FREEDOM MONTH: DAY 26: “But what is liberty without wisdom and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.” ― Edmund Burke
Step 9 should be a great lesson for all of us in acceptance, humility, and being authentic. If we actually do the amending that is required of us in this step, we can walk in the world in a whole new way. It won’t be the bullshit way we walk around and pretend to have changed when, in fact we have not. It is not about talking about recovery, but actually being recovered in some areas.
Too many addicts still cling to the notion that not drinking and using are the successes we claim in recovery settings. That is so far from the truth. They are still manipulating, lying, cheating, and living in the same old patterns of dysfunctional and criminal behavior. There is nothing about them that has any healing or recovery to show.
What is so incredibly sad and pathetic about this is that they believe they have “fooled” others into seeing life their way. And little by little, they cheat themselves out of the true freedom that can be found in these steps. An honest and clean life, without that veil of dishonesty and lies and coverup is a great way to go.
This quote is funny to me, because it talks about folly, vice, and madness…which is what I got here with. If I have to live without drugs and alcohol, why the hell would I want those things? What has appealed to me since my very first day is the beauty and awe I have in my life when I am not pretending that I do what I say. The game was up, and I quit the playing of the martyr or the victim. And my life is clean and beautiful and authentic. Anything else is truly madness and really sad. Too bad, it isn’t rocket science, but some act like it is.
Dolphin Hug 