A Variety of Thoughts About Everything

 In the basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous, AKA The Big Book, there is a passage, was page 449 in the 3rd edition, is page 417 of the 4th edition, that says: "Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment." I find that to be true in my life as well. Until I accept everything, exactly as it is and is not, I will not be able to deal with it effectively. So what does Acceptance mean? Let us look at dictionary.com and find out. the act of taking or receiving something that is offered favorable reception; approval; favor the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory For me definition 3 is the one that comes closest for this context. Now let me add some things here about what acceptance is not. I do that s...

 I went to a meeting of Narcotics Anonymous tonight. Not unusual. I have been in Recovery from Addiction for a long time and NA is where I go to get it. After the meeting I was sharing with a newcomer. This person had shared something in the meeting that I have experience with. So we talked. And during that discussion I said something that I remember was said to me a long time ago, that I found to be one of the most important things that I have ever heard, that I share a lot now with newcomers. I said, "You never have to use again. Even if you want to, you don't have to. You have a choice today". And that is true. Once an addict stops using, the substance, behavior, or whatever they are using in order to run away from life, then a whole world of possibilities open up for their life. I know this is true. And I believe that when I say this to another the depth of that experience carries through so that they can actually believe it is possible for themselves. Over the years ...

 The title of this is an ancient Chinese curse allegedly. And I understand why it is considered curse now. The context for that being that Interesting times were times of Chaos and Upheaval with overtones of Disaster. Where everything was being turned on it's head. And, for a different perspective, my Mother tells me that my Grandmother, her Mother, Leigh, used to say that all the time. And she meant it in a different context. Her context was Grow up and go tackle life. Take it on and Master it. So there you have it, Interesting Times. And, for today, I think that we live in Interesting Times in the Chinese Curse context. And let me explain why. For 60+ years there has been a well financed movement to divide America on every front. Politically, Spiritually, Emotionally, in any way possible. And we are in the resulting time. We are no longer the American Community or Family. We are a bunch of separate constituencies that look upon other constituencies with Fear. and Hate. All very c...

 The Human Race as we know it evolved out of the tree climbing race known collectively as the Primate Family. Those are Community Orientated groups. And we continued to be a Community as we evolved. It is hard wired into our DNA, RNA, and whatever other things make us up Genetically. If you look at Human History you will see that the first real punishment that Humans devised for the people that were harming their community was shunning. And, to the people that it was applied to, it was horrid. To be cut off from ones community while still in that community generally broke most people. And if shunning did not work then they came up with Banishment. People got completely driven out of their community and never allowed to return. Often the people that this was done to would end up killing themselves. And then came Religion of the Sky God. And that changed things. We went from a mostly Matriarchal Society with an Earth Mother to a Patriarchal Society with Male Sky Gods. And in that soc...