A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

[LVT25]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

Quote for the day:

"Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water." --WC Fields

Have a great day everyone!!

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

The Dawn of a New Day




And so it was
That I came to travel
Upon the road
That was thorned and narrow
Another place
Another grace
Would save me...

* * *

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

Care to join me for lunch?

doubter;295237 wrote:

And me scared?!!!:boxer:
Think Doubter & think... Rocky....
Think Doubter & think....the Terminator...

Got the picture, Angel....
Hasta lavista, baby

P.S : MsGuidedAngel??...good one but ponder over... MisdirectedVerbalVolleyist?...

"Do I get the picture?? Oh yeah, I get the picture all right>>>> I see you running away very, VERY fast when you see the fury of Angels' wrath aimed in your direction!:H
Which reminds me... did you notice that huge crate sitting out back??.....Just arrived today:happy:
You can have your wussy guns.... Me??...I'm going high tech!"


*Angel looking up at teetering boulder overhead...bringing her gaze straight down & making final adjustment to table setting*

"And as far as names go Bucko.... what do you mean by "MisDirected"?? Just because calling me Baby might cause momentary weakness, it certainly isn't enough to save your sorry ass.
Now come out from behind that :sofa: ...I've made you a nice lunch".

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

vettech25;295351 wrote:
"Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water." --WC Fields

Nothing but food and water... oh, the humanity! LOL
Hi Mimi! So good to see you... hope you're having a great smoke-free, AL-free day!






[ame=

]Click here[/ame]

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

A good Monday to you all!

Hope everyone had a great long weekend! I know that DoggyGirl still has spandex wedgies dancing in her head! LOL

Today marks 20 months for me being smoke-free! This was the beginning for me of turning my life around. There are some people that quit smoking, and that is all there is to it.... they quit smoking. And then there are others who, for different reasons, have this turn into a life-altering experience.
I was one of them.

I had previously quit smoking for about 2-3 years. I thought I had my addiction beat, but I was so wrong. My mind started wandering to thoughts of having a cigarette again...."just one" I thought to myself.... how could that hurt? I talked myself into thinking that this would prove how much I hate those things, and these whispers that were taunting me, would cease. I could not have been more wrong.
I bought a pack with the intention of smoking a few.... that one pack led to smoking another 8 years... but this time it was worse. Because I was so ashamed of smoking again & the disappointment that those close to me would surely feel.... I hid my addiction... I hid it for 8 long self-degrading years.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I think it came to me one day as I was figuring out how long my little smoking stint had been going on. First I was thinking about 2 years... no, I thought again... had to be 3 because of something I could link the time frame to.... and so I kept thinking & adding years..... 5.... 6..... it hit me like a ton of bricks when I realized that my one pack had led to 8 years. I knew if I didn't do something right there & then, the years would keep getting added on... and the sickness would continue.
Although quitting was very difficult, the instant freedom I felt from not living a lie anymore gave me new self worth & respect. As the months progressed in my quit, so did my self-transformation. When I reached my 1 year smoking anniversary, I was a completely different person than I was only 12 months earlier. I felt strong... I felt confident... I felt I was ready to take on another challenge. Two days after my 1 year milestone, I quit drinking.... and started on my journey of sobriety. It has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride these past months... but I have held on.
There have been many joyous & rewarding days that thoughts of drinking don't enter my mind, and there have been ones that I only have strength to get through one minute at a time. This is the new reality I must face.... it may be tough at times, but the rewards that I am now experiencing make it more than worthwhile... for the first time in my adult life, I am finally beginning to know the real me... one that is beginning to see the true wonderment of the world we live in, and the magic of life's gifts that are there for all of us, if we just open our eyes & hearts.


May the stars,
sun, moon & mind
open our world
to the brilliance of nature.
Let it shine on me.
~author unknown

[LVT25]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

MsGuided--CONGRATULATIONS!!!!:woot:
This is a great post, I'm going to print it and refer to it if I need to. It's no fun being a closet smoker--so why do it? Even though this site is for quitting drinking--it really helps me with not smoking also.
:thanks:

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

vettech25;297781 wrote: MsGuided--CONGRATULATIONS!!!!:woot:

It's no fun being a closet smoker--so why do it?

