Friday, January 8, 2010

Only a thought away


I was back at work today and without the headache. There was a general staff meeting to talk about the budget crisis and alert staff to the fact that there will be jobs lost and furloughs to try to make up for cuts. The concern in the room was almost palpable.

The outlook is indeed dismal, especially for those who are just starting their career. I feel sorry for them because worrying about job security really decreases morale. And in a field that depends on originality of thought, lowered morale can be detrimental to getting grant funding. And yet that funding is important for keeping staff employed.

I could feel a sense of relief as I left the meeting because I won't be around to see the carnage. That struck me as a pretty selfish thought, but honestly I have been writing grants and keeping salaries going for so many years that I will be glad to be out of the rat race. Days like today make retirement seem very appealing.

After the meeting, I went to an Al-Anon meeting where there was a large group of people, including several newcomers. At the meeting I noticed that a friend was looking particularly stressed. So I rang him up later to find out that he and his wife were having some heavy marital problems. The decisions that they are making are not healthy in my opinion and will likely have some dire consequences. I was once again reminded how quickly God and the principles of the program go flying out the window while self-will, fear, and insecurity come stalking in.

While we don't pick up a drink, we are only a thought away from acting on our emotions and throwing away people in our lives who have meant so much. Such is the nature of how our disease works.

Living with alcoholism and addiction creates distorted views of ourselves and others. It's as if I am looking at reflections in a Fun House mirror. If I can identify the distortions and work on changing how I view people and the world, then I can develop a healthy sense of self and get beyond my dis-ease with those around me.

27 comments:

  1. All the tools we/I receive aren't any good if we/I don't make use of them. This is one of the most difficult lessons to learn/remember.

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  2. You said it. It is only through daily practice that I can hope to be aware of those old thoughts. It only takes one to get me going down that spiral again. Well said, Syd.

    namaste

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  3. those distorted views scare me. still.

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  4. I feel like when we slow down and allow God to work, we find that better things come than we could have brought on ourselves.

    Glad you were at the meeting in both cases, more prayers can't hurt, and you are attached emotionally to each of those issues, feeling for people and praying for them are good things right? :)

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  5. there have been so many days i thought of running away or thought he was someone from my past and ready to make some crazy attempt to run away with my kids.

    i am glad i am in therapy today, it is really helping with my distorted views.

    i am glad i am in recovery today it really helps with an open mind

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  6. Some tools I hsve to relearn everyday. My daily contact with my sponcer more then helps me stay grounded in the program.

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  7. "we are only a thought away from acting on our emotions and throwing away people in our lives who have meant so much." Your words are so true, that is why I have to stay in touch with my sponsor. He pulls me back to the program when my stinkin thinkin is driving my boat.

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  8. Great insights.

    I wish for you clarity of thought and actions.

    Blessings and aloha...

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  9. There has been no ease at our place of employment for the past year. No hope that things might pick up in the future. It's the same for many many places around the world. Difficult times.

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  10. It's scary how just underneath the surface it all is. How to keep these emotions and thoughts at bay is a constant struggle for all of us. Keep the faith!

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  11. There is a rumor that Al-Anons are sicker than their alcoholics. I believe there is truth to this. I've been taught that the only difference is that ours is a disease of thinking, not drinking. I know I can pick up the AA Big Book and substitute "thinking" for "drinking" and it fits me to a tee.

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  12. My first lesson in alanon was to stop making decisions "right now."

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  13. Syd,
    Sorry to hear about the job cuts. That sucks.

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  14. Keeping that "healthy sense of self" can be really difficult when it involves others...more often than not family members. I have a sponsee who is struggling back after a slip and her family is her biggest obstacle.

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  15. Your posts are always timely, Syd. I needed to read this one today.

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  16. Love your description of the Fun House Mirror. A sort of tragic humor so to speak.....

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  17. It humbles me at how easily a person can be sucked in by their fear, etc.

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  18. if i'm not actually practicing what I've been shown and taking different actions, the fun hosue mirror starts to look real. then i try to change myself and everyone around me so we're all not warped and distorted anymore....and this never goes well

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  19. You wrote, "While we don't pick up a drink, we are only a thought away from acting on our emotions and throwing away people in our lives who have meant so much. Such is the nature of how our disease works."

    Now that is the truth for me. I am responsible for my thoughts. They have a powerfully negative or positive influence. The thoughts I harbor determine so much about my life, whether I am happy or sad, satisfied or dissatisfied.

    Great post.

    PG

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  20. You may feel selfish if you would like, but having been through a year of furloughs, pay cuts, and lay offs, I really respect people who have retired or resigned if they could - thereby making space for other people to keep their jobs.

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  21. i love how carefully we have to guard our sanity. We are very close to the ol 'reptile brain'. It can rear its head any time when we take our eye off the ball and literally destroy everything.
    We have to pay attention every day. That is our only chance. thats why i LOVE vanilla sky. He says 'Its the little things, there's nothing bigger'. Its true. We are all very close to destructive impulses. It doesn't matter how long you do this thing. the limbic/reptile brain stays there all the time. it never goes away. Scary, and rightly so. and very, very humbling :)

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  22. I've found that the way I look at change is often not the same way other people look at it, especially the young. Im trying my best to stay young in mind and not get too stuck in old age thinking, i.e well Ive done my bit let the youngsters have a go now. Thanks for the kind comments, I never intended to go away, just borrowing in to a deeper level.

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  24. "While we don't pick up a drink, we are only a thought away from acting on our emotions and throwing away people in our lives who have meant so much."

    Thank you. I do believe this was an answer I was looking for. I think I can start my day a little less obsessed.

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  25. While we don't pick up a drink, we are only a thought away from acting on our emotions...It struck me when you said that it's so true of all of us who suffer from a dis-ease in our minds. I've been told to be vigilant against my thoughts, not to indulge in pondering them, but to immediately get into right action. Thank God for the help I find in AA.

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  26. I am grateful that today one of the choices HP has given mes trength to make, is the choice to stop before I react. I have a choice tofday whether or not to react in anger, fear, insecurity, etc. And sometimes I do. But thankfully, most times I do not. I am grateful that I no longer have to live the life of constant reaction to things around me. What a relief...

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