Control Issues

I have a compulsion to control. It's my natural impulse. I step in and try to force change. I mean well. I am certain I can save loved ones from struggle and pain.

“I sit on a man's back, choking him, and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means—except by getting off his back.” (One Day At A Time)

I had lunch with a 90-year-old double winner. Bob has been working the 12-step program for over 50 years. I could feel his aura of serenity. It felt like magic.

“I want some of that!”

He claims it isn't magic—more like common sense. A commitment to buckle down and learn.

I promise, for today, that I will let go of the illusion of control. I understand it destroys my peace of mind and pushes the ones I love away.

I’ve learned there are no guarantees life will evolve the way I want. I will remember that trying to control someone is the most ineffective way to make things better.