The Skateboard Pup had been regaling me with tales of his weekend: Events both work-related and social, all unfortunately colored with a tinge of confrontation and a touch of self righteousness. Our boy was on fire with sobriety, but found the rest of the world, sadly, did not burn as brightly as he did -- or as he thought it should.
If only people would do as he wished, things would be great. Everybody, including himself, would be pleased. Life would be wonderful!
Now where have we heard that before...
SKATEBOARD PUP: So I thought I was going to have a really amazing, killer time and it was all kind of... it didn't work out.
MR. SPONSORPANTS: Hmmm. How about try this on: It worked out fine, but just not the way you wanted it to work out.
SKATEPUP: Well... I guess. But that sounds as much like a word game as anything else. Unless you're going to tell me there's some step thing I should... waitaminute, is this going to turn into an inventory thing?
MR. SP: I don't know. Are you angry about anything now that the weekend is over?
SKATEPUP: Angry? Well... no, not really.
MR. SP: Are you just saying that because you think if you say "yes" then I'll suggest that maybe you should write out a resentment inventory on the whole thing?
The Skateboard Pup screws up his face for a minute and looks at me sort of sideways.
SKATEPUP: Mmmmaybe.
I laughed.
SKATEPUP (sighing with great drama): But this IS going to turn into some kind of Step thing, isn't it.
MR. SP: Spoiler Alert: It's about the 3rd Step.
SKATEPUP: Cool! There's no writing with that one, right?
Now it was my turn to be dramatic. I did a facepalm, sighing as dramatically as he'd done a moment before.
SKATEPUP: Hey, come on! I'm sober! I'm... I'm... I'm a spiritual warrior! A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR!
MR. SP: Really. You are, huh?
SKATEPUP: Yeah!
MR. SP: Well I'm afraid I've got news for you, Spirit Warrior.
SKATEPUP: I am a Spiritual Warrior! Your news cannot dismay me! What is it?
MR. SP: A Spiritual Warrior does not do battle with others. He does battle with himself. Your battlefield, my friend, is -- and probably always will be -- on the inside.
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There are more essays like this one in "Mr. SponsorPants: Adventures in Sobriety and The 12 Steps for AA's and Others." Available as an eBook on Kindle via Amazon. Download the Kindle reader app for free on any device or platform, from PC to Smartphone, and enjoy eBooks anywhere you have time to read.
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