Its all good OTT. I appreciated your perspective that you share here at SR. One thing I don't do (at least try not to) is get trapped inside of one single ideology.
Originally Posted by OTT
I think what I've been reacting to is the perspective that "recovery" is a fragile and precarious thing no matter how long someone has been at it and no matter how well developed their coping skills have become. I heard an AA guru on the TV a few years ago exclaiming that "for a recovering alcoholic, the truth is that life is a ongoing struggle against emotional pain". I'm just afraid that too many people have absorbed this negative and depressing message.
I feel that the struggle, be it in addiction recovery or life, needs to be transcended. Like suffering, there is a way out. The idea that one has to battle their way through life doesn't appeal to me one bit. I'm looking forward to a life where I can leave my struggles behind once their conquered. That way I'm free to move forward in life, unencumbered by my past difficulties. Opening myself to new possibilities.
Two Buddhist Monks were on a journey, one was a senior monk, the other a junior monk. During their journey they approached a raging river and on the river bank stood a young lady. She was clearly concerned about how she would get to the other side of the river without drowning.
The junior monk walked straight past her without giving it a thought and he crossed the river. The senior monk picked up the woman and carried her across the river. He placed her down, they parted ways with woman and on they went with the journey.
As the journey went on, the senior monk could see some concern on the junior monk's mind, he asked what was wrong. The junior monk replied, "how could you carry her like that? You know we can't touch women, it's against our way of life". The senior monk answered, "I left the woman at the rivers edge a long way back, why are you still carrying her?"