Most
people try to live by self-propulsion. Each person is like an actor who wants
to run the whole show and is forever trying to arrange the lights, the scenery,
and the rest of the players in his own way. If his arrangements would only stay
put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would be great.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 60-61
*****
There
are times when I am upset by characters who come into a group and immediately
try to change the format, rearrange the furniture and even attempt to change
how the group shares. These folks seem to seem to fit this description
perfectly, but, when I am disturbed by people like this, I have learned to
pause and to take my own inventory to see where my attempts to correct or
resist the suggested changes arise from identical character defects.
These inward reflections don’t keep
me from persisting in advocating the order of things as I see them, but
restrains my ego enough to transcend its defenses and arguments; looking out
for the good of the group, yielding where it is prudent and standing where I
must. We, alcoholics and addicts, aren’t used to restraining ourselves along
these lines and, more often than not, we are so much alike that the Heart of
Compassion employed in our group conscience usually prevails.
geo, 4,656
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