Words of wisdom
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 61
Words of wisdom
Hey people,
I've been coming on this site for a few years and haven't posted much. It's inspiring to see people sharing their experiences and trying to do what is beautiful and true, no matter how hard that may be. I had about a year and a half sober and recently relapsed and am in the process of recommitting to sobriety; meetings, counselling, all that jazz, none of which I particularly enjoy but that's okay. You've got to do what you've got do.
Anyway, I came across a couple of quotes recently that touch on the subject of denial, which is a very powerful force indeed in the life of an addict. And the cause of so much pain. Real honesty is hard, but it is the only way to achieve any authenticity or peace. I hope you dig these as much as I did:
"Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others. Not respecting anyone, he ceases to love, and having no love, he gives himself up to passions and coarse pleasures, in order to occupy and amuse himself, and in his vices reaches complete bestiality, and it all comes from continually lying to others and to himself. A man who lies to himself is often the first to take offense. It sometimes feels very good to take offense, doesn’t it? […] [It] gives him great pleasure, and thus he reaches the point of real hostility." (Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, trans. Pevear and Volokhonsky, p. 44).
“My daddy always told me to just do the best you knew how and tell the truth. He said there was nothin to set a man’s mind at ease like wakin up in the morning and not havin to decide who you were. And if you done somethin wrong just stand up and say you done it and say you’re sorry and get on with it. Dont haul stuff around with you. I guess all that sounds pretty simple today. Even to me. All the more reason to think about it. He didn’t say a lot so I tend to remember what he did say. […] I might of strayed from all of that some as a younger man but when I got back on that road I pretty much decided not to quit it again and I didn’t.” (Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men, p. 249)
Best of luck to everyone. Be cool and stay sober.
Peace,
Jimbo
I've been coming on this site for a few years and haven't posted much. It's inspiring to see people sharing their experiences and trying to do what is beautiful and true, no matter how hard that may be. I had about a year and a half sober and recently relapsed and am in the process of recommitting to sobriety; meetings, counselling, all that jazz, none of which I particularly enjoy but that's okay. You've got to do what you've got do.
Anyway, I came across a couple of quotes recently that touch on the subject of denial, which is a very powerful force indeed in the life of an addict. And the cause of so much pain. Real honesty is hard, but it is the only way to achieve any authenticity or peace. I hope you dig these as much as I did:
"Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others. Not respecting anyone, he ceases to love, and having no love, he gives himself up to passions and coarse pleasures, in order to occupy and amuse himself, and in his vices reaches complete bestiality, and it all comes from continually lying to others and to himself. A man who lies to himself is often the first to take offense. It sometimes feels very good to take offense, doesn’t it? […] [It] gives him great pleasure, and thus he reaches the point of real hostility." (Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, trans. Pevear and Volokhonsky, p. 44).
“My daddy always told me to just do the best you knew how and tell the truth. He said there was nothin to set a man’s mind at ease like wakin up in the morning and not havin to decide who you were. And if you done somethin wrong just stand up and say you done it and say you’re sorry and get on with it. Dont haul stuff around with you. I guess all that sounds pretty simple today. Even to me. All the more reason to think about it. He didn’t say a lot so I tend to remember what he did say. […] I might of strayed from all of that some as a younger man but when I got back on that road I pretty much decided not to quit it again and I didn’t.” (Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men, p. 249)
Best of luck to everyone. Be cool and stay sober.
Peace,
Jimbo
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
