Personal Mythology
“One thing worries me,” Dana said. “The Princess is starting
to talk about the thoughtless, clueless things The Dope Without Hope did as if
they were funny.”
I nodded. “Personal mythology can be funny, but it can be
dangerous.”
“Personal what?”
“Mythology, the stories we tell about our past. Let me tell
you two stories.”
“Do you have to?” Dana asked, rolling her eyes. I ignored
her.
“I was sitting in a morning stats class at my Catholic
college, hungover as all hell, just trying to keep my eyes open. When the professor asked if I was paying
attention, I apologized, saying I was lost in prayer.”
“And everyone laughed knowing that was bull?” Dana asked.
“Yes. I felt bad about it, but later I made that sinking
feeling seem funny. Didn’t hurt me much to add that to my personal mythology.”
“And the other story?”
“I rolled a car over onto its roof on a busy highway. Couldn’t
get out. I was terrified I was going to die.”
“Is that when you quit drinking?”
“I stayed sober for
two weeks, afraid to drink again. Then I started telling the story as if being
trapped in that car was funny. Joked
about my fear and what might have happened.
It made it easier to keep drinking.”
Today I’ll be careful with personal mythology.
Fawlty Showers 2
is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you
might know is purely coincidental.
Other works by Ken Montrose are available at:
•
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001K8MG0S
#addictionawareness #dailymessage #inspiration #odaat #recoveryposse #recoveryispossible
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