Chapter 6
The leader of the BA meeting began to speak and everyone perked up their ears to listen. Flyhigh also, leaned forward to hear and drink in every word. That voice, that calming and familiar voice could only belong to one bird. “My father”, Flyhigh whispered softly to himself, “What’s he doing here? Could he possibly be one of them? But he’s their leader, that means that he’s not an addict. But he must have been addicted at some point.” Flyhigh stood outside the entire time debating with himself what he should do now. Just before the meeting ended, he flew home and pretended to go to sleep. 20 minuets later, Mr. Birdy came home.
“How’d it go?” Mrs. Birdy asked him
“pretty good, I think.” Was her husbands reply. “It just…”
“just what?” asked the Mrs.
“All of those good nice birds, struggling so hard to break free from their addictions. It’s hard to see, but at least they are on the right path. Sometimes when I think about all of those other birds out there who don’t even realize that they are addicted… It just gets me down. If only there was some way to reach out to them, and tell them that it’s ok to have an addiction, it doesn’t mean that they are bad birds, rather it means that they made some bad mistakes in life. We all make mistakes. Sometimes I eat a rotten worm and get a stomachache, that’s a mistake. Some other birds made other mistakes that had farther reaching results, but the bottom line is, that we all make mistakes. If only they would realize that they have a real problem that they can’t solve on their own, and they would reach out for help — Hay! What’s that noise?!”
They both heard it. Great heaving sobs. Crying like there was no tomorrow was coming from the part of the nest that Flyhigh slept in. Mr. Birdy walked over to Flyhigh and touched him on the head. This made the boy bird cry even harder. “It’s true,” Flyhigh said in a broken voice. “I am addicted. Nothing I’ve tried by myself has helped. I can’t take it anymore. I want to stop this stupid and dangerous behavior before I’m really gone! Is there any hope for me?”
“Of course there is” Papa bird told him. “I broke free many years ago, and so can you. You will need to be honest and willing to work at it, but you can and WILL do it! I want you to come with me tomorrow to meet a friend of mine who can teach you all about the 12 steps that every bird should know. I’ll help you along the way and you’ll see, that before you know it, it’ll start to happen. And Fly-“ Papa stopped.
“Yes Papa.” Flyhigh whispered
“I’m very proud of you for asking for help when you needed it. It takes a big bird to do what you have just done, and it’s the first step to recovery” Papa leaned over and gave Flyhigh a huge hug with his wings. Mama joined in too and the whole bundle of birds ended up tumbling out of the nest and while laughing so hard, they to quickly catch themselves with their wings so that they shouldn’t fall. With lighter hearts they all went to bed.

EPILOG: The next day Flyhigh went with his father to meet his friend who ended up being a human named Mrs. Mc’Odells, who actually had a bird rehab center in her basement. After trying and failing with other methods Flyhigh ended up staying in Mrs. Mc’Odells house (Snappy stayed in the barn) for 6 weeks and when he left, he was mostly healed. Today he says that although he has never given into his addiction since leaving the Mc’Odells house, he admits that if he should start to give in a little, then he will be right back where he started. Incidentally Mr. Flyhigh now heads the institute of BA and is in the middle of arranging a website called Guard Your Bird (GYB)

POSTSCRIPT: I don’t know if this story sounded familiar to you or not, but it sure rings a bell with me. With the exception of the happy ending, this story is a take-off of my own battles with sobriety. I hope something can be learned from this story and I hope that you enjoyed it.
SG

wow! that was good!
kiol hakavod

Send it in to Tzippor Magazine for their Flightlines column

A SONG To the tune of “There was an old man
Named Michael Finnegan”

There once was a man named Sammy Heavygin
He has issues with his, staying thin,
He decided that he won’t be giving in
But then he just changed his sin

Now his name is Sammy shikurin
He has problems with his drinkn’
Then he stopped and did not give in
But then he just changed his sin

Today his name is Sammy Lusten
He’s got issues with those women
He tried to stop but he just gave in
He realized that he’s got to win

Sammy went up to a meetn’
He gobbled up all they taught him
He realized that, if he was not gonna sin,
He would need a different spin

Sammy knew he had an addiction
What’s it’s for, kept on changin’
But he knew that if, he was gonna win
He’d have to take up life again

Today Sammy, is a different man
He’s fought against, the great lust scam
He sings a lot, in his kitchen
Cause Sammy is a happy man

(Like the story, for me, this is a (partly) true song with the exception of the happy ending)

So, I think this is the appropriate thread (hilariously entertaining story; he really should do more) for what I am about to write, for two reasons: 1. Because it doesn't need to be accurate, and 2. The message is sublime (like my posts have meaning....ha!), so, here goes:

After seeing Cordnoy's post to Mr Taub, I was inspired to reveal the following revelation: last week I fell, and I don't give one damn! That's right; not at all. Why? For two reasons (that seems to be the motto today): 1. Because it wasn't my fault (how can there even be another reason?), and 2. Because I'm addicted and we live life one (insert expletive) day at a time.

