“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” — Kurt Vonnegut
Dr. Rick
I asked a good friend, Chris, for an update about his life-long process of staying clean and sober:
“As an active alcoholic, I definitely wasn’t in sync with the rest of the world, including with myself. My mind was like a five-year-old playing wild electric guitar to Tchaikovsky’s ‘Nutcracker.’ Fear, rage, and feelings of inferiority kept me at odds.
“Now I’m sober. I can be courteous, kind, and empathic toward others, yet still be cruel to myself. I practice…every day I practice my electric guitar, a five-year-old strumming for harmony, self-love, and some balance, even if I’m a little off key.”
Everyone has their struggles, whether they are visible or not, and everyone, therefore, needs kindness. I love this quote from actor Matthew Gray Gubler: “I don’t believe in pressure, fear, or failure. Just smiles, monsters, and magic.”