LET THERE BE PEACE, PEEPS

BUDAPEST PEACE SIGN

CHANGES IN THE WIND

All my life, drunk or sober, I have been a terrible arguer.  When am I terrible?   That is when I argue without any facts, when I argue just for the sake of, and when I do so just to hear me talk loud. Terrible is for me to argue about inconsequential crapola, even fight over tomorrow's weather.  Terrible is  when I make insane statements--in fact, I know THAT is terrible because of the remorse I suffer later.  Remorse, because of the  sometimes trouble I have caused others or myself.

Terrible is to argue--or even to say anything--without first thinking. So that's "typical" ME. Now you know.  Not a pretty sight.  In our Big Book on page 84 is written "We have ceased fighting anything or anyone--even alcohol."  Well, I got the "alcohol" part down real good right off.  But I did not see, read, nor could have understood the "anyone or anything" concept.  What an idea, arriving before its time --grin! 

• So, where is all this leading?  Well, I have "ceased arguing!"  Yep, Peeps, you won't hear me say Fk more than once a day from now on.  
  

• It is a huge philosophical change for me to say--and mean it--"You may be right".  Only four words, and they can be used over and over--the "recipient" will not mind one bit.

• In the past--until four weeks ago--I could never let a disagreement end until I thought I had won.  

• I'm working now to become a "seeker of peace" not necessarily among nations, but one-on-one.  For that is where I now know peace begins--with me.

• I have become not only a believer, but  I speak out now for Peeps who do not think, act, nor live like me, and their rights to live equally, peacefully, and as they know to be correct for themselves.  I also expect the same treatment for myself, from others--this may not take place.

• Prior to a couple months ago, I thought my self-styled "benevolence" was being distributed by an "elevated form of tolerance" for certain groups, races, minorities, genders, and other lifestyles.  During my trip I have found that we peeps are not different from one another--we are different WITH each other.  For me (not trying to tell you how to think, here, peeps!), I have traded the word tolerance for the word LOVE.

Considering that God loves with perfection all which he has made, I should also (but delete the word "perfection" of course --grin!) show love for all and everything.  Sometimes this is not easy...but is a goal which--with a long life-- seems attainable, at least if I water it down a bit.  Watered down version:  fluctuant degrees of love.  Maybe I  can work up from there--it IS a beginning!

Today's message from me is PEACE for all, and to all.  I cannot help but combine that with prayers for a clean and sober day...and LOVE!  Is there much else?

CHANGE IN THE WIND

ANGEL TRUMPETS, a repeat photo.  

A fellow blogger "Glimmer" asked me the other day if this photo was from our back yard.  Naturally I went to one of her several blogs, the one about ANGEL TRUMPETS.  To understand my blog today PLEASE read hers right HERE.

BEGINNING OF EMAIL TO GLIMMER

Dear Glimmer

Yes! Photo is Trumpet Tree in our back yard. 2 years ago I took a shoot off a friend's tree--

Well, the shoot died, and so I paid 50 bucks for a nicely-filled-out 5-foot bush.   After it got "settled in" we were driving home on motor scooters one night.  More than a mile from home we smelled the sweet honey-suckle-like scent all over the neighborhood, which kept getting stronger.  Of course, you know what it was...were we ever surprised, though.

Shamefully,I have neglected to care properly for the Trumpet. I should trim and shape it nicely again, and maybe plant some of the shoots which are coming out from everywhere.

But we LOVE it, "No Matter What" (to use an expression --grin!).  Thanks for your response.
END OF EMAIL.

________________________________________

OK, Peeps.  That set the stage.  In her referenced blog Glimmer explains how she gave her 'pink' Angel Trumpets many chances to come back to life, after they seemed doomed (to an alcoholic death--NO!  Wait a minute here --grin!)...back to reality--they were dying, it seems. She nurtured them, babied them, coddled, prayed over, and cried for them.  Low and behold, after time, they one day showed life, and trumpets began to blare in Glimmer's head.  There WAS a "Glimmer" of hope!

I could not resist seeing my long-expressed thinking, and directing-type behaviors come into play here, and added the following comment on Glimmer's blog:

COMMENT ON  Glimmer's BLOG:

This blog about Angel Trumpets--yours and mine--renewed and validated my recent thinking about certain men I sponsor, and their seeming non-recoveries.  I had long ago decided not to work with "chronic relapses".

The change here is that I've found so MANY who have made it--only by coming back into the rooms time after time after time, and finally--one day:  eureka!  The Mother Lode had been struck.

In other words guys, "Keep coming back."  

My own experience:
 
I shook, sweat, vomited, almost died, when I stopped drinking March 18, 1974.  My first meeting was March 19,1974.  I did not drink after those dates, No Matter What (but did not know those words then).  

So I figured EVERYONE should do it like I did it.  Not so.  Some struggle for years, in-and-out, before it takes hold.  Sadly--others never make it.

Now I understand this.  And my whole thinking has changed.  I (suddenly, really!) have more compassion for those who find it SO difficult to stay sober.  We ALL have problems with which we deal...constantly!  

And I now (again) realize the guy who is still drinking could have been ME, if you all had not shown ME tender, patient care, and had not loved me back to health.  For I was deathly sick in body, mind, and spirit (soul).


Thanks to God, for bringing me here to your blog, which I would probably not have read, had you not commented on mine.  Thank you for letting God use BOTH of us!

Sorry about the length of this comment.

Peace!
END OF COMMENT

So, Peeps, do you see what I see here.  This is CHANGE in me on several levels, one of several major psychic changes which happened over and during my scooter ride to Virginia.  These past three weeks have been life-changing for me in ways that only I know, but a few of which I'll share with you during this week.

I sure wish you Peace, Peeps.

I sure LOVE you, Peeps.

I sure NEED you, Peeps.

Steve