Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021
Today’s Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
The strongest bulwark of authority is uniformity; the least divergence from it is the greatest crime. — Emma Goldman
Some people and some values simply don’t deserve our allegiance. But adult children frequently find it difficult to make such discriminations. Many of us have internalized a deep rule that demands unquestioning loyalty — in the sense that loyalty means we must not question or reject authority.
We tend to blindly submit to old rules even as adults. Without thinking, we automatically obey such rules as “Never cry,” “Be seen and not heard,” “Be perfect,” and “Never bother anyone.” Even though we know there’s nothing wrong with crying or speaking up, that no one can be perfect, and that adults shouldn’t worry about bothering other adults, we continue to do as we were told — perhaps 50 years ago!
A wise person doesn’t automatically pledge loyalty to anyone or anything. Loyalty must be earned, and the voices that request our loyalty must be more than echoes reverberating down the halls of time.
Am I still obeying old rules that don’t apply anymore? Today, I will make conscious, adult choices.
Hazelden Foundation
No comments:
Post a Comment