Comments on: The Shadow of Meaning

By: assenting

assenting — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:52:35 +0000

The Shadow of Meaning…

Bookmarked your post over at Blog Bookmarker.com!…

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:13:14 +0000

I have problems. (Honesty)
Hopefully something can be done about them. (Hope)
I have faith that God can handle it. (Faith)
Let me take a courageous look at what’s really happening. (Courage)
Let me have the integrity to own up to my part. (Integrity)
If this is my fault let me be willing to fix it. (Willingness)
Please, God, help me to fix it. (Humility)
Who have I harmed and how can I set it right. (Brotherly Love)
I do what I can to set it right. (Justice)

but . . . maybe there are things I can’t fix. Maybe there are things that can’t be changed. In this step “we will be amazed before we are halfway through.” For example, “we will comprehend the word serenity”.
Serenity is required for acceptance (God grant me the serenity to accept).

Any problem I was honest enough to admit to having was either solved by taking it through the steps or I was given the serenity to accept it by taking through the steps.

That is what my experience has been.

By: penni

penni — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:12:45 +0000

i was told once, a long time ago, that “acceptance brings change.”

and usually, that change happens within one’s self.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:36:01 +0000

touche’

By: The Traveler

The Traveler — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:07:40 +0000

Did you say “FINISH??”

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

-DeeK

By: Owen

Owen — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 09:19:28 +0000

Look what you started, Chris!!!

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:37:53 +0000

Shit. This requires another follow up.

But not till I finish taking it through the steps.

By: The Traveler

The Traveler — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 17:23:24 +0000

I spoke to one of my favorite Winners yesterday, about this.

And we concluded that Acceptance is indeed the ultimate goal, and it includes embracing, aligning with, and coming to appreciate - in a positive manner - that which is being accepted.

As the ultimate goal, it IS the answer to all our problems. But although full Acceptance isn’t likely to happen TODAY, even though we work on it, it still IS the answer today, to the extent that we can do it today.

Acceptance is also the long-term answer.

I think the other elements (honesty, etc.) are the means, the tools, the actions we use, to approximate that goal.

For example, one of the early Acceptances for alcoholics is the fact that they ARE an alcoholic. Now, maybe it doesn’t happen for a long time, but if they get far enough down the recovery path, their acceptance does eventually include them being grateful, FOR being an alcoholic - because it was this very trait that sent them on their path to enlightenment. A book I’m reading stated it very well, “We were lucky to be sick enough to get well, whereas others may not be.” (Paraphrased, and talking about the serenity 12-steppers may reach that normies may not, in their lives.)

-DeeK