Blog entry for:
Wed, May 1, 2024 09:37:13 AM
💁 i am grateful 🕴
posted: Wed, May 1, 2024 09:37:13 AM
for the opportunity to be of service, to my peers in recovery, my peers at my place of employment, my friends and my family, even if it does not appear that i am actually doing anything to serve them. as both of my sources for seeding this exercise were all about service and how it makes me feel, i guess i have little choice, but to go with the flow. there is always an element of self-will in these ramblings and i am quite sure as i am forced down a path i would rather not write about, more than a bit of self-will will be manifest.
i do have to say that making coffee and emptying ashtrays did allow me to have a small sense of being a part of, but for me, it was mostly about looking as if i really wanted to be here. in fact most of my service efforts for the first five years of my recovery were about looking good, and for the second five years all about self promotion and looking even better. i survived those days and so did my local fellowship. as i “grew up,” i uncovered the fact that i really did not require outside influences to feel good about myself. that led to service that was as close to selfless as this addict can get. when someone like myself no longer strives to be approved of and bigger than life, the whole world benefits.
moving into the real world this morning, i have already decided to let the conspiracy, bitter, old MAGAt have the table i like to work at, when i am at the cigar store. i cannot and will not share the table with him, as i find his negative energy draining and these days, when given the choice, i need not allow those energy vampires to latch on and empty my reserves of energy. the next time i hear him say that he should have stayed in DC, i will loudly and excitedly say, “yes you should have, as this state is nothing but misery for you.” anyhow, a bit of a dig and maybe just being present in his life, perhaps i can be of service to him. IF i were willing to risk my own serenity and balance that is. it is a good day to be clean and on this side of the lawn and i think i will wrap this up, before i trip down any more rabbit holes.
i do have to say that making coffee and emptying ashtrays did allow me to have a small sense of being a part of, but for me, it was mostly about looking as if i really wanted to be here. in fact most of my service efforts for the first five years of my recovery were about looking good, and for the second five years all about self promotion and looking even better. i survived those days and so did my local fellowship. as i “grew up,” i uncovered the fact that i really did not require outside influences to feel good about myself. that led to service that was as close to selfless as this addict can get. when someone like myself no longer strives to be approved of and bigger than life, the whole world benefits.
moving into the real world this morning, i have already decided to let the conspiracy, bitter, old MAGAt have the table i like to work at, when i am at the cigar store. i cannot and will not share the table with him, as i find his negative energy draining and these days, when given the choice, i need not allow those energy vampires to latch on and empty my reserves of energy. the next time i hear him say that he should have stayed in DC, i will loudly and excitedly say, “yes you should have, as this state is nothing but misery for you.” anyhow, a bit of a dig and maybe just being present in his life, perhaps i can be of service to him. IF i were willing to risk my own serenity and balance that is. it is a good day to be clean and on this side of the lawn and i think i will wrap this up, before i trip down any more rabbit holes.
∞ 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!
∞ self-esteem through being of service ∞ 178 words ➥ Monday, May 1, 2006 by: donnot∞ service is something that is my unique gift,something that no one can take away from me. ∞ 429 words ➥ Tuesday, May 1, 2007 by: donnot
∞ i have heard many members say that they began to develop self-esteem … 299 words ➥ Thursday, May 1, 2008 by: donnot
α when i arrived in this fellowship, i had very little self-worth left to salvage ω 757 words ➥ Friday, May 1, 2009 by: donnot
‰ being involved in service can make one worthwhile ‰ 637 words ➥ Sunday, May 1, 2011 by: donnot
♦ i did NOT have a lot of experience, strength, or hope to share at thirty days clean ♦ 536 words ➥ Tuesday, May 1, 2012 by: donnot
∼ through service, i started on the long road ∼ 439 words ➥ Wednesday, May 1, 2013 by: donnot
ª the very newest member, the one with only the desire to stop using ª 759 words ➥ Thursday, May 1, 2014 by: donnot
∫ can hardly imagine anyone ∫ 600 words ➥ Friday, May 1, 2015 by: donnot
⊢ when i begin ⊣ 834 words ➥ Sunday, May 1, 2016 by: donnot
✯ i give, ✯ 834 words ➥ Monday, May 1, 2017 by: donnot
🚧 my long road 🚪 511 words ➥ Tuesday, May 1, 2018 by: donnot
🔮 involved in service 🔮 332 words ➥ Wednesday, May 1, 2019 by: donnot
🌫 feeling worthwhile 🌫 561 words ➥ Friday, May 1, 2020 by: donnot
🤐 experience, 🤔 181 words ➥ Saturday, May 1, 2021 by: donnot
👐 when i arrived 👌 545 words ➥ Sunday, May 1, 2022 by: donnot
🌟 service 🌟 558 words ➥ Monday, May 1, 2023 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
2) It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement
deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those
who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.