I chaired the meeting today and rather than read from the Daily Reflections I chose to read Dr. Paul O's story from The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous--Page 407 on Acceptance.
Firstly, I LOVE this guy's story and he was an absolute scream to listen to (a fellow AA-er gave me a couple CDs of his presentations). SU even listened to him on a road trip we made once upon a gas price, long, long ago...
ANYway, so I picked a couple paragraphs about, "If I'm living in the problem I'm not living in the solution," and "There ARE no mistakes in God's world," and so on and it occurred to me that people, places, things and situations weren't necessarily good OR bad anymore. They just WERE! I have finally found the place where I stop fighting everything and everybody--not out of defeat, but because it all just seems so insignificant now--so minute and petty.
Definitely a ~DING~ moment for me!
An OldTimer once said, "The short form of The Serenity Prayer is Whatever!"
In spirituality teachings it's called the loss of ego. It's a lightbulb moment when it happens huh? Took me a while and I still work at it but it's nice to not have the constant struggle to be accepted and right all the time. ~ Ding ~
As you would say....~ Whatever ~
XX
As you would say....~ Whatever ~
XX
skg I wish I was at the point you are.It must be sooooooooo nice and peaceful. I don't drink anymore,dont want to anymore but I haven't reached the point of "whatever" yet
Gidday Skg
Great post and for me the whatever moments are still really dependant on how my H.A.L.T,s are also definately my spirituality and trust
So i can be bouncin all over the place if i allow any negative head space with any of the above.
My whatever moments are more...sh@t did i really need to say/do/think that and then followed by a pause if i can and then correcting the mistake i have just made etc
As i progress a lot of the pauses are done mentally now before i make a mistake and the next step is to do away with the negative thinkspace and welcome in Whatever
light and love Zac
Great post and for me the whatever moments are still really dependant on how my H.A.L.T,s are also definately my spirituality and trust
So i can be bouncin all over the place if i allow any negative head space with any of the above.
My whatever moments are more...sh@t did i really need to say/do/think that and then followed by a pause if i can and then correcting the mistake i have just made etc
As i progress a lot of the pauses are done mentally now before i make a mistake and the next step is to do away with the negative thinkspace and welcome in Whatever
light and love Zac
Someone on their own, quite different journey said to me once that cats are happy because, unlike human beings, they have no sense of what "should" be, only what is....so I guess they have no disappointments, no resentments...and maybe only gratitude, for any kind of life is - except in the most extreme circumstances - better than the alternative.
Funny really, even "acceptance" assumes there is something to "accept"...when in reality, whether we accept it or not, it sure as heck is.....
Life on life's terms I guess.
Great topic....
Funny really, even "acceptance" assumes there is something to "accept"...when in reality, whether we accept it or not, it sure as heck is.....
Life on life's terms I guess.
Great topic....
Gidday Martin
For me the only thing i have to accept is me and the rest as they say is life, so as long as I am happy in it and the ping pong balls of fear are not playing in my head then i can be more positive energy going into the day and others
I dont have to accept how others react if i dont like it, but i do have to accept how i react as this has consequences for me and my thinking/spirituality
really good topics:) as they get the mind a thinking
light and love Zac
For me the only thing i have to accept is me and the rest as they say is life, so as long as I am happy in it and the ping pong balls of fear are not playing in my head then i can be more positive energy going into the day and others
I dont have to accept how others react if i dont like it, but i do have to accept how i react as this has consequences for me and my thinking/spirituality
really good topics:) as they get the mind a thinking
light and love Zac
That's such a helpful thought zac...
God grant me the serenity to ACCEPT the things I cannot change (ie. EVERYTHING - except me and my actions!)
Courage to change the things I can (i.e. ME and My actions and NOTHING else)
and wisdom to know the difference.....
And as Val says (waves hi)....all that's linked to the shrinking of my ego back to its rightful place...an observer of the serenity, peace and joy my Higher Power is tirelessly, gently, lovingly striving to bring into my life.
All "I" have to do is the next right thing and then get the heck out of the way of myself.
Great thread, thanks.
Martin
God grant me the serenity to ACCEPT the things I cannot change (ie. EVERYTHING - except me and my actions!)
Courage to change the things I can (i.e. ME and My actions and NOTHING else)
and wisdom to know the difference.....
And as Val says (waves hi)....all that's linked to the shrinking of my ego back to its rightful place...an observer of the serenity, peace and joy my Higher Power is tirelessly, gently, lovingly striving to bring into my life.
All "I" have to do is the next right thing and then get the heck out of the way of myself.
Great thread, thanks.
Martin
