Being in recovery from addiction, there have been many things I have learned about both life and myself. One of the major things I have learned is the concept of powerlessness over other peoples lives. This is something I have quite often struggled with in the past, and as a result, I have many times alienated those whom I love the most.
I have tried to push my opinion of what is best for somebody I care about on them so hard, and so feverishly, that these people would find no comfort in my yoke. My trying to tell loved ones what I think is best for them did no good and was wrong.
As a friend, as a family memeber, as an aquaintance, all I can do is offer my opinion and then be there for the person. I cannot change a persons mind if it is not ready or open to it, I cannot presume to know what is best for a person, I cannot try to control another persons life by shoving my perspective down they're throat until they can no longer breathe easy around me.
I say all of this for the following reason. There are people who visit this board with whom I could not accept my powerlessness. I presumed to know what was best for them, and would not just accept that they disagreed. I presumed to think I was right, and they were wrong, and would try to possess power over a situation that, quite frankly, I was powerless over and had no business trying to dictate.
Offering my advice and opinion is one thing, but shoving it down a loved one's throat, or anybody's throat, is just flat out wrong.
And for that I sincerely apologize to all of you out there to whom this applies. This has been one lesson out of many I've learned, and I am truly growing in accepting my powerlessness in other people's lives. I am learning to not be so self-centered as to assume that only I know what is best for a person.
I love you slugger, I wish you all the best and you are always in my thoughts.
Take care all...
Brooke.