Coincidence or Godcidence.

Someone remarked to me today that something that happened to her was either a Coincidence or a Godcidence. It reminded me of a saying I sometimes use that Coincidence is how God protects His anonymity. And, speaking of anonymity. I have this ritual I do every morning. I read from some daily readers, I say a small peayer, something to the effect of God, show me what to do today, and then I pick a word from my God box. This morning, the word was Anonymity. By Coincidence, I was writing a story last night for the Forum, the monthly journal for Al-Anon. In order to make my point in the story, I would need to break my own anonymity and mention that I am also in AA. So, here I was reminded of the importance of not doing that. 

Was it a coincidence or a godcidence as my friend alluded to?

Excerpt from Starfish On The Beach (edited)

 

There is a parable I heard once that I often use to describe the work I was fortunate to do in the field of alcoholism and the work I continue to do even though I no longer get a pay check for doing it.

One day I was walking along the beach. I saw an old man walking toward me. Every so often, he would kneel down, pick something up and study it for a moment. Then, he would either put it back on the beach or throw it into the sea.

As we drew nearer to each other, I noticed that the beach was littered with starfish, washed up by the tide. The old man was searching for live ones and returning them to the sea.

When we were close enough to speak, I told him how pointless his efforts were. There were too many of them. He could not possibly make a difference.

In reply, he threw a living starfish into the sea. “It made a difference to that one.” Then, he leaned closer and said, “I could use a little help.”

27 years ago, someone scraped me off the beach where I lay dying and threw me back into the sea. Now, I walk the beach with the old man. There are still too many. It's still difficult to make a difference. Some days I just don't see the point. Other days I see I made the right decision. Those are the days that matter.

Predictive Text

 My wife made a comment the other day that I have a knack for predicting how things will happen. One time, I was at a gathering at my former place of employment. I made a comment to the effect that although I wasn't currently employed there, that considering where it was, in 2 month's I could have so and so's job. By coincidence, in 7 weeks, I had his job.

Earlier today, I noticed the wind getting stronger outside so I checked the forecast. There was a storm brewing. At the time, I was making a status update on social media and I mentioned the high winds and heavy rain on the way.

I had just put a meatloaf in the oven so my update was something along the lines that I hoped the power stayed on until supper was ready. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I clicked post, the power went. It was off for two hours and then I was able to continue cooking supper.

rear view mirror

 my sobriety date is getting closer. it's like turning 30 or 50 or 70. you wonder if you're where you should be by now or you become reflective and start looking in the rear view to see where you were and if you've moved far enough ahead to justify becoming a year older. generally, whenever I attend a midwinter roundup, as I do every year, I always feel somehow older. that was last February and I did feel changed. but, here I am now, it's late November, in a few days I will reach a new milestone in sobriety. 27 years. it is often said that once we start drinking, we stop growing emotionally. I  started drinking when I was twelve and by the time I stopped, 29 years later, I was still 12 years old. it's been 27 years so now I am 39 years old emotionally if you follow it through and of course if you believe that school of thought.

Thinking of Yourself Less

 I celebrate 27 years sober this month. For most of my sobriety, I worked in a transition house for men in the early stages of recovery from alcohol drugs and gambling. I don't work there now. I retired about 18 months ago. I was talking to a young man who currently resides in the house and the conversation was good. I told him I used to live there and work there. And he said, "Yeah, you're somewhat of a legend there." I laughed and we went about the things we had been doing to set up the meeting we were at.

Later, I realized that I never really gave any thought to the impact I may have had while working there. My name is on three plaques there. One as a resident, one as a staff member, and one as a resident who continues to donate his time to uphold the philosophy of the home.

Every morning when I wake up, I pick a word from my god box. This morning, yesterday morning now, my word was Pride.  I know that the opposite of pride is humility and that humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.

So, I'll do that now.