GOD AND MY MONKEY

WHAT GOD WILL--AND WON'T-- DO!

A disciple came riding on his camel to the tent of his Sufi Master. He dismounted and walked right into the tent, bowed low and said, “So great is my trust in God that I have left my camel outside, untied, convinced that God protects the interests of those who love Him.”

“Go tie your camel, you fool!” said the Master. “God cannot be bothered doing for you what you are perfectly capable of doing for yourself.”

--De Mello, “Taking Flight” page 100...

MY MONKEY 

And so...here I be—

in silence, effortless.

At long last to 'see'

some of these things.

Alone, in darkness,

atop tall tower

gazing at my past,

...to jump now or

cravenly cower?

Hundreds—no--

thousands times I

stopped the drinking,

drugging, mugging,

chaos and strife-

each time right back

to same old life:

devastating

one after other,

children, sisters, wife,

mother, father, brother.

After years fighting

and tears, fears,

God intervened

so it seemed.

Brought me
and my monkey

to Alcoholics Anonymous.

Now thirty-seven years

without one drop...

for me all done

what I could not:

Powerful, wondrous power!!!

To this I attest:

my disease, in arrest.

Present life...the best!

WRITTEN IN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

My last drink March 18, 1974

Shirt size: Smaller. (Monkey

finally got off my back!)