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I heard a line at a meeting recently that was very funny… because it’s so true.

A guy was sharing about how he’s still learning to live by accepting God’s will for him, which is something that always gets a lot of head nods at meetings. And really, doesn’t that go for just about everybody on the planet, regardless of whether you struggle with addiction? I feel like even normies who don’t have substance abuse issues often struggle with accepting what the universe throws at them. I know I do.

Let me define how I think of God’s will. First of all, I have a very vague sense of God, so mine is more about accepting what the world throws at me, versus a spiritual being who is up in the clouds making decisions about hurdles that will appear in front of me in my life. Secondly, I often think about God’s will as, what is the pathway for me that is the best for the world and for me? In other words, I think of it less as a predetermined outcome and more about the choices that I make.

This guy shared that he regularly takes back his will, but that God always takes it back—because he’s strong. I laughed about that, because isn’t that so true? How many of us spend large chunks of our lives battling to win a tug-of-war against stuff that is so much bigger than us? It’s impossible to win that battle! And yet, we try.

The day after I heard that at a meeting, I went to my daughter’s field day at her elementary school. She’s in fifth grade now, so the kids at her school are grown-ass little people. One of the events was a tug-of-war, where about 10 kids lined up on each side to compete. I was lucky enough to be placed in the middle, where I would ref. I was encouraged to try to keep the competition even, so when one side would get a lead, I wasn’t afraid to yank the rope as discreetly as possible to balance things out.

Well, one team lost a few kids in the middle and I didn’t notice. So when I yelled go, the other team pulled the rope and easily started to drag the other side across the line. I tried to help the losing team as nonchalantly as possible so no one noticed I was influencing the outcome, but holy s**t, I started yanking harder and harder and harder… and damn near got dragged across the wet ground. We lost that tug of war, and as I wiped some of the mud and grass off my hands, I couldn’t help but think about what a funny representation that field day event had been for the idea that I cannot successfully win a tug-of-war against the universe, literally or figuratively!

This newsletter is a place of joy and laughter about the deadly serious business of sobriety. So, as I will often do, let me close with a joke:

At 2 a.m., Mike finally vacated the stool he’d been gracing all day and went outside. Leaning against the wall, he contemplated going to a club for a few more, thought better of it, and decided to go home. Spotting a car with a sign on the roof, he hailed it and fell inside. “Take me to Mount Washington,” he mumbled.

“I know a short cut,” replied the driver, who proceeded to the nearest police station, where Mike was booked for public intoxication. Looking up, the desk officer remarked, “Did he give you any trouble?”

“Not at all,” said the cop who’d delivered him. “He opened the door and climbed right in.”

(Credit: AA Grapevine, December 2002, Ken P. from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

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