Pardon Me Whilst I Pontificate
August 7, 2008 by Mark
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
“To speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner, especially at length.”
Well, yeah, maybe I do… and… maybe I don’t.
But, once again, unless you’re my sponsor or my God, if that is your judgment of me, you have wasted your breath and your gray matter. Of course, I’m happy that I can build a small condo in your mind. Perhaps you’ve left someone else alone while showing me your attention.
I’m living a life beyond my wildest dreams, on borrowed time and – sober! And I’m not about to put my serenity, my peace of mind, my sobriety, in your back pocket!
I’m also not your whipping boy, your doormat. BTW – you bring back principles the oldtimers taught me. One holds true here – “If you spot it, you got it.” Obviously you see something in me and have a resentment because it is true of you!
Then again, alcoholism is widely known as a perceptions disease isn’t it? But I ramble…
I’ll finish – if a tried and true principle that has been working and working well for over 70 years is being attacked by someone who is an arrogant bonehead (because the principle has worked for them too!), I’m simply going to be me (which you are allowed to be also – yourself in recovery), and I live in a world where I am allowed to speak my mind, I’m doing it.
One final note – since I am not so intuitive or informed as I might believe, here it is in living color (and I’ll retain a screenshot in case bonehead decides to change it). To quote: “Do not let anyone sponsor you whose solution is ‘Don’t drink and go to meetings,’ or ‘Just don’t drink’ or ‘One day at a time.’ These concepts are not part of our Program, but they are rampant never the less.”
You are welcome to disagree. In AA we agree to disagree and stay friends, though I won’t be friends with anyone who has destructive motives towards me or my friends. K.I.S.S.
AMEN!!!!
Mark, you have taught me more than you probably know and it’s always been by example and never once by pontificating (pontification?). You practice what you preach – so to speak.
My sponsor told me to never say anything ugly to someone unless I am willing to make amends to that person. Boy! Am I ever glad she taught me that because I’d like to tell him/her to f.o.a.d. but it’s not worth it.
j/k sort of.
luv,
s.
Can you see my big sh** eatin’ grin all the way over heeeyah??? (that’s “here” without the accent lol)
Thanks kiddo…
I do not agree with that perception either. There are many tools which have been proven effective in AA over many years. As they say in Texas: “If the only tool I have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.”
Over many years I have learned many tools, all of them have their application. My point to you was and still is, you have a higher calling as facilitator at this site, while those comments may have been judgemental and arrogant, your pointing that out with no compassion for the offender is less loving that it could have been. It has not been my intention to direct you rather to point out as a loyal follower that judgement of another is not ever healthy, even when you are the leader.
Funny – I live in Georgia and have had the opportunity to work in construction briefly. I have a hammer that offers the ability to function as many of the tools I needed, not just one.
I’ll continue to disagree, sorry. I have no “higher calling” on this blog. I am its sole writer that’s all.
About no compassion… I’m not, and haven’t been, and doubt I will be, in a frame of mind, where I’m willing to feel compassion towards someone who advocates that you and I are killers because we practice a program of recovery that’s different than his perceptions. I’m not a killer and neither are you. What the heck can be loving about that? I’m human. I’ve been graced. I have done everything I can to help others recover. For a long time. And you call me a killer? Then I should be compassionate? Nope, ain’t happening…
Lastly – I’m not a leader so don’t follow me; I’m not a follower so don’t lead me, walk by my side as we hold hands and we’ll get through this together.
Teachers and leaders get drunk.