people/places/things

[ROBERT]

I HEAR THIS @ MEETINGS>"I'M PWRLESS OVER PEOPLE PLACES & THINGS!!! NOW I AM PWRLESS OVER MOST OUTCOMES,BUT I CAN USE MY WILL ALL I WANT PROVIDED IT IS THE PROPER USE OF IT,SO CAN SOME ONE HELP ME FIND, IN THE BOOK, WHERE THIS PEOPLE,PLACES,THING IS TALKED ABOUT? OR IS THIS ANOTHER TREATMENT CENTER INJECTED THING?

[Dallas]

I think the "people, places, things" got injected from Al-Anon. Instead of powerless over alcohol, I've heard them refer to being powerless over people places and things.... and possibly that's where some AA's who thought it sounded cute began to use it.

This is actually a very interesting topic. A course of mental gymnastics.

Our BB has no references, at least in the Program of Recovery section about being powerless over people places and things. Someone may be using it in the story section if it's to be found in the BB.


I remember early in recovery being confused about this sort of thing... and that's one of the places that a very wise and well read (BB) sponsor can come to aid.

To be powerless over people, places and things... if one really wants to think it through... one would have to be to be dead.

I may be powerless over the need to go to the bathroom... however, most always, I've been able to control that need with planning, patience and will power... so that I could choose the place and the thing that I was going to use for a toilet.

And, of course... if I stop eating and stop drinking liquids... I could control the need.

If the world was powerless over people, places and things... I wonder why we would have Air Traffic Controllers?

Wouldn't Air Traffic Controllers... have a reasonable amount of control over outcomes and results?

Sure... they couldn't maintain 100% control... however their awareness, actions and efforts would be well welcomed... And, would have much to do about results. 99.99% of the airplanes don't crash! Without the Controllers... the results would probably be just the opposite... 99.99 percent would crash! In that case... I'm sure that we would hope that God really was the pilot that was flying all the planes all the time.

Also, if we are powerless over people places and things... as some would suggest that we are... we would not be accountable nor responsible for anything.

We couldn't pick up the phone. We couldn't call for help. We wouldn't go to meetings. We couldn't be responsible enough to take our steps and recover. We could say "Well God... don't look at me! I had nothing to do with it! Remember... I'm powerless!!! It's all your fault God! Those are your wrongs and your aments... so don't bother me with your stuff!!!

Dallas

[ROBERT]

FUNNY--I JUST LEFT U A PERSONAL ON THIS DALLAS.HA.HA

[Dallas]

Our timing was good!!!

It was refreshing to read your thoughts about it in your PM!

I'm with you on this one!

Dallas

[ROBERT]

I AM VERY GREATFULL,THAT I HAD PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO CHALLENGED ME W/OUT CONCERN,IF I WAS P/O'ED OR NOT--AT THE TIME I COULD NOT IMAGINE,THEY WERE SAVING MY LIFE!!!BUT SOMETHING INSIDE KEPT ME RETURNING---EGO---AND MY FRIENDS KEPT PRUNING ME,NOW I UNDERSTAND TRUE LOVE AND TOLERANCE...SO WHEN I AM AT A MEETING I SHARE MY EXPERIENCE,AND THE MESSAGE--"AS A RESULT OF THE 12 STEPS,I HAVE HADE A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING,THAT HAS SHOWN ME A WAY TO A NEW AND BETTER WAY TO LIVE,THAT IS BETTER THAN I EVER IMAGINED.

[sunlight]

Whenever someone would say this at a meeting at our AA club, one of the big bikers would stand up (all 300 pounds of him) & say, "Do I look like I'm powerless over you?"

Seems to me that people say this when they haven't gotten their way or when others aren't acting the way they expect.

What came to mind when I saw this was:

"We had to quit playing God. It didn't work."

[GeoffS]

Doesn't the program of AA in a way teach us when to be empowered towards people places and things, and when to keep our noses out, and the wisdom to know the differences.

If we were powerless over PP and T the middle section of the serenity prayer would be pointless?

[Dallas]

Amen.

[Tim]

While there may be a tincture of Al-Anon, the point of being powerless over people, places and things is that of relative rather than absolute powerlessness.

Anyone who has been in a relationship knows the relative powerlessness of trying to change another person versus changing oneself.

Anyone who has been in the armed forces, especially in combat, knows the relative powerlessness one experiences.

Anyone who has been on the highway, knows the relative powerlessness one has over other drivers despite world-class defensive driving skills.

Anyone who has a job or retirement savings knows well from the past year's experience, the relative powerlessness one has over either.

Sometimes powerlessness is absolute, as with alcoholism, and other times it is relative, as with people, places and things. Realizing both can help us to live life to the fullest.

[GeoffS]

Anyone who has been in the armed forces, especially in combat, knows the relative powerlessness one experiences.

Anyone who has been on the highway, knows the relative powerlessness one has over other drivers despite world-class defensive driving skills. ..

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change

Anyone who has been in a relationship knows the relative powerlessness of trying to change another person versus changing oneself..

Courage to change the things I can

Sometimes powerlessness is absolute, as with alcoholism, and other times it is relative, as with people, places and things. Realizing both can help us to live life to the fullest.

and the wisdom to know the difference.