Monday, Monday
We dropped off our Ford F150 at the repair shop this morning. As of this afternoon they’ve got the parts and the car up on the lift. By the time you’re reading this we’ll have either departed on a somewhat speedier schedule to the Southwest (Plan B) or we are in the midst of developing Plan C.
Just like air travel, there are certain things I cannot control. For example, I have yet to make a pilot fly faster so that I could make my connection and I am not the one turning the wrench at the mechanic’s shop today. It’s out of my hands.
In Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (the name has recently changed), we practice the 12 Steps even though many of us never had a problem with an addiction. If we grew up with an alcoholic, we became para-alcoholics.
Here’s Steps 1, 2, and 3.
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him
The weekly meeting I attend used to spend every meeting on these three steps. They’re that important!
Steps 1-3 are the foundation of most of our programs because we grew up trying to control our out-of-control environments. We may have heard (as I did) that we are the Captains of Our Own Ship and so we keep thinking, “I’ve got this,” and, “Gosh darn it, why can’t I get this ship to go straight?”
It takes awhile to learn that the sea and the weather are more powerful than us! Moreover, daily drinking with the other sailors may work for a bit, but they are lousy long term solutions and crew mates.
Even after we stop drinking , restoring oneself to sanity (or clarity) is the work that takes most of us years. We have been passed a bundle of dysfunction by generations of our families and a society that has, forgive the directness, really fucked us up. Like it or not, no drug, career, or anything else will cure this problem. We cannot fix it because we’re not broken. We need some loving attention and a spiritual connection.
I don’t typically preach on the Steps. In fact, in ACA we are encouraged to NOT promote the program. I’m not sure that I agree with that prohibition 100%.
If someone out there needs a little TLC or a little push, I’m inclined to give it. If someone has tried a bunch of doors, I’ve got another for them to try and open. Sometimes, we all need Plan C!
God forgive my pushiness and may you be healthy, happy and strong.
Late Update
Our Ford is fixed and we are off tomorrow morning! Hooray!
