I enjoyed reading your analogy of the paradox of powerlessness with the emphasis on pausing. What a beautiful reminder for this alcoholic - thank you, my friend!
So simple really. Recently talking with a newly sober friend about this very thing. He was struggling with it. I said: is the Universe more powerful than you? Yes. Is the idea of the two of us talking here more powerful than you alone? Yes. Is the face of your child in pain more powerful than what you might be thinking about in the moment before that? Yes. Is your car? Yes. A thunderstorm? Yes. And so on. Powerless doesn’t imply powerlessness in all things. It means admitting that you’re less powerful than the substance that is ruining your life.
This is great. We are “powerless over alcohol” because our drug of choice distorts our perception of agency and control, not because we are constitutionally incapable of having none.
I enjoyed reading your analogy of the paradox of powerlessness with the emphasis on pausing. What a beautiful reminder for this alcoholic - thank you, my friend!
Awesome-listen rather than react!
Pause as a superpower!
Things will be ok if I do my best rather than I have to do something!
Thanks so much, keeping these with me moving forward.
So simple really. Recently talking with a newly sober friend about this very thing. He was struggling with it. I said: is the Universe more powerful than you? Yes. Is the idea of the two of us talking here more powerful than you alone? Yes. Is the face of your child in pain more powerful than what you might be thinking about in the moment before that? Yes. Is your car? Yes. A thunderstorm? Yes. And so on. Powerless doesn’t imply powerlessness in all things. It means admitting that you’re less powerful than the substance that is ruining your life.
This is great. We are “powerless over alcohol” because our drug of choice distorts our perception of agency and control, not because we are constitutionally incapable of having none.