Aloha Fellowship...It's time to input and be responsible. I had mentioned that I was backing out for a while in reaction to how another share was shared. I took responsibility for how I thought others would think about it and feel about it instantly coming to the conclusion that my own thoughts and feelings were more on target and therefore justified (not a word I like and still a behavior I use at times). I am most fastest at pointing out to another member that there is "NO justification" for a drink. There is "NO justification" for placing my spiritual condition in jeapardy either.
I've been inventorying. I've been inventorying with feedback from this board and mahalo (thanks) for your support always. I pulled out some old awarenesses from prior inventories and treatment work to help me accept the reaction I had to another persons share...not what they were trying to share but how they were sharing it and while some might have the benefit of glossing over what led me to react as I did I don't have that grace. How I reacted comes from how I am and how I have to work this spiritual program of recovery in order to be on the same planet with my fellows.
My nickname when I was younger was the Lone Ranger my personality is neatly split right down the middle. The Lone Ranger complimented a personality of isolation and evasion from trauma and drama (I was born into the disease of Alcoholism so evasion was at times the only tool in my tool box). I built another personality around those times I could not flee...I learned the character of rage and violence which had another spelling of my given name. I practiced this personality with daily intent until I no longer had control over it if indeed I had ever had any control of it.
One of the ways it presents itself is by taking offense even when an offense can not be seen by others...grudge, resentment, hyper alertness and more. Like the Big Book infers...what it is, is fear.
Someone said something in a way that made my other personality afraid. The language was the language of my out of control drinking days and my reaction then was fight...fight always, armed, unarmed, manipulation, control anything so that I could conquer what I perceived (always ill perceived) what was trying to subdue me. I never dreamed but nightmared and did some very outrageous things when trying to act out a solution. And I drank hypervigilant also.
When you drink during hypervigilance you drink attempting not to get drunk for fear while you are drunk you might be overwhelmed and subdued by whatever unseen forces are out there. Paranoia before the drunk and because of it. This form of drinking can be fatal because I kept on drinking rarely giving in to the effects. One consequence is toxic shock; overdose...been there, done that.
I haven't drank in years. The last time my old hypervigilant personality came back home was last week on this board and I reacted. I forgot what I have taught to other men of violence and that is to give myself no less than 3 seconds before the event and my reaction. My intentions were and are good but as my sponsor has reminded me, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". My value system is for me a good value system and it is the "for me" part that I need to remember and not attempt to filter "the" program thru. My values are a part of "my" program which is the identifiable character of "the" program as I have been taught it. I need to keep in mind that when I am in service to another and to the program some one might need to get to me to get to HP and not the other way around.
I need to stay aware that my reaction might honestly be a resentment against another program fellow who was trusted and accepted by the local fellowship and who not is in prison for behaviors he kept from the fellowship which would have altered our trust. Can we (I) be had? In a heart beat and that is about as long as I allowed myself during this event. Back to the humility lessons.
I walked off for a while for me and for my serenity only. Is my sobriety at times fragile? I've been around along time and watched Alcoholism take down some very sober people with tons of sober time. Is my sobriety fragile? Is alcoholism a fatal disease? I can only keep watch over my own recovery. That is a requirement for each of us alone. Beyond that its the practice of "abandon myself to God as I understand God...Admit my faults to Him and to my fellows... clear away the wreckage of the past and come and rejoin us... ((((hugs))))
Glad you are back on the MIP island. Thank you for your honesty in your post. I missed you and am also glad that you were doing what you needed to do. Big hugs! I have come to find that saying that used to annoy and confuse me, "When I am disturbed, it always an indicator that something is wrong with me", keeping that in mind allows me to tap back into my Hp and the hope that I am acting in a way that is in line with what my creator would have me do. When I'm able to do that, I've been finding that I get more seconds to respond, rather than react. Reactions take me to ever uglier places. I got humility and strength from your post. Whoo HOO Horay! that's how I felt when I saw your avatar.