​So, here's what happened: I was at a business meeting (that's allowed; no?) and an associate (who I have seen before and fantasized over one too many times) of the investor was there as well, and my apologies, but this paragraph, where I went into details about the prelude to what transpired, was edited (deleted) by a moderator after I sent it to him for approval, so suffice it to say: there was a side room and the deed was done.

Now, I have been clean/sober for three (i.e.) years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours before this happened, so it wasn't like I was white-knuckling or something; I was living in serenity and peace (for the most part). I didn't seek her out. I didn't (i.e.) plan this. It was obviously orchestrated by God. I will continue with my sobriety plan. One moment has nothing to do with the next. There is no reason to get down on myself. It wasn't like I set this ordeal up. It's not like I clicked on a website, drove up and down street corners, visited a brothel or club, engaged in illicit relations with multiple women; I simply am living One Dame At A Time.

My opinion may very well be worthless, but it agrees with some of what you wrote (especially the complement ), and disagrees with some of it.

stillgoing wrote on 24 Apr 2017 18:32:

Complement?

I don't know about the other yukels, but this yukel always likes to hear your opinions. They are far from worthless.

Personally, I very often wonder if I'd be able to maintain that one day at a time mantra after such a fall. Obviously, I push the thought away, for what difference does it make now.

You might not believe me, but such a fall would feel nice (my current thoughts).

cordnoy wrote on 24 Apr 2017 19:47:

After my dream the other night i am good for a few weeks

GrowStrong wrote on 24 Apr 2017 21:19:

I'm fed up with dreamin'; I crave the real thin'.

Like I wrote, I don't know if my opinions are right, but for cords sake, here they are

"I'm addicted and we live life one (insert expletive) day at a time."    - Agree

"It was obviously orchestrated by God."   - Disagree. Everything is orchestrated by G-d, even the death of a family member. Not my fault, but i'll still care.


I will continue with my sobriety plan. ..... There is no reason to get down on myself. "       - Agree


"One moment has nothing to do with the next."     - In the context of sobriety, I suppose you're right.

"last week I fell, and I don't give one damn! That's right; not at all."  - Disagree

"hilariously entertaining story; he really should do more"   - Definitely Agree!

1. Insert expletive - agree with your agreement.

2. Orchestrated by God - you disagreed - On what? Then you mixed in if you care or not. (You probably meant that saying it's orchestrated by God is somewhat of a copout, for everything is.)

3. Double agree. Never get down!

4. One moment to the next is true with everything - our job is to overcome our feelings from the moment before, so it doesn't affect the next one.

5. How can you disagree that I don't give one damn? You think I'm lying!?

6. Your story was hilarious. So was my last line.

Trouble wrote on 24 Apr 2017 13:46:

I must comment. Please remember I write as a fellow traveler who struggles and has fallen more than I enjoy to admit. I am surely no better than you and have begun a count just a few short days ago.

I am very confused. Our struggle is a major challenge to us. Call it an illness or Yetzer Harah but it goes under the general umbrella of a challenge. A challenge that seems larger than life itself at times but a struggle or challenge just the same. Engaging in this behavior is also a sin. Even if we are not being drawn in because of pure Yetzer Harah, we certainly have an obligation to seek out the necessary tools to cease behaving in this self-destructing manner. For the sake of making life manageable, for the sake of our families for the sake of a million reasons and yes for the sake of our souls.

Having the nisayon you had with this woman I imagine was ALMOST impossible to pass. No way can anyone judge you. Who necessarily among us would of passed? However, understand that it was a major fall. You did lose out big time. Imagine now if Yoseph would have had relations with Potiphars wife.

• would not be king of Mitzraim

• would not have the zechus of supporting Am Yisroel for years

• would not be given the title of “Yoseph Hatzadik” l'olam va'ed

Instead, he'd have the concellation prize of having the guys in the forum understand him. After all, he had an excuse – he didn't ask for this, his lust was on steriods and off the charts, and hey tomorrow is another day. One day at a time, right? No judgment on you my friend. Who can claim to be Yoseph Hatzadik? But then again the big bucks will go elsewhere and the bag of lame excuses is all that remains.

As for the fact you are not bothered. I don't believe you. No, you are not a liar. Just a person in pain that needs validation. How can I be so sure? I can't be. But people who are not in pain don't make their points with exclamation marks. In short, they don't scream, they just flippantly mention them.
Also my friends. Let's be careful not to in any way celebrate indulging in lustful behavior. Been there, done that. no? Let's see the filthy ugly destructive behavior as it truly is. 
If not, why the H____  are we here?

Trouble wrote on 25 Apr 2017 00:26:


This is  my third attempt to reply. Hopefully it won't get erased this time. :-)

.2&5 are connected.
Of course I can't tell you how you are feeling, my non-agreement was referring to the correctness of such a  feeling.
You wrote that you couldn't care less about what happened because it was orchestrated by G-d and was  not your fault. Could be true, but I was just pointing out that when I lost a family member, it was also orchestrated by G-d yet I cared an awful lot.


Btw, Your last line was not lost on me. I meant to include it in my list of Agreed, but I forgot. I guess being ssa, my mind isn't so focused on dames.