You win, you quit, or you die trying.*
Those are the only possible options in life.
Period.
I was thinking of a friend a minute ago, who is trying to quit drugs and build a new life.
And, she's doing pretty good.
She's managed to check her email 3-4 days in a row.
She's still using, (but trying to quit, and getting better at it,) and I was imagining a conversation where I said something along the lines of, "So you have a weakness, drugs. Big deal. You try to get better, but you don't always. We all do. We all have our weaknesses. Mine is anger, along with tendencies towards violence.
Anger is OK.
It's an emotion.
We all fell emotions, sometimes quite strongly.
But, it's not OK to go burn the asshole's tent down, (for example.)
(*No matter how much he deserved it!)
I was thinking about my fight to learn to control my violence, especially since I feel so much anger, and I figured you learn to control it; no wait, you don't. I haven't managed that, and may not make it. That leaves me with the choices of quitting, or die, trying, right?
I really don't believe that you ever win, so to speak.*
If you're still breathing, you can lose it.
Especially, if you quit paying attention because you think you've got it beat!
(*Isn't that the same thing they say in all those 12-step programs?)
It really reminds me of the three laws of entropy:
"You can't win."
"You can't break even."
"You can't get out of the game."
Nice, huh?
But, there is one more option:
Live like a warrior.
Live like it's worth it whether it is or not, because you make it worthwhile by your own choice.
Die trying?
THAT is a win.
You pick yourself up, grit your teeth a little harder, and try again.
"I WILL channel my actions into something constructive, not destructive! Period!"
* “It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”
– Confucius
Period.
I was thinking of a friend a minute ago, who is trying to quit drugs and build a new life.
And, she's doing pretty good.
She's managed to check her email 3-4 days in a row.
She's still using, (but trying to quit, and getting better at it,) and I was imagining a conversation where I said something along the lines of, "So you have a weakness, drugs. Big deal. You try to get better, but you don't always. We all do. We all have our weaknesses. Mine is anger, along with tendencies towards violence.
Anger is OK.
It's an emotion.
We all fell emotions, sometimes quite strongly.
But, it's not OK to go burn the asshole's tent down, (for example.)
(*No matter how much he deserved it!)
I was thinking about my fight to learn to control my violence, especially since I feel so much anger, and I figured you learn to control it; no wait, you don't. I haven't managed that, and may not make it. That leaves me with the choices of quitting, or die, trying, right?
I really don't believe that you ever win, so to speak.*
If you're still breathing, you can lose it.
Especially, if you quit paying attention because you think you've got it beat!
(*Isn't that the same thing they say in all those 12-step programs?)
It really reminds me of the three laws of entropy:
"You can't win."
"You can't break even."
"You can't get out of the game."
Nice, huh?
But, there is one more option:
Live like a warrior.
Live like it's worth it whether it is or not, because you make it worthwhile by your own choice.
Die trying?
THAT is a win.
You pick yourself up, grit your teeth a little harder, and try again.
"I WILL channel my actions into something constructive, not destructive! Period!"
* “It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”
– Confucius