Rules
Ann brought her dog, a four pound teacup Chihuahua named 'Killer', to group for a second time.
"I thought we talked about the 'no dogs in group' rule," I said. The group looked at me like I had just kicked the dog. "Hey, I don't make the rules."
"Why do we have that rule?" Emu asked. "I can't have a dog in my dorm room, and I like having Killer here."
"This is the only dog that doesn't scare me," Julie said. As if he understood what she was saying, Killer trotted over and jumped into her lap.
"Whose rule is it?" Michaela asked.
"I don't know whose rule it is," I said, "but I do know the purpose of the rule is to protect people who are afraid of dogs." Almost in unison, the group looked at the dog curled up in Julie's lap, then back at me. This kicked off a discussion of dumb rules, which thankfully morphed into a discussion of rules that made life easier. The group asked me what rules I thought were most important.
"For an alcoholic like me? Don't pick up the first drink or drug. Breaking this rule would make breaking every other contract, commitment, commandment, rule, or law, a thousand times easier, or more likely."
"What about people who aren't alcoholics? What if they're not addicted to anything?"
"Do you know anybody who did something while they were drinking they probably wouldn't have done sober?" I asked rhetorically.
Today I will remember following the rules is a lot easier when I'm clean and sober.
AArdvarks (c) 2013 by Ken Montrose
"I thought we talked about the 'no dogs in group' rule," I said. The group looked at me like I had just kicked the dog. "Hey, I don't make the rules."
"Why do we have that rule?" Emu asked. "I can't have a dog in my dorm room, and I like having Killer here."
"This is the only dog that doesn't scare me," Julie said. As if he understood what she was saying, Killer trotted over and jumped into her lap.
"Whose rule is it?" Michaela asked.
"I don't know whose rule it is," I said, "but I do know the purpose of the rule is to protect people who are afraid of dogs." Almost in unison, the group looked at the dog curled up in Julie's lap, then back at me. This kicked off a discussion of dumb rules, which thankfully morphed into a discussion of rules that made life easier. The group asked me what rules I thought were most important.
"For an alcoholic like me? Don't pick up the first drink or drug. Breaking this rule would make breaking every other contract, commitment, commandment, rule, or law, a thousand times easier, or more likely."
"What about people who aren't alcoholics? What if they're not addicted to anything?"
"Do you know anybody who did something while they were drinking they probably wouldn't have done sober?" I asked rhetorically.
Today I will remember following the rules is a lot easier when I'm clean and sober.
AArdvarks (c) 2013 by Ken Montrose
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