Burning Bridges to Rubble and Watching the Flames Raise to Heaven

One thing we addicts can understand, whether in active use or recovery, is the fact that we can burn bridges hotter and faster than napalm lace with white phosphorus. Without a thought or a blink of an eye we are willing to leave innocent victims, casualities and chaos just to prove that we can handle this on our own terms. We will rain down upon those who care about us the most or, hold our true best interests for well being, with fire and brimstone in such biblical proportions for the most minor reasons. And we will rejoice the damage inwhich we have inflicted just to suit our on purposes.

Go ahead and take a look back at the path of destruction that you have left in your wake. It's amazing the friends, family, the jobs and the outer ring of innocent collaterial damage, such as co-workers that were left hanging, just because we quit our job for whatever reason. Think of all the slack that had to be picked up for us, and think how we laughed for leaving some poor schmuck hanging in the lurch. We have left friends and family to clean up messes that we have made, and then as a show of thanks, we have nuked them.

How many times has our choice of weapon of mass destruction been our words? How often do our "well chosen" words always the knockout punch? Let's face facts, we don't exactly just try to work things out. We, verbally are very efficient assassins and human wrecking balls. We know how the inflict the wound by use of words alone, but we are also skilled enough to know that once we have opened the cut; that it is silence that will infect the wound. We disturbingly think that "a friend indeed is a friend that bleeds."

We are quick to defend our "friends" against anyone, but we will cut them off at the knees and leave them in a pool of there own tears. We will go so far as to force feed them their own blood stumps.

Through all this we talk in "healing words," talk of kindness to others, and being examples of fellowship. We need to put away our razored tongues, barbed wire lips and icicle tears. We can rise above fanning the flames of self-righteous, heat-seeking motives and actually be a true hand to reach out to someone in need. We should expect nothing in return for caring and help when asked for assistance.

Maybe then we can start the process of rebuilding those bridges we have demolished, just to prove that we were right, or maybe we can start by admitting that we were wrong, when faced with those situations that start us down that path of destruction.