Alcohol Recovery Blog... Well, not so much any more. I've lost all of my support over the last several years obviously. Nobody wants to go head to head with the Anti/XAers anymore. Seems that most have jumped off of the A.A. "bandwagon" all together. I've lost my resolve as well. Still sober 20+ years though. So there is that.
Quiet isn't necessarily a bad thing. I tend to use the internet a lot more in the darker months. It is staying light out now until about 8 or so. Spring may actually be here. Busy working in my gardens, fishing, working with guys and spending some good time with my wife. If something earth shattering happens I'll share it, but so far life just continues to unfold. I find myself feeling content and useful, not bad considering how it used to be. Hope all you guys are well. Throw out a topic PAtrick and I'll always give you my experience on it, if I have no experience, I'll give you my 2 cents, which is about what an uninformed opinion is worth.
That's how I feel, too, Rob. All's quiet and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Only thing that I've encountered lately is that paradox of "you can't keep it unless you give it away." I realize that this may be more an exercise in semantics than anything, but I don't agree with the statement.
I don't give anything away. If you want what I have (whatever that may be) you'll work for it just like I did. I'll be happy to show you how I got it, but I'm not gonna give it to you.
Needless to say, I'm not Mr. Popular with that group right now. Too many bleeding hearts who's answer to everything is "keep coming back". AA by osmosis, I guess.
Nice post Joe. The question that present itself is what is this mystical "it" that we must give away in order to keep? Now there's something we can sink our teeth into.
Step 12 hints at the answer. I've had a psychic change sufficient to recover from alcoholism. A spiritual awakening. Maybe this is the "it" I have to pass on.
You are absolutely right, AA by osmosis does not work.The only folks who have any success just making meetings appear to be able to quit on a non-spiritual basis, I call them hard drinker or fakers.
As a recovered alcoholic who is properly armed with facts about himself, I can show others precisely how I have recovered. It is all about action.
My experience is that when I give my time to a suffering alkie, I am fulfilled. St. Francis knew about this principal. Maybe that is part of the "it"
Hey guys, Not ignoring you, I've been busy. And to be honest, just not real inspired to post anything.
Was a rather emotional weekend for me, being as it was the first Mother's Day for me since my mom passed away last June and had an old high school girlfriend contact me on FaceBook on Saturday.
As for giving it away to keep it, I have never bought into that. I don't give it away to keep anything, I give it away because I am compelled to do so. I don't give it away to stay sober, I give it away because I am sober.
The "it" I believe being referred to here is the ongoing process of my life. Which in reality I can't give to anyone. Impossible. So I guess what I could give is a real life lesson in how I go about my life. If you hang out with me long enough you can be gifted to witness how I perform under or in different situations. It is said I can't keep "it" unless I give it away. The only thing I can think of for this particular saying is "Peace" and "Love". You really can't have peace and love unless you give away "willingly" peace and love. IDK, if this is what they had in mind. I never took this slogan seriously as I haven't others. On the topic of quiet: "the only thing that separates me from the animals is a lot of words, so when i'm not talking much, the gap closes really quick." -story people
I want to upload Don Pritts... but it's about 8 hours! It's next to impossible to do 60 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI'll figure something out.
Why not just email it to us? A lot easier.
ReplyDeleteQuiet isn't necessarily a bad thing. I tend to use the internet a lot more in the darker months. It is staying light out now until about 8 or so. Spring may actually be here. Busy working in my gardens, fishing, working with guys and spending some good time with my wife. If something earth shattering happens I'll share it, but so far life just continues to unfold. I find myself feeling content and useful, not bad considering how it used to be.
ReplyDeleteHope all you guys are well. Throw out a topic PAtrick and I'll always give you my experience on it, if I have no experience, I'll give you my 2 cents, which is about what an uninformed opinion is worth.
That's how I feel, too, Rob. All's quiet and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteOnly thing that I've encountered lately is that paradox of "you can't keep it unless you give it away." I realize that this may be more an exercise in semantics than anything, but I don't agree with the statement.
I don't give anything away. If you want what I have (whatever that may be) you'll work for it just like I did. I'll be happy to show you how I got it, but I'm not gonna give it to you.
Needless to say, I'm not Mr. Popular with that group right now. Too many bleeding hearts who's answer to everything is "keep coming back". AA by osmosis, I guess.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNice post Joe. The question that present itself is what is this mystical "it" that we must give away in order to keep? Now there's something we can sink our teeth into.
ReplyDeleteStep 12 hints at the answer. I've had a psychic change sufficient to recover from alcoholism. A spiritual awakening. Maybe this is the "it" I have to pass on.
You are absolutely right, AA by osmosis does not work.The only folks who have any success just making meetings appear to be able to quit on a non-spiritual basis, I call them hard drinker or fakers.
As a recovered alcoholic who is properly armed with facts about himself, I can show others precisely how I have recovered. It is all about action.
My experience is that when I give my time to a suffering alkie, I am fulfilled. St. Francis knew about this principal. Maybe that is part of the "it"
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteNot ignoring you, I've been busy. And to be honest, just not real inspired to post anything.
Was a rather emotional weekend for me, being as it was the first Mother's Day for me since my mom passed away last June and had an old high school girlfriend contact me on FaceBook on Saturday.
As for giving it away to keep it, I have never bought into that. I don't give it away to keep anything, I give it away because I am compelled to do so. I don't give it away to stay sober, I give it away because I am sober.
The "it" I believe being referred to here is the ongoing process of my life. Which in reality I can't give to anyone. Impossible. So I guess what I could give is a real life lesson in how I go about my life. If you hang out with me long enough you can be gifted to witness how I perform under or in different situations.
ReplyDeleteIt is said I can't keep "it" unless I give it away. The only thing I can think of for this particular saying is "Peace" and "Love". You really can't have peace and love unless you give away "willingly" peace and love.
IDK, if this is what they had in mind. I never took this slogan seriously as I haven't others.
On the topic of quiet:
"the only thing that separates me from the animals is a lot of words, so when i'm not talking much, the gap closes really quick." -story people