Mean Monkeys

 

"Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town".
-George Carlin



What's almost as annoying as the sound of your parachute failing to open?...it's the constant whining of the monkeys of addiction and abuse on your back.

In my own attempt to deal with post-military grief and insecurity, I adopted some of these monkeys as pets. They're kind of cute when they're small, plus they had the added benefit of distracting me from my inability to deal with my emotions. Unfortunately, young pets ultimately grow bigger, and depending on the pets you've adopted, become quite a nuisance.

Substance abuse and addiction cannot occupy the same space as health, wellness and serenity. Ask me how I know this. Many folks today think that they can flirt with alcohol, drugs, pornography, (insert your favorite compulsive behavior here), and walk away unscathed. Some can, most can't. You don't catch an addiction like you catch a cold. You acquire it.

Compulsive behavior can be defeated if the will is present. In my case, as with many others, I was fortunate enough to have the help of a fellow traveler and a higher power, which for me is Jesus Christ. I suppose one could do it alone but sometimes it's just not that easy to pull yourself out of a ditch. But once out, if you make a habit of sharpening your senses to esteem all that elevates clarity of body, mind and soul...you can leave the circus behind.

In Search of Serenity

For those of you that are Seinfeld fans, my blog's title should evoke a smile. For those of you that have no clue what I'm talking about, I'll explain.

Serenity Now was the title of the 159th episode of NBC's blockbuster sitcom- "Seinfeld". In this particular episode,  Frank Castanza,  the father of one of Jerry Seinfeld's buds,George Castanza, was instructed to say, aloud--"serenity now", as a means of controlling his blood pressure.  Knowing Frank's character would help explain why, instead of "saying" serenity now, he would "yell" it!

It cracks me up, partly because of  Frank's personality, but mostly because of the humorous irony of attempting to force serenity by screaming! It's also the reason I decided to entitle my blog "Serenity Now!"

My own route and methods through some dark years, post military service, weren't too far removed from Frank's. I was trying to force serenity, trying to escape grief, trying to run from a burgeoning cloud of insecurity--by "screaming". The ultimate outcome of my "screaming" was deteriorating health.

I'm going to stop here as I collect my thoughts and flesh out how to organize my story.  The main purpose of my blogging won't be to weave a tale of woe, but to present what I have experienced to be healthy, legitimate ways to work toward wholeness (I'm still not totally there by the way).

My blog will be an eclectic collection of ideas, and experiences that I've gleaned from emotional, medical, spiritual, relational study as I trudge my way in the direction of health and healing. I'm hoping others will want to share their ideas about ways they've found to help with the business of getting on with life in a healthy way. (BTW--For those of you that are "Simpsons" fans, and are tempted to proclaim..."beer is the cause of and solution to all of life's problems"-forget it).