Hi! you don't know me. I don't know you, either. I've decided to start a journal of my random thoughts on life, and how things tie together.
If there is any confusion, I'll clear that up right now. I've been a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous since July 26th, 1989. I have not had the misfortune to drink since that date. My participation in AA has been continuous with the exception of a few years when I decided that I was better off without it than with it.
So there is a principle that is extolled in AA that I embrace, and it is one of the Four Paradoxes ("The Professor and the Paradox", a story from Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd Ed). The principle is "Give it away to keep it". On KPBS the other night, Ken Blanchard was lecturing and I did put it on the DVR. He mentioned that when we give (tithing, for example), we receive 10 or 100 fold in return.
What qualities does this principle require?
Generousity (the opposite of selfishness)
Faith (the opposite of doubt)
Action (the opposite of inactivity)
Patience (a very hard-to-find quality in alcoholics)
The expectation of no return (ironic in itself)
Have you ever experienced the joy of selfless giving? Taking a friend to a movie when he's broke? (one of my AA friends did that for me on Sunday, to see "You Don't Mess with the Zohan") I've had the pleasure of giving when I had the means to do that, and therein lies the irony - We have to give even when we feel like we have nothing to give. It's a difficult practice. Since I've been relatively broke for the past few years, barely scraping by to pay my rent and expenses, I find myself giving less financially, but more back to the program of AA and to my other friends and professionally in the way of rides, service, contributions, and leadership.
What goes around comes around - just don't sit waiting for it to come around.
And I feel better. Even being depressed right now, I'm really trying to muscle through as much as I can in all my endeavors.
Labels: Recovery, Television
posted by -e- @ 12:04 PM
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