HAPPY BIRTHDAY AA! Some swear by it. Some swear at it. Either way, it has saved millions and millions of lives over the years by providing a "welcome to all" spiritual Fellowship for tortured, isolated, last-gasping souls with nowhere else to turn. It saved the life of this cross-addicted Alcoholic with Bipolar Disorder, and along … Continue reading HAPPY BIRTHDAY AA! →

Today I had the privilege of reliving a tragic, painful memory that also stands as a testament to the power of God and my perseverance. In the early 90's, I was active in my Alcoholism and working at A Luster Metal Finishing, a metal plating facility that at that time had many rigorous manual processes, … Continue reading Baptism by Fire →

Happy Survivor's Day! "Whether adult children of toxic parents were beaten when little or left alone too much, sexually abused or treated like fools, overprotected or overburdened by shame, they almost all suffer surprisingly similar symptoms: damaged self-esteem, leading to self-destructive behavior. In one way or another, they almost all feel worthless, unlovable, and inadequate." … Continue reading Happy Survivor’s Day! →

Jeremiad 2.0 "This is the way we fall. First we lose our balance, teetering precariously on the edge of uncertainty, until, mercilessly, gravity takes over. You can’t outshine gravity." ~Cassia Leo, The Way We Fall As I wended my way through the treacherous cyberscape of Facebook today, I stumbled upon one of the many intellectual … Continue reading Jeremiad 2.0 →

The Inane Perpetuation of Unnecessary Suffering [Pure love and passion for my fellow sufferers -who have been unable to scratch and claw their way to "functionality" (AND weren't blessed with breaks, coping tools, and compassionate helpers) like me- in a wretched system that chews us up and spits us out like so much detritus, comprise … Continue reading The Inane Perpetuation of Unnecessary Suffering →

OF HUMAN FREEDOM: AUTHENTIC SELF, PURPOSE, AND FAITH "He did not care if she was heartless, vicious and vulgar, stupid and grasping, he loved her. He would rather have misery with one than happiness with the other." ~W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage Spiritual experiences, or epiphanies if you will, tend to spark thoughts of … Continue reading OF HUMAN FREEDOM: AUTHENTIC SELF, PURPOSE, AND FAITH →

Existential Arsonist? When we were young we all learned, Play with fire and you will get burned. For me, that never seemed to sink in, Playing with fire was my ultimate sin. Mania, Addiction, Childhood Trauma they say, But maybe, just maybe, I was born that way. No, no, no, that just can’t be, Human … Continue reading Existential Arsonist? →

"The Monster Inside Me Is Hibernating, Not Dead" Since I left the comfort and safety of my mother's womb, and perhaps even before, a cruel monster with an insatiable appetite to harm (and ultimately destroy) me has been crowding my soul for space at the epicenter of my being. Sometimes they bicker and shove one … Continue reading “The Monster Inside Me Is Hibernating, Not Dead” →

We are Human: Mitigate Our Suffering It's report card day and I am giving American "civilization" an F in compassion because of the primitive savagery it has inflicted, and continues to inflict, upon the mentally ill. Despite the fact that one in five people have a mental illness, and 4% of us suffer from a … Continue reading We Are as Human as You: Mitigate our Suffering. →