Step One of the '12 Steps' reads as follows: "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol (or cocaine, food, sex, money, whatever substance, behavior, just fill in the blank); that our lives had become unmanageable.
Step One is playing itself out right now, through the media, the press. Our mayor. Rob Ford. It's all happening right now, in public, for all to see and witness. This is textbook Step One. The illusion that I'm still in control, still managing things, still showing up for work, still making money...for my city...
If I'm still 'functioning,' then I could not possibly be an alcoholic....or a drug addict...
Such a delusion.
Addiction is commonly defined as "continuous use of a substance, despite negative consequences." I'm not sure anyone can argue at this point that our mayor has not experienced a few negative consequences, eh?
As we watch and observe and gawk at this theatrical spectacle of a circus going on at city hall and around the city, I can only feel sad for the poor bastard. Not angry or even disappointed. Just sad. He's not in control. Something else is. Something far more powerful. THE ADDICT is at the control panel of the Rob Ford machine, and it is doing exactly what it set out to do -- progressive, chronic......negative consequences piling up one after another after another after another until the man either dies or ends up in the hospital or other psychiatric institution or jail. That's the exit strategy for addiction -- death, hospital, jails, psychiatric institutions. Asylums. Insanity.
Hopefully he doesn't have a heart attack. I just pray that he gets help and survives. After that, he might be ready for his first AA meeting...
-peace,
jeremy
