trip a feeling or three, but it is my choice whether or not i run with those feelings, or let them go. just for today, i choose to let them go and practice integrity by being reliable and dependable, no matter what.
when i was using, i was what one might call more than a bit “flaky.” if i showed up, i was early so i could be “superior” to those who were punctual or a wee bit tardy. if i was running and gunning for something “twenty minutes” most of the time meant at least an hour. when asked to do something, i would hem and haw and if i agreed to do the task at hand, i would follow instructions to the letter, ignoring the spirit of what i was asked to do. the evidence of me being less that reliable, can go on and on and on and on, but to what point. my point is that reliability was not something that was expected of me.
when i came through the doors, even though the doors led to the rooms of another twelve step fellowship, i took a service position of making coffee for a noon meeting, to get me out of work and out of the house for two hours a day, as my movements were constrained by the courts. even though my motives were more than suspect, i still showed up five days a week and did a bit of service. as a result, i learned how to be reliable, even before i got clean or actually came to recovery. sure, it was all about looking good and hiding in plain sight, but doing that gig, started a process to create a reliable person.
today, after a minute clean, i see reliability as part of having integrity. if i say i will be somewhere or do something, i do exactly that, unless of course something outside of my control. prevents me from doing so. it also means that i show up for the stuff and events that i need to be a part of, such as my home group. i have been nursing a bit of a grudge against a few members of my home group who chose for one reason or another not to show up for the last month. the fact is, i do not know why and it does not matter, i show up and i participate in a consistent and reliable manner. what they do or do not do, may trip a feeling or three, but it is my choice whether or not i run with those feelings, or let them go. just for today, i choose to let them go and practice integrity by being reliable and dependable, no matter what.
∞ 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!
FAITH, FEAR and FEELINGS 257 words ➥ Monday, February 28, 2005 by: donnotα no bad feelings? only lessons to be learned? Ω 393 words ➥ Tuesday, February 28, 2006 by: donnot
↔ the feelings i am given, good or bad are given to me for a reason. ↔ 520 words ➥ Wednesday, February 28, 2007 by: donnot
α one such gift is the renewed ability to feel the emotions i had deadened for so long with drugs. ω 505 words ➥ Thursday, February 28, 2008 by: donnot
μ but what about the **bad** feelings like anger, sadness, fear, and loneliness? μ 738 words ➥ Saturday, February 28, 2009 by: donnot
∏ i hear other addicts talking about the gifts the program has given them ∏ 607 words ➥ Sunday, February 28, 2010 by: donnot
¨ my newly found faith serves as a firm foundation for courage in the future ¨ 639 words ➥ Monday, February 28, 2011 by: donnot
∠ i welcome my emotions, firm in the belief that i have the courage ∠ 407 words ➥ Tuesday, February 28, 2012 by: donnot
¹ the feelings i am given, ¹ 723 words ➥ Thursday, February 28, 2013 by: donnot
♠ i will welcome my feelings, firm in the belief that ♠ 605 words ➥ Friday, February 28, 2014 by: donnot
◊ my FAITH and the care of the POWER ◊ 687 words ➥ Saturday, February 28, 2015 by: donnot
❂ the greatest gift ❂ 579 words ➥ Sunday, February 28, 2016 by: donnot
😝 uncovering the courage 😣 518 words ➥ Tuesday, February 28, 2017 by: donnot
🚌 but what about 🚍 655 words ➥ Wednesday, February 28, 2018 by: donnot
🙻 a **Higher Power** 🙻 727 words ➥ Thursday, February 28, 2019 by: donnot
🌧 what about 🌤 439 words ➥ Friday, February 28, 2020 by: donnot
🏃 the things 🏃 420 words ➥ Sunday, February 28, 2021 by: donnot
🌄 does not make mistakes 🌄 456 words ➥ Monday, February 28, 2022 by: donnot
😈 good or bad, 😇 539 words ➥ Tuesday, February 28, 2023 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 1
The valley spirit dies not, aye the same;
The female mystery thus do we name.
Its gate, from which at first they issued forth,
Is called the root from which grew heaven and earth.
Long and unbroken does its power remain,
Used gently, and without the touch of pain.