Take Out The Trash!

Barbie is a gal in the recovery program ETA. I sponsor her and thoroughly enjoy doing so. Pigeons are so cute when they are young!! Barbie has been learning about her Higher Power and finding a definition of sanity that she understands and can apply to herself. Do you have any idea how few people can, in fact, define sanity? Still, Barbie is on a mission and is bringing her rather considerable intelligence to this quest. She is doing very well. She already realizes that she doesn't know everything (which is part of why she is so cute).

Midge, Barbie's roommate, was going away for the weekend. Barbie left specific instructions for her telling her which household tasks needed to be completed before she left on this holiday. One of Midge's chores was to take out the trash and guess what happened? When Barbie got home from work and errands, it was late and she was exhausted. Lo and behold, Midge, that thoughtless, inconsiderate virago, had not taken the trash out. Obviously, she had neglected to do so intentionally, just to ruin Barbie's day, weekend, week, life.

Oddly enough, I received a telephone call from the indignant Barbie shortly after she had arrived home. I listened while Barbie made passionate observations regarding Midge's upbringing, her resemblance to excretions, her uncanny ability to read minds (so she can thwart your wishes) and her alarming lack of social skills. There was speculation on Midge having a learning disability.

The assessment of Midge completed, Barbie turned her thoughts over to the trash bag. Since I have not seen said trash bag, I'm going to accept what Barbie said about it. The bag is small, light weight, intact (has no holes or rips and no threats of acquiring either in the foreseeable future) and is very powerful. Barbie assured me that this innocent sounding bag had the power to ruin any hope of her having serenity for at least the next few days.

"You've decided to make this garbage bag your higher power, then?" I inquired. A moment of silence ensued.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Barbie demanded to know.

"Sounds to me like you are going to turn your emotions and your attitude over to thoughts surrounding the trash bag. That means it will be your higher power for as long as you let it."

Barbie paused for a moment and then asked, "Why would I do something stupid like that?"

Why indeed. Moments like this make me love being a sponsor.

Have a good and sober day.