Do we believe there is a power greater than ourselves? That is an easy yes for us. Much and many are more powerful than us. Some men can easily crush us and there are structures that bear much more weight than us. Winds can lift and throw us, and waters can sweep us away; things can control us, and love can break us. Salt and sugar can hurt us, and alcohol can kill us. Yes, some powers, both seen and unseen, possess power greater than ourselves.
Do any of these external or internal powers have the might and authority to overcome the immense force of addiction? We have come to believe that we must follow the food chain to the very top, to the one who created the heavens and earth. For only the maker of the mind can conquer what the mind concocts. Our sanity depends on the supernatural. It is the only stance that we can wholly trust. It has proven its ability to take away the obsession, the compulsion, that once gripped us.
This awakening has brought us to an understanding of the good versus evil struggle that is obvious and omnipresent around us and in us.
Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The "action" and "reaction" refer to forces; if Object A exerts a force on Object B, then Object B exerts an equal amount of force on Object A in the opposite direction. If there is a good God then there must be an evil Satan – we conclude.
We exist in this state of belief to make decisions that support our deep desire to be the best good we can be. To reap the rewards of serving others and spreading a love that helps and heals. We acknowledge that opposite our desire lays a pull, a force that tugs at us to be selfish, self-seeking, and self-centered. This negative energy fights our positive nature as consistently as we breathe.
We are left with us; a shell of protection and appreciation and an omnipresent inner voice of evil that begs a return to our destructive ways.
Our moments are choices: love or hate, build or break, lift or lower, self or serve.
For today, we accept the struggle of selection. We now know where each path will lead: peace or pain, serenity or sorrow, calm or chaos, confidence or confusion, triumph or tragedy, life or death.
This black-and-white realization is a blessing—a gift from The Good. We live to pass this message to those who struggle. As someone opens the door for us, we look to open the door for others.
The great 20th century philosophers (Pink Floyd) said it this way:
How I wish, how I wish you were here.We're just two lost souls.Swimming in a fish bowl,Year after year,We are running over the same old ground.What have we found?
We have, through the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), found a special kind of connection. Relationships built on love and acceptability. A safe haven for healthy choices. A shell of protection and freedom. Our choice to continue on this path is both selfish and selfless. We take because we are sick and give because we are well.
Our brothers and sisters are vanishing in a quest to get high, to bring a little buzz on;.
Today's relief seekers are dying at the hands of poisons. We, as well, were eroding a little with each sip, each swallow. The alternative lifestyle unfolds as we accept that there is a power greater than ourselves that can restore us to sanity while acknowledging that there is an evil force that desires us to stay enslaved to self-destruction.
We have changed. Others have changed. AA has changed. Good and evil are unchanged; they were, are, and will always be. Living on these truths is a choice we believe is for all to make. We are not part of an exclusive club; all are welcome to participate and reap the rewards delivered by a simple willingness to embrace these truths.
We have chosen good over evil. We are open to the blessings and hardships that come with these choices. We understand that we are powerless and believe that a power greater than ourselves can deliver good to our lives.
Today, we seek serenity. With clarity, we pursue peace. We look to The Good.
And, as for the evil one, we say, “Not today, Satan.”
Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from sober.coffee podcast #155, titled " "Connection" and other topics: 4 gals discussing Sobriety”… The session dropped on 3/13/2024….Click here to hear the podcast.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
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