First of all......:l for calling me by my proper name Mimi!! :thanks:

So why do people hide their addictions?
I think it comes from being an addict that is so ashamed of their addiction, and feels that this is the only way that they can cope to keep those around us happy (or so we think)... and feed our addiction at the same time.
What starts out as a whim & a few "fun" smokes, quickly puts us right back into the grip of our old addiction, and we deceive ourselves at first that we can "quit anytime". The frightening part is when we realize we can't stop, and that we are once again, addicted.... and maybe even more so this time around.
This is why I regard my smoking quit as a precious gift to myself... one that I will never take for granted & always keep green.

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

Shift Happens

I love this!


Did You Know?





** click Here **
(speakers on)

[4theboyz]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

FallenAngel;297275 wrote: for the first time in my adult life, I am finally beginning to know the real me... one that is beginning to see the true wonderment of the world we live in, and the magic of life's gifts that are there for all of us, if we just open our eyes & hearts.

FA,

Congratulations on the Adult Life part, doing what we are doing can involve a bit of growing up and I know I have my work cut out for me. I love reading your posts you really open up at times and are inspiring with your thoughts you share. I thought it only fair that I pitch in with a thought of the day as well...


"Those who contemplate
the beauty of the earth
find reserves of strength
that will endure as long as life lasts."

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

4theboyz;298318 wrote: I thought it only fair that I pitch in with a thought of the day as well...


"Those who contemplate
the beauty of the earth
find reserves of strength
that will endure as long as life lasts."

4theboys~
Thank you so much for your kind words & this beautiful quote... what a wonderful way to start off my day of celebration... thank you again!

Today marks 8 months of sobriety for me...
a day that I intend to celebrate my accomplishment in many ways...
reflecting on the past months.... sharing the joy that I feel today... and pondering on what the next months will hold in store.

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

3 a.m. music

One of my favourite bands is the Cowboy Junkies... I find Margo's voice mesmerizing.... if you have ever heard their song "Witches", you know exactly what I mean.


[ame=

]Sweet Jane[/ame]
Heavenly widened roses
Seem to whisper to me
When you smile

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

Answers


In Search Of Wednesday

?Yes, sir, may I help you??
?Uh, yes, yes you can. I?d like to buy a day.?
?I see. What type of day did you have in mind??
?Well, I really don?t know. What do you carry??
?Well, sir, we have the basic seven days: Sunday through Saturday. Then we also have your weekend gift set. That includes Saturday and Sunday. Over here we have what we call our ?Deluxe Day Gift Set,? which consists of a Friday evening starting at six p.m. and continuing on until twelve a.m. Sunday.?
?That looks nice. But I wonder what you might have in the lone of holidays??
?I?m glad you asked. Step right this way. Over on this counter we have a complete and up-to-the-minute selection of novelty days. They include all your regular holidays, and some others: Woman?s Day, Baby?s Day, Crying Day, and Anticipation Day. That?s going to be a big seller this year.?
?Well, I think I?ll take one of your basic seven days; how about Tuesday??
?A good choice, sir. We just received a new shipment of Tuesdays yesterday. Tuesdays have been very popular.?
?Oh, well, in that case?something more obscure. How about Wednesday??
?:Fine, sir. Will that be cash or charge??
?Cash.?
?Fine , sir. Did you want that gift-wrapped??
?Oh no, don?t bother. A bag will be fine.?
?That?ll be three weeks of hope and four days of despair.?
?Are these on sale or something??
?Oh no. That?s our regular price. Are uh, you from around here??
?No, I?m just passing through. I?m on my way to Tranquility, but stopped to pick up a few things first.?
?Oh, I see. We don?t get many people passing though these parts.?
?It?s a nice little place. What did you say the name of it was??
?Inner Peace.?


