Redmayne

I'm currently reading one of my heroes, the late, eminent,psychologist's , Carl Rogers, books, 'On Becoming a Person', perhaps because to celebrate my 6th birthday in sobriety, due in a weeks time. I'm hoping to re-commence my studies with the Open University, later this year or early next, working towards a Degree in Psychology.

In the first chapter, titled,'This Is Me', taken from two lectures, previously given at various seat of academic learning, where those invited are expected to speak more on what they, as people have learned from their practices, in his case, psychology and psychotherapy, helping others and at the same time, helping themselves. Sound familiar?

Towards the end he makes the following quote,'Life, at its best, is a flowing, changing process, in which nothing is fixed'.

I also like the following two quotes of his,

'The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.'

'What I am is good enough if I would only be it openly'....

Reflecting on my own 30 years of drinking and the changes that have occurred within in my, with all due deference to those books,'Alcoholics Anonymous',one of the few books that's never lied to me, people, and things, 'bootleg' cd's by Jack Brennan, Clancy, Charlie and Joe, that helped my in getting me into recovery, to be followed by lasting sobriety. In which, just for the record, I'm not complacent, one day at a time,ok.

I think these three quotes, and there are more reflect a lot , not just for me, but for all in what has and still may be our situation, whether drinking, in recovery or at least enjoying some degree of sobriety, and the gifts it brings.