Frogs, Scorpions and Right Decisions Weekender Thread 03-06 Nov. 2016
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Frogs, Scorpions and Right Decisions Weekender Thread 03-06 Nov. 2016
To The Weekender Thread for
03-06 Novemeber 2016
Hi and welcome to the Weekender Thread!
This is a place where anyone and everyone can come for support - especially over the weekend - but also right through the coming week as well.
All you have to do to join is post - we'd love to see you come aboard :
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I'm a big fan of allegory and parable - always have been.
I find a lot of these fables can be applied to recovery too
Many of you guys would know the Tale of the Two Wolves within us all and the one that wins the battle is the one we feed the most.
I won't re-hash that one any more than that
There's another one that's caught my eye recently tho:
The Scorpion and the Frog
A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the
scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The
frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion
says, "Because if I do, I will die too."
The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream,
the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of
paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown,
but has just enough time to gasp "Why?"
Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature..."
A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the
scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The
frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion
says, "Because if I do, I will die too."
The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream,
the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of
paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown,
but has just enough time to gasp "Why?"
Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature..."
Maybe we're not happy where we are and we want to escape and go to another place.
Maybe our eyes gleam at the thought of adventure.
Maybe we just want to feel useful and needed and part of the in crowd on the other side of the river.
The scorpion is our addiction...maybe it regales us with tales of how awesome the other side of the river is...maybe it promises rewards untold if we do this and follow along...
Yet ultimately it stings us - even tho it knows it will die too.
It stings and kills because that's what it does.
We can drown mid river - or we can refuse to enter into any kind of dialogue or contract with the scorpion.
There seems to be a lot of folks struggling lately - it might be the time of year, elections, supermoons - who knows....
but please know that this is always a place to come to for good advice to help you make that next right decision!
Onward to another great sober weekend and week ahead
D
Last edited by Dee74; 11-03-2016 at 02:51 PM.
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Thanks Dee
Awesome job flossyteacake
MB: let us quash those evil things so we may enjoy some triumphant peace!
I think I feel more like the frog in the pan of water. Absolutely right, action is called for!
I feel so much ill and need sleep. 3 am and baby just peed the bed for the first time in months.
Today is GOING to be a good day.
Today is GOING to be a good day.
Happy days every one. I'm creeping up to the time of great test for me. Less than a month til family Court.
Awesome job flossyteacake
MB: let us quash those evil things so we may enjoy some triumphant peace!
I think I feel more like the frog in the pan of water. Absolutely right, action is called for!
I feel so much ill and need sleep. 3 am and baby just peed the bed for the first time in months.
Today is GOING to be a good day.
Today is GOING to be a good day.
Happy days every one. I'm creeping up to the time of great test for me. Less than a month til family Court.
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 309
I'm in! I don't have any plans other than painting and going to meetings. It'll be good for me to rest as I feel physically exhausted but I'm also nervous about temptation. Thankfully I have a huge pile of books I keep meaning to read!
PLeased to be here :-)
PLeased to be here :-)
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Posts: 10,912
I love the story of The Scorpion and the Frog and have not seen it for a while - thank you, Dee.
This is another one that I find quite relevant to many aspects of recovery. I posted it before but I just thought about it again. There are a few versions, I like this one:
~~~
The Dog and the Bone
There is an old Sufi story about an old dog that had been badly abused and was near starvation. One day the dog was so hungry that it chewed on his bone for a long time and got every last bit of nourishment that it could out of it. After some time, a kind old man noticed the dog and its pathetic scrap and began quietly setting food out for it. But the poor hound was so attached to its bone that it refused to let go of it and starved to death.
We can be in the same predicament as the hound. As long as we hold onto our suffering we cannot allow ourselves to experience or enjoy life. To let go of our suffering would be to lose our sense of identity. We can begin to transform when we rid ourselves of this outdated story of suffering and begin to rewrite it.
This consists of changing habits and behaviors that are not serving you. Begin to catch yourself in the act of being the victim. You have the power to make changes in your life and create a story that fills your heart with inner peace and joy.
~~~
Have a great sober weekend everyone!
This is another one that I find quite relevant to many aspects of recovery. I posted it before but I just thought about it again. There are a few versions, I like this one:
~~~
The Dog and the Bone
There is an old Sufi story about an old dog that had been badly abused and was near starvation. One day the dog was so hungry that it chewed on his bone for a long time and got every last bit of nourishment that it could out of it. After some time, a kind old man noticed the dog and its pathetic scrap and began quietly setting food out for it. But the poor hound was so attached to its bone that it refused to let go of it and starved to death.
We can be in the same predicament as the hound. As long as we hold onto our suffering we cannot allow ourselves to experience or enjoy life. To let go of our suffering would be to lose our sense of identity. We can begin to transform when we rid ourselves of this outdated story of suffering and begin to rewrite it.
This consists of changing habits and behaviors that are not serving you. Begin to catch yourself in the act of being the victim. You have the power to make changes in your life and create a story that fills your heart with inner peace and joy.
~~~
Have a great sober weekend everyone!
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Posts: 344
This weekend will be my first sober one in a long time. I am taking my mom and my sister to a spa for her 60th birthday for the weekend and I've planned a catered lunch at her favourite restaurant on the way back. My mom and sister know the situation so I would not drink around then. I also invited one of my friends who knows about my struggles to come to the party because I know I won't drink around him.
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Location: Midwest
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I'm in. Thank you for that Dee and Aellyce. Very true to my experience.
Weas, have fun at the wedding.
Floss, congrats on six months!
I'm in. I stayed up late watching baseball. Many people are calling in sick because they overindulged and in the past that would have been me. I'm very tired and I called in today but because my son is sick and I'm keeping him home from school. In the past i would have felt guilty or that I needed to justify not going to work. No longer. And that feels good.
Weas, have fun at the wedding.
Floss, congrats on six months!
I'm in. I stayed up late watching baseball. Many people are calling in sick because they overindulged and in the past that would have been me. I'm very tired and I called in today but because my son is sick and I'm keeping him home from school. In the past i would have felt guilty or that I needed to justify not going to work. No longer. And that feels good.
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Join Date: Oct 2016
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IN! Loved bothe of your posts Dee and Aellyce!
Metaphors like this really help me to understand the nature of my addiction. I'm fairly new to it cause despite both of my parents being addicts I always thought it could never ever happen to me, how naive I was. I think I still underestimate it's impact on me and don't always take it seriously enough.
Loved bothe of your posts Dee and Aellyce! Metaphors like this really help me to understand the nature of my addiction. I'm fairly new to it cause despite both of my parents being addicts I always thought it could never ever happen to me, how naive I was. I think I still underestimate it's impact on me and don't always take it seriously enough.
Giving up is NOT an option.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 7,808
I'm in!
I'm tired but happy today - CUBS WON! I'm a huge fan.
In the past I probably would have planned ahead and taken this as a vacation day, knowing full well I'd be hungover and useless, win or lose. But I'm at work, grateful for a clear head and world series championship. Life is good!
I'm tired but happy today - CUBS WON! I'm a huge fan.
In the past I probably would have planned ahead and taken this as a vacation day, knowing full well I'd be hungover and useless, win or lose. But I'm at work, grateful for a clear head and world series championship. Life is good!
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 390
Well, I've had relapses every other day for a month or so now (if that makes any sense). I've finally pushed through that 3rd day, and am on 4. I don't like counting days much, but that number 4 is a benchmark hurdle for me.
I haven't touched a drink so far in November.
I haven't touched a drink so far in November.
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