February 19

HOPE MONTH: DAY 19: “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ― Epicurus

Screaming purple monkeys cannot be satisfied. Too much is never enough! Those who are listening and living according to the SPM are doomed to run from one thing to another, wanting more of whatever they believe is going to make them happy and running to the next thing before they have received the first one.

This is easy to watch. These are the folks who are constantly on the run. They go from one place to the next without mindfulness or awareness. They are multi-tasking and doing 10 things at once. None of what they do is done well or completely. They cannot remember half of what is done because they are so much in their heads they are present to nothing.

I watch some of these people do what they call meditation. After drinking coffee. Interesting. And then wonder why this does not work…yikes!

Addiction looks like this. Recovery does not. The constant chasing after one desire after another is the road of addiction. Many folks believe they are clean and sober, but still living like this and unable to let go of the ego’s hold over their life.

This is the source of the condition that makes drinking and drugs work at first. The peace we get when we can either keep up with the demands of the SPM or the quiet that comes when we go under the influence are tremendous. More of that is a great idea!

Then the problems begin, because now the SPM is in complete control. Recovery is NOT about staying away from drugs and alcohol. It is all about living without the constant demands of the ego; learning to sit still and NOT need to be the center of every party or even needing to be there. NOT engaging in constant running from one thing to the next.

NOT needing to be the most popular or the most well-known, or have the most stuff or be the most of anything.

It is like the lovely description of “Love” by St. Paul. It is not boastful or greedy or any of the things he writes about. Read it. It describes an ego-less way to be. And that is what we get when we truly apply spiritual principles to our lives.

We don’t care what the kids think of us, or our family, or the neighbors. We’ve got nothing to prove or show anyone or impress them with. These things are the causal factors around our unhappiness and depression without drugs and alcohol.

I see this as a social construct. Our environment supports these ideas; and look at what a huge problem we have in this culture with addiction!

So, stop wanting all the time. Sit with what is and be grateful for the abundance of what IS. Your SPM are uncomfortable to be around. That makes you toxic and uncomfortable for others to be around. It is NOT recovery to live like this. Sadly, most of the people I meet in the rooms are like this. And so very unhappy and afraid.

Let go of expectations, they are not the same thing as hope. You can have such happiness if only you will let that Power take care of you and NOT the SPM!