Outside the store, the Man stepped into his Insearchov and was on his way. With one hand on the Destiny wheel, the other propped on the window ledge to support his Thought, the Man was off.
It was a warm day, and the sun?s rays danced and sparkled on the Insearchov?s shieldnothing. The Man leaned back in Contentment.
About three miles up the road, the Man took a left at Forgetyourtroubles Road. Down this rocky, unpaved road was a clearing?a beautiful green-grassed knoll hugging a silver stream. This was it. The Man?s spot for the day. Away from everyone and everything. The perfect spot to be Alone with his Day.
The Man took Wednesday, got out of his Insearchov, and stretched out on the cool grass. He looked up at the sky and saw it was cloudless.
Taking Wednesday out of its box, the Man groaned.
?No wonder it was so inexpensive. I have to put it together myself. Now how am I going to put this Day together right??
Muttering under his breath, the Man laid out all the pieces and unfolded the instructions. He read aloud:
?You have purchased a product whose quality cannot be excelled. Using the following directions as a guide in assembling, your Day will be sturdy, rugged and long lasting; guaranteed, or your hope and despair back.?
?Sounds easy enough,? the Man said.
?Now, let?s see here: starting with Part (B)eginnings, connect Part (C)hildhood on the bottom right-hand slot. Part (D)ecisions should now fit next to it. IMPORTANT: Make sure Part (D) is firmly attached early in assembly. This is a basic part on which many others depend.
After securing Part (D), Parts (E)mptiness, (F)rustrations and (H)urt can now be attached. This completes Part I, the basic structure.
?Part II uses Parts (K)nowledge, (L)earning and (M)aturity, which fit into corresponding holes.?
?The third phase of your Day uses Parts (O)ppression, (P)atience and (S)orrow. Simply place the piece in the slot with the corresponding letter.
The Man followed the instructions, and soon his Day was underway. Everything was fitting in smoothly, which surprises the Man a great deal.
He continued reading: ?The next-to-last stage uses only three of the four remaining pieces: (T)rust, (U)nderstanding and (W)isdom. Attach these in the same manner as above.?
?As you will see, the structure is complete, save for Part (A)nswers. This final piece fits snugly over the entire structure, thus completing the assembly of your Day.?
But there was no Part (A). The Man scanned the Land, looking for the missing part, but it was nowhere to be found. (A)nswers was missing. The only thing to do was to turn around and head back to the store. He?d explain to the storekeeper that after having made his purchase, he found that it had a part missing. The storekeeper would either have to give the Man his Hope and Despair back, or give him the missing part. The Man was sure, however, that a little store like that would not have Answers in stock. So probably the Man would just settle for a new Day?one with Answers.

Author Unknown

[Palatia]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

That is beautiful..

That is a beautiful post.. I'm going too print it and maybe even frame it.. lol.. When I started reading it, I was about to leave to go get my son.. so read some and got tears in my eyes... "Oh not nowww... ". So finished when I got back...

FallenAngel;291695 wrote: Although I am new to this site, I have been AF for 7 months. Recently I went looking for a place that I could find support, and also lend a helping hand with what I have learned so far in my quits.

I quit smoking about a year and a half ago. By the time I reached my 1 year milestone, I had gone through a total transformation of the person I was only 12 short months previous. With my new knowledge & experience of winning the battle over one addiction, I felt ready to take on anther. Two days after my 1 yr smobriety milestone, I quit drinking.

And so began my journey to find the the person I lost so many years ago.With a strange combination of determintaion & fear, I set forth.... wondering who I would find.... would I like this person, and even more importantly.... would they be able to forgive me for all the years that I have abandoned them?

These past several months have taken me through a gamut of emotions... everything form "f**k it".... to "this is the BEST day of my life!" .. oh man, what a rollercoaster ride it's been.... lol ... and I know it's going to be a long time until it rolls to a stop & that I can get off, and stand on my own.... with both feet planted firmly on the ground.

I was fortunate to have a good online friend that helped me through the first couple of months...without their support, I don't think I could have made it through the first stages, let alone quit in the first place. Although they are no longer a part of my life, I will forever be grateful for their friendship & support.

Others that I have relied on for support have also faded into the distance, but what I have come to realize is that this is a natural cycle of life, and that we should be thankful for the time that we did share with these people & what they had to offer us at the time.


I would like to share a beautiful sentiment with you, unfortunately I do not know the author:

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met , our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.


LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

[FallenAngel]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

Good to see you again!

Hi Palatia.... so nice to see you again.... I read YOUR story earlier today!
I think you're going to do great... you have a wonderful positive attitude about your quit... that is a key element in being successful. Of course there will be tough spots, but they are only temporary, always remember that. I guess with my quit, I deal with the rough parts by getting through them one day at a time, not thinking about what lies in front of me...
but when I look at the positive side of it & the benefits, then I tend to look at my sobriety as a lifetime commitment.

[IAD]

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles...

Because I have know poetic way of telling you, I'll just say : " Take the train, your journey will be quicker !" I can be such a Neanderthal at times....