I saw a movie titled Don't worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot today. It is a biography of the late, physically disabled cartoonist John Callahan. The movie inspired me to have a desire to take a course of action that I don't know if I will be able to take.
John Callahan had a serious drinking problem, and he became an Alcoholics Anonymous member and quite drinking. A key dramatic highlight of the movie depicted John taking the ninth step, which reads something like, "Made a list of all the persons you had harmed, and were willing to make amends to them all, except when to do so would injure them or others."
I'm not currently an AA member, but I do participate in a support group from time to time. If I were serious about making amends to EVERYONE, I would have to start with kids I teased back in the 6th, 7th, 8th grades, and higher grades, come to think of it. Who knows if I could find such people.
If I were to limit my amends to those most directly affected by my love addiction, I might be able to narrow the list a little. Since I'm not really working the steps with a sponsor and all of that, I would, if I had the balls, make a unilateral apology to just one person from back in the day who seems to still be around. Actions speak louder than words, so I will have to just be patient and see if my willingness intersects with my opportunity to do so.
I think following my Buddha will help me maintain the willingness over the period of time that I think it might take-if I even have an opportunity at all. The last post about the fork in the road has to do with following my Buddha. Specifically, to make a move away from all of my traditional pursuits of love interests from among the women in my world. I guess I'll have to see if I can even pull THAT one off as seriously as I want to right now.
John Callahan had a serious drinking problem, and he became an Alcoholics Anonymous member and quite drinking. A key dramatic highlight of the movie depicted John taking the ninth step, which reads something like, "Made a list of all the persons you had harmed, and were willing to make amends to them all, except when to do so would injure them or others."
I'm not currently an AA member, but I do participate in a support group from time to time. If I were serious about making amends to EVERYONE, I would have to start with kids I teased back in the 6th, 7th, 8th grades, and higher grades, come to think of it. Who knows if I could find such people.
If I were to limit my amends to those most directly affected by my love addiction, I might be able to narrow the list a little. Since I'm not really working the steps with a sponsor and all of that, I would, if I had the balls, make a unilateral apology to just one person from back in the day who seems to still be around. Actions speak louder than words, so I will have to just be patient and see if my willingness intersects with my opportunity to do so.
I think following my Buddha will help me maintain the willingness over the period of time that I think it might take-if I even have an opportunity at all. The last post about the fork in the road has to do with following my Buddha. Specifically, to make a move away from all of my traditional pursuits of love interests from among the women in my world. I guess I'll have to see if I can even pull THAT one off as seriously as I want to right now.
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