Monday

July 28, 2014

 

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Adapting
              Did you get help when you got sober?" my son asked as he read over my shoulder.

"I did," I said.  "I didn't like asking for help, but I did."

"What made you ask for help?"

"I'd hit a ledge on my way down into my addiction.  I was afraid I'd go even lower.  But, I was more afraid I'd get used to living on the bottom.  People have an amazing ability to adapt. Sometimes that's a good thing.  Sometimes it lets them adapt to situations they'd be better off changing.  Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yep!  It's like when you and mom had Blondie, you realized you'd hit rock bottom.  For a couple of years you lived in misery.  You were afraid you'd get used it, you'd adapt.  So you had me, the perfect child.  We swam toward the surface, dragging whatshername behind us."

"You're killing me."

 

Today I will beware of adapting to situations I'd be better off changing.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

 

 

 

 

Freebies

 

This week's freebie is the Kindle version of Home Groupies, is available at  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001K8MG0S.

 

 

To read Kindle books on a PC or Mac, you can download a free app at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000426311

 

 

Upcoming

Burnout: Clinical, Ethical, & Supervisory Issues
September 12, 2014 at Greenbriar-New Kensington
9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m
$30 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This three hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• CRCs  by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification # 11938191652 and 11938191653 (one hour Ethics portion)
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

Other Blogs

 AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6693580-addiction-is-everywhere

 

 

 

Life on Life's Terms

Acceptance

             When I got to the AA meeting that night I sat in a chair at end of a long table in a corner of the room, by myself.  I closed my eyes, sipped my coffee, and tried to let go of the day's frustrations.  No doubt alarmed by my isolation, a regular named Smiley came and sat by me.  He was one of the perkiest human beings I had ever met, and he wanted desperately to help others. 

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" Smiley asked.

"Practicing acceptance," I said.  It just got harder.

"You don't need to practice, you just need to accept," he said with absolute certainty.

"Sometimes I have to sit quietly and ease my way into accepting whatever frustrates me."

"You just have to accept," he said.  "Just accept."

I started to say 'go away you yellow-haired Yoda wannabe,' but instead I said, "I will try."

"Just accept," he said.

When he finally did go away, I was able to laugh at my harsh reaction to someone who was equal parts sincerity, certainty, and cluelessness.   I was also grateful acceptance didn't always come easily.  Experience had taught me things that come too easily are easily abused and often not appreciated.

 

Today I will be grateful acceptance is a process.

 

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose