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PRINCIPLES: ADDICTION & RECOVERY TIPS & TALKS
Vol.1, No.19 September 15, 2000
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=====TABLE OF CONTENTS=====
=====EDITOR'S COMMENTS
=====THINGS YOU ALREADY KNEW, BUT...
=====TIP & TALK FEATURE ARTICLE
=====SPONSOR'S SPIEL
=====AN EASTERN PERSPECTIVE ON RECOVERY
=====FEATURED LINK OF THE WEEK
=====PURE BOLOGNA & HOGWASH
=====SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE / COMMENT
=====EDITOR'S COMMENTS=====
PUBLICATION: Principles: Addiction & Recovery Tips &
Talks is published every Friday morning by Charles
Roper, the owner & author of Alcohol & Drug Abuse -
The Addiction & Recovery Information & Resources
Website. Please pay the site a visit.
http://alcoholanddrugabuse.com
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Thanks...Charles Roper
=====THINGS YOU ALREADY KNEW, BUT...=====
"I try not to have any big thoughts that I'm not smart
enough yet to think about."
---Andy Rooney---
=====TIP & TALK FEATURED ARTICLE=====
RECOVERY TIP: Recovery is an inside-out job--a deeply
spiritual process that we don't figure out.
RECOVERY TIP TALK: On his 110th day sober, Steve read the
slogans on the walls of his AA group meeting room. He
chose as his favorite, "Think, Think, Think." He figured
it fit him well since he was an intelligent man and a
deep "thinker."
He proudly brought up the issue with his sponsor, an earth-
mother type with spiritual beliefs that leaned in the
direction of Native American tradition and Eastern
religious philosophy.
"You know, Rose, this recovery business isn't so awfully
complicated," Steve said matter-of-factly.
Rose glanced up at him from her bowl of soup. "Is that
right?" she said.
Steve nodded knowingly. "Yeah, that's right. In fact, I
think I've got it figured out. It just kind of came to me
this morning during an AA meeting. I was sitting there
reading all of those little "sayings" that adorn the walls.
You know the ones I mean, don't you?"
Rose nodded without looking up. "They're called the slogans,"
she said.
"Yeah, that's it--the slogans. Anyway, there was one that
said, 'Think, Think, Think,' and it hit me like a ton of
bricks. I've been going around damn near my whole life with
my head up my butt...so to speak...doing things without
really thinking. You know what I mean? I said things I didn't
really mean and did things--stupid things--for no apparent
reason. I got in so much trouble all the time because I
didn't have control of my mind. I was always high, you know?
"Now, though, since I understand what the problem was, and
I'm not using anymore, I don't have to do be at the mercy
of my own sick mind. All I have to do is not drink or use
and really, honestly *think* about what I'm saying and doing."
Rose looked at Steve for a moment and nodded thoughtfully.
"So all you have to do is think, think, think before you act,
and all of your actions will be positive. You'll stay sober
and become enlightened through the power of your own mind."
Steve smiled. "Now don't go trying to trick me into saying
something stupid. I know where you're headed with that little
comment. You're getting ready to spring the old Higher Power
on me, right? Well, I'm way ahead of you. See, part of my
thinking-before-acting plan is to ask for God's advice and
listen to his answer. Then I'll have the power of my own
mind plus advice from a Higher Power."
Rose smiled. "I see," she said. "That should be quite an
impressive partnership. By the way, Steve, what was the topic
of the meeting during which you had this insight?"
Steve tilted his head and thought for a moment. "Hmm, I can't
really remember. Why?"
"Oh, I was just wondering. Who did you sit next to?"
Again, Steve contemplated. "Well...gosh, I don't really
remember that either."
"Well, then, tell me this. Who chaired the meeting."
Steve smiled. "Hell, I don't know, Rose. What difference does
it make? What's with all the irrelevant questions?"
Rose looked closely at Steve and said, "I want to tell you
something, Steve," she said softly. "As your sponsor, I feel
obligated to be open and honest with you. And the truth is,
I don't want you to think. Not for a while, anyway. I want
you to listen. I want you to simply focus on the moment in
which you find yourself. When you catch yourself 'think,
think, thinking,' I want you to stop, take a deep breath,
and bring yourself back into the moment. Try to listen
deeply to what others say and not at all to what you say to
yourself. And pay attention to who shares your space--not
only in terms of who they are, but also in terms of how they
'feel' to you. When something catches your imagination, just
observe it, sit with it for a moment, and then let it go. Do
you understand what I'm saying, Steve? I want you to let it
go. That's how you'll find your recovery--by letting go."
Steve frowned slightly. "Yeah, sure I do, Rose, but what
about my insight? It felt so strong and important. I really
think I'm on to something here. I really do. I mean, it makes
such perfect sense. I think it's the answer I've been looking
for all these years, and...."
=====SPONSOR'S SPIEL=====
Why read the book High Bottom Drunk? I received the
following e-mail this week:
Charles...This is a large and wondrous book. And Ambrose
Bierce was not referring to High Bottom Drunk when he
said, "The covers of this book are too far apart." This is
truly a novel about addiction and recovery, and the number
of pages spent on the former make all the more powerful the
pages written about the latter. As a novice in recovery, I
found the ways in which AA were explored most helpful and
inviting. The characters will stay with you forever--you
can't read the book without casting all the characters for
the movie. Bravo! ---Danny, San Antonio---
High Bottom Drunk: A Novel...and the Truth about Addiction
& Recovery, by Charles N. Roper, PhD.
Read excerpts of High Bottom Drunk: A Novel... at the
Website:
http://www.highbottomdrunk.com
=====AN EASTERN PERSPECTIVE ON RECOVERY=====
"...there is only one important time and that is now.
The present moment is the only time over which we have
dominion. The most important person is the person you
are with, who is right before you, for who knows if you
will have dealings with any other person in the future?
The most important pursuit is making the person standing
at your side happy, for that alone is the pursuit of
life."
From the story of The Emporer's Three Questions,
originally told by Tolstoy, and related again in the
wonderful meditation manual, The Miracle of Mindful-
ness, by Thich Nhat Hanh.
=====LINK OF THE WEEK=====
This week's featured link is: HeroinTimes.com, a
monthly e-zine that really is an e-zine and not just
a newsletter.
If you're like me, this little jewel will knock your
socks off. It has a remarkable "feel" to it that puts
me on edge and reminds me how grateful I am for my
sobriety.
Visit the site at:
http://www.herointimes.com
=====PURE BOLOGNA & HOGWASH=====
A couple was celebrating their golden wedding anniversary.
Since their domestic tranquility had long been the talk of
the town, a local newspaper reporter inquired as to the
secret of their long and happy marriage.
"Well, it dates all the way back to our honeymoon,"
explained the man. "We visited the Grand Canyon and took a
trip down to the bottom on the canyon by pack mule. We
hadn't gone too far when my wife's mule stumbled. My wife
quietly said, 'That's once.'
"We proceeded a little further, and the mule stumbled again.
Once more my wife quietly said, 'That's twice.'
"We hadn't gone a half-mile more when the mule stumbled for
the third time. My wife quietly removed a revolver from her
pocket and shot the mule dead.
"Quite startled, I naturally started to protest her treatment
of the mule. But then she looked at me and quietly said,
"That's once."
Submitted by: Our friend, Lucy, who claims to have "a million
of them." We'll see.
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==========================
Till next week...do us all a favor and keep it simple.
Charles Roper, Editor
Principles: Addiction & Recovery Tips & Talks
Alcohol & Drug Abuse - The Addiction & Recovery Information
& Resources Website:
http://www.alcoholanddrugabuse.com