Chop Wood. Carry Water.

Here's the main thing that The Program has encouraged me to do: live my life, or attempt to live my life, on a spiritual basis.  And I say this believing that our beloved Program is no better or no worse than any other spiritual program in providing its adherents with a good foundation for life.   The drill is pretty much the same: Find god -- Serve others.  I think it's possible to condense spirituality into that essence.  The methods may vary somewhat but the goal is the same.  Our Program is geared toward the drunk and the drug addict, but spirituality is spirituality.


"What do you do to reach enlightenment?"
"Chop wood, carry water," said the master.
"And after you reach enlightenment?  What then?"
"Chop wood, carry water," said the master.


When I talk about the benefits that have accrued from trying to live a spiritual life I realize what a vocabulary we have, what a mindset, what a common goal.  I may be at a different point in my pursuit than you are, but we're traveling the same road.  I can give advice on where I've been and how I've gotten to where I am, and I can visualize how it might be once I get further on down the road, but the goal is the same.  Our experiences vary but we all use the same tools from the same toolkit.   It's like being in the same Spanish class -- some of us are more fluent but we're all trying to speak Spanish.


I confess to being amazed that folks without this kind of foundation can make it through life without totally losing their grip on sanity.   Life can be hard.  It can be confusing and contradictory and just #$@!! frustrating.  I want to control everything and predict the outcome.  I want to be in charge of everything.  I want to get my way.


What a blessing The Program can be.  I wish I could have received this blessing without being brutalized to within an inch of my life.  Who knows -- maybe that makes it sweeter.