Keep death close 1/24

Posted bygracefuladdictPosted inUncategorized

I heard a retired Green Beret named Tu Lam share his experience about becoming addicted to pain killers while serving in the military.

This man was a highly decorated military figure and served the country for 23 years.

He retired honorably but addicted to drugs.

There were many reasons as to how he became addicted but what fascinated me was how he stopped.

He knew his plight was within. He knew that he was looking at the world and all it’s cruelties. He knew he could never be present in the moment because to him the moment was dark and unkind.

He went to meet with some Tibetan monks at a local monastery. There he learned to meditate on death.

It sounds morbid at first…but it’s not…it’s actually beautiful.

He explains (and I tried it myself) to focus on “If today was your last day. If this was your last morning…your last cup of coffee” and so on.

I actually called out of work today (I never do that) – I needed a home and mental health day.

I am right where I want to be… if today was my last day.

Published by gracefuladdict

I am a true addict living my life one day at a time in recovery. I have been substance free -meaning NO drugs or alcohol since 5/23/10. My intention is to share my experiences daily in the hopes to free others from the fears of being who they truly are. My wish is to bravely tell my truth so others can tell theirs as well. I want to be free of self hatred and doubt. I want to live a life of joy, kindness, love and grace. Thank you!

32 thoughts on “Keep death close 1/24”

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      1. Only because we are afraid of it, don’t fully understand it, and that it is the end of our life here. I’ve been privileged to face it, experience it, and see beyond it. Only partially beyond it, but something so powerful in itself I started to ‘let go’ as it was my/our natural state.
        And your comment of ‘treating this day as if it was the last day in our life’, is a very loving and powerful way to see what’s important in our lives and what really has no meaning but we ever seem to hold them. Don’t get me wrong, they are our journey to gradually go beyond our fears…but it does truly make us see what our truths really are, and those things that are only our distractions so that we don’t face our pain.
        Great post Danielle, may we find the beauty of that truth within ❤️🙏🏽

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  6. I’ve heard this concept called “terminal days.” What would you do and say if you knew today was your last day on earth? I’m also comforted by the words of Jesus Christ, who said “Take no thought for tomorrow; each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34). He said this, knowing fully that very bad things were in his future (betrayal, and unjust death). Jesus was a one-day-at-a-time guy!

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  7. One of the widespread weaknesses of man is this inability or unwillingness to recognize his mortality. Marcus Aurelius wanted to be reminded every day that someday he would die. Is it morbid? It enhanced many of man’s best qualities and changes our values.

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  11. Brilliant ! I love this idea.I often, during the day, tell myself I a lucky to be alive and I give thanks for that. I have survived a couple of potentially terminal illnesses so for me every day is a gift and I try to remind myself of that often.

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  12. We were as close to death in our addictions many times over. My sponsor taught me early in my recovery to not fear it. Death. It’s just a bogeyman. He would say we are supposed to be living in the light now. We are reborn. He would say we turned our lives over to a HP. He drove transport vehicles like semi’s, provost buses most of his life until he retired. He said if I ever got caught in a white-out on the highway somewhere to stick my front bumper as safely as I could to someone’s rear red brake lights. And believe I could drive through the storm. Where I lived I hated driving in those conditions, they developed so quickly. Out of nowhere. I would recall his lesson at those times. Sometimes I’d have white bare knuckles but he was right. Good to read you took the day off. We need to give ourselves, our minds, our bodies times to recharge. We can’t transmit something we ourselves don’t have. Be well.

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