Old Tools

Those of us in the recovery program ETA develop a kit of spiritual tools that we use to help us stay clean and sober. I use some of the tools on a daily basis: talking to the old HP, working with another recovering alcoholic or drug addict, meditation, eating right and getting enough sleep are a few of the daily tools. Some things in my spiritual kit haven't been used yet, some are used every so often and some of them haven't been used for a long time.

Thank the old HP that I didn't throw some of those old tools away because I needed a couple of them last night. Yesterday was a fairly stressful day. The afternoon brought some information that had me off the charts angry. Excessive emotion and I are not a good mix. ETA is a program of action, not reaction. I tend to react when I have a lot of emotion on board. It's never pretty and it's rarely beneficial to the situation.

On Facebook my friends often post, in their status, a tribute to someone : " Today is honor your dad day! If you have a wonderful, wise, caring, incredible, awesome dad, post this in your status!" or something along those lines. I've seen them to honor dads, moms, daughters, sisters and friends. I have never seen one for brothers. There is a good reason for that. I have brothers and both of them are lunatics, to say the least. They act like they got their brains on sale. Half off. Damaged items. At Good Will. Maybe from dumpster diving.

Of course I'd love to go off on a tangent and tell you, specifically, what they are doing to prove they are logically challenged but, unlike SOME PEOPLE, I practice loyalty to my family. Hint. Plus, I'm trying to practice the principles of ETA and the program frowns on pointing out other peoples' defects of character. Dang.

Back to using old tools. I dug out an old prayer I used to say often. "God, I don't know how or why You love these idiots, but I do know that You love them as much as You love me. Please help me to treat them with the respect all of Your creations deserve." I'll give them what they deserve... No, don't go there.

WD40 is another old tool and I need to get a fresh can of it. I spent most of last evening mentally covering my brothers with it so I could let go of the situation. I payed strict attention to this task, making sure their mouths and noses were drenched with the stinky stuff.

Trying to sleep, I had to use another oldie but goody to quiet my mind. I used a book but you can also use a movie. Think of the very first scene described or watched. Then move to the next scene in sequence, remembering all you can about it. Keep moving through consecutive scenes until you fall asleep. If you find yourself thinking about the problem again, go back to the last scene you remember exploring and proceed from there. This keeps my mind occupied enough that it can't race, but not so occupied that I can't fall asleep. I know it works because I slept last night.

I'm still miffed about what my brothers are doing but I'm no longer consumed with anger about it. I laughed about thinking of spraying WD40 into their noses and laughter is a tool I often use. Laughter helps take the sting out of anything because it reduces the amount of hurt something is causing. Another tool that I still use at least 3 times a week is calling my sponsor and talking things over with her. I haven't done that yet so I must close.

Have a good and sober day.