There are jokes about herding cats. There are jokes about unmanageable things. Maybe we need to think about this in the context of the two groups I deal with on this blog. Really who can argue that faith folks are like a herd of cats? But in like manner no one in the fellowships can dispute in many cases people in various states of recovery are much different than a dog that pisses on the carpet. I am sure you will take offense to these comments. Let’s take a breath and listen. I have a point and it is not as insulting as it sounds. So some stories and comments will help bring clarity.
Cats are adorable, but in many cases opinionated. Cats are smart and strong-willed. In many cases, cats are not compliant.
If people in recovery are honest how many people in various stages of recovery do you know who are opinionated and impulsive. Be honest and remember group meetings and you will have to admit there is merit to my observation. Remember the story of how new meetings start. Something about resentment and a coffee pot.
As far as dogs and recovery people go we need to be honest. In your network of meetings how many folks have a pig’s life much less an untrained dog? Granted they are in the process of recovery. Recovery people are in the process of shedding denial. This helps.
Now let’s move to faith folks. Faith folks let’s talk honestly. I get we guard the reputation of our church and our denomination. You need to talk to a pastor. They know the reality. And they know the image and the direction the board and the pastors want to go. In recovery groups, the breakage is the cost of doing business. In churches, the breakage is denied or hidden.
I am not saying all people in recovery are dogs and cats. Nor am I saying faith people are a dog or a cat. I am saying we all need a bit of training.
We need to get real with each other and ourselves.
Now I will get real with you all. I have mileage in recovery and in church.
Neither group knows how to train their crew. Both groups spend a lot of time cleaning up the pee and pop on the rugs. Do not tell me different! I know and have seen this in both church and recovery. In recovery how many pigeon predators have you seen and not stopped. How many cheating marriages have you seen and ignored. The truth be told we have no clue how to house train our people. There are differences. In the faith area in general these issues are hidden and denied. In recovery, this stuff is considered the cost of doing business,
It seems we need to change our focus and attitude. How do you train a dog to go outside? You put in the time to get him outside and you pick up his mess if you are not a low life. With cats, I have no clue.
My point is we can not cope with this stuff in either recovery or faith without first recognizing there is a problem and instituting a plan beyond denial or acceptance.
The problems are very similar. The solution is to learn to train ourselves as if we were dogs and cats.
I am serious. In the faith area, part of the pastor’s job is to pick up the pop. In recovery, we just leave the pop for somebody else to pick up. These are not good solutions.
In both areas, growth is turning from early childhood to more responsible adulthood.
We all need to own the realities of our area. Otherwise, we are untrained dogs and cats.
Ouch!!!! Sorry!
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