Every bottom is different. No, I am not referring to human anatomy. The bottom to which I am pointing is a mythical place where alcoholics and drug abusers meet their moment of recovery. Often it is a … [Read more...]
When Place is Metaphor
Hitting bottom is not a place, it is a metaphor. One of the gifts of the Twelve Steps of AA, is the black letter clarity they give to something that is otherwise full of confusion, weirdness, and … [Read more...]
The Problem With Doing Nothing
This post appeared first in The Finger Lakes Times (NY), part of the weekly column, "Denim Spirit." I enjoyed a long weekend in Detroit, gorging on NCAA Round One basketball games. Of the six games … [Read more...]
Spiritual Healing
Spiritual Healing This is adapted from a talk originally given for a Twelve Step recovery event in 2012 I am going to begin with a story that may make us a little uncomfortable but it rushes … [Read more...]
A Wednesday Rant: A text out of the blue
“The wound is the place where light enters you.” Those are the words a friend texted me out of the blue. The words are from Rumi (and a hundred other Wise Ones speaking in scores of languages … [Read more...]
The Joy of Brokenness
I am an alcoholic and substance abuser who has been in recovery for thirty-four years (as of Good Friday, which is coming up in a few weeks). While I deeply respect the anonymity tradition of AA, I … [Read more...]