Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous P. 529 "Another Chance"
We have "The Promises" and then we have all kinds of promises sprinkled throughout The Book. A lot of us believe that if we had been given the chance to specify what our lives would be like after we got sober that we would have sold ourselves short. Moreover, we would have concentrated on things - carnal things, material things, superficial things - that don't have the oomph that we expected. They end up feeling empty, hollow, with no real meaning behind them. They don't seem worthy of all that effort and angst. I like how the woman in this story expresses her gratitude for general joyousness. And that there is no mention of Stuff.
"Perhaps a better way of saying it is that, on that day, with that decision, I no longer fought drinking as an escape. Rather, I embraced it. Things weren't going as I thought they should, for my greater enjoyment, comfort and fame, therefore, if the universe wouldn't play my way, I wouldn't play at all."
Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous P. 531 "He Who Loses His Life"
The experience of saying "Fuck it" and throwing in the towel is universal in The Rooms. We drink responsibly and then we drink irresponsibly and then we are so far over any acceptable limit that we give in and give up and drink to our hearts' content. This is not drinking for pleasure. This is desperation drinking. This is drinking for obliteration and unconsciousness. This is drinking to fill a need, not a want. It's no longer fun at this point but instead is a coping mechanism and a poor one at that because it makes things worse, not better.
"The Gospel of John in the Bible, speaking of the creation of the universe, says, 'In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.' The word is the powerful tool you have as a human; it is the tool of magic. But like a sword with two edges, your word can create the most beautiful dream, or your word can destroy everything around you."
The Four Agreements Michael Ruiz
The Toltecs say that we should "Be Impeccable With Your Word." I assumed this could be chalked up to the idea that lying is not a great coping mechanism and lying all the time is even worse, that in the end it brings fire and brimstone and shame down on my soul. Here, we have a Saint in the Christian faith suggesting that initially your word brings you close to God and then the word becomes God. That's a pretty good promise right there. That's a pretty good reason to be careful with my word
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