Executive summary: there is much work ahead if I am to have a lasting psychic change.
I have set a new sobriety record for myself — my sobriety date is still Jan. 1 – but it is not translating into any kind of consistent joy or success. While I do have some happy streaks, they are […]
Filed under: Stephen's Journal on August 31st, 2007 | No Comments »
If the existence of an evil overlord depended on a democratic vote, the Devil could take comfort in his own existence today. It was two against one at lunch: my friends believe an evil being exists, and I do not.
The logic presented was this: if there is a force of good, or God, then an evil force must also exist. I do not understand […]
Filed under: God, Evil on August 27th, 2007 | 2 Comments »
Who wants to read a post entitled ‘Another Gratitude Meeting’? I’ll write a little something anyway.
A life without gratitude is a joyless life. If life is just a continuous complaint about the injustices and unfairness we have received and we don’t remember any of the good things done for us or by us, we […]
Filed under: Uncategorized, Gratitude on August 25th, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Right after today’s meeting ended, Rick commented that if this group keeps growing the way it has in recent weeks and months, it will soon require additional space. It is true now more than three months ago, I believe, that a late arrival may not get a seat.
This AA meeting is attended by a mix […]
Filed under: Nashville AA Meetings on August 24th, 2007 | No Comments »
Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure. (William Saroyan)
Good judgment is built, brick by brick, from painful lessons learned. (Believing in Myself, a daily meditation book)
Judgment comes from experience and great judgment comes form bad experience. (Senator Bob Packwood)
Perseverance generates prosperity, and the lack of it engenders poverty. They say the […]
Filed under: Wisdom on August 24th, 2007 | No Comments »
After a period of behavioral relapse, I’m back on the beam. Whew.
I met with my sponsor for over an hour yesterday after the noon Alano meeting; this was actually the first bona fide step work I have done with this relatively new sponsor. For some reason, it took a few moments before I became comfortable […]
Filed under: God, Scott's Journal on August 23rd, 2007 | No Comments »
Three or so months ago, I switched sponsors. Coincidentally or not, my new sponsor was not as adamant about my calling him so frequently: more of as as-needed deal. But even before this change, I had ceased to perform the 12-step basics with regularity. And I never even started the meditation practice I intended for […]
Filed under: Uncategorized on August 21st, 2007 | No Comments »
The terms guilt and shame are heard every day in twelve-step meetings. I also hear them often when listening to some of the spiritual podcasts I enjoy listening to. In a recent Wayne Dyer podcast, Dr. Wayne asked the caller whether he was experiencing guilt or shame — which one was it? […]
Filed under: Uncategorized, Guilt on August 20th, 2007 | No Comments »
The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Sometimes our relationships have to get worse before they can get better. Sometimes, in fact, pain in a relationship may mean that we’re doing something right — perhaps for the first time.
Many of us grow up with some abnormal habits and patterns that, over […]
Filed under: Relationships on August 15th, 2007 | No Comments »
Sometimes I roll my eyes and tell myself ‘this does not apply to me’ when codependency issues are discussed at a meeting or elsewhere. However, I certainly do have some of those tendencies.
I have a web services client with a delivery date deadline of August 10. The agreement clearly states that the delivery date […]
Filed under: Stephen's Journal, Character Defects, Codependency, Work on August 10th, 2007 | No Comments »