Flash Fiction 55

As time goes by someone is struggling with addiction and trying to find shelter for the night.  As time goes by someone is comfy and warm in their bed.  As time goes by another has overdosed on the street unnoticed or missed by anyone.  As time goes by I’ll be forever grateful for my sobriety.

Want to play?  Just write your own fiction, poetry, etc in 55 words and let the G-Man know.

Spirituality vs Religion

So this topic, as it often does, came up on a Facebook group that I belong to and I thought I would post it here to try and spark some dialogue.

I wrote in response to a few other posts:

"I love this topic! My question is how does one claim to be spiritual or religious when they judge and can't or won't accept another's belief. That isn't our place. Our job to to live, love, understand and accept. "It is better to understand... than to be understood" as says the St Francis prayer. The important thing I think is to believe in something...something that makes you feel good and peacefull and serene inside. That is spirituality in my eyes. Relgion is a set of rules (for lack of a better term), in which to practice your spiritual principles. Unfortunately, like all Religions, there are the fanatics that go to the extreme. For example, both Mother Teresa and Hitler followed the same Religion."

Promises

I am feeling extremely grateful today. Emotionally the last couple of weeks has been really tough.  I mean it wasn't uncommon for me to have a complete meltdown, sobbing uncontrollably on my bed or in public for absolutely no reason whatsoever.  Pre-menstrual?  Pre-menopausal?  Who the hell knows!  But my poor family had to endure it and boy were they troopers!!  I am feeling a little better today.  Yesterday was the  first in many that I didn't have a meltdown...not even one tear.  Perhaps part of it is that I was able to make a financial amends which took a HUGE weight off of my shoulders!  This got me thinking of the 12 Promises of AA and how I am still sooooooo fearful of not being able to pay my bills and put food on the table, etc, etc. However, in reading them again this morning I did realize that most of them have definitely come true in my life today.  I am much calmer than I used to be...still a worrier but getting better every day.

The 12 Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.

(1) We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.

(2) We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.

(3) We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.

(4) No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.

(5) That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.

(6) We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.

(7) Self-seeking will slip away.

(8) Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.

(9) Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.

(10) We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.

(11) We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

(12) Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.