Recently I've had an extreme uptick in urges and desires. They completely overtake me mentally and physically.
I'm not terribly concerned about falling, the way I feel now, because I'm using the methods I've found helpful, but it sure does hurt like hell! Hopefully nothing changes for the worse because than I might be in some serious trouble.
Last night I was exploding again, Hashem reminded me that after last fall I wrote a letter to myself in my thread, detailing how I felt and explaining why I shouldn't be so tempted. I went and read through that part of my thread and It b"h completely doused the fire raging within me with a splash of ice cold water.
So, I got a reprieve last night but it's not always like that. I've learned that we can try all our tricks, sometimes they work sometimes they don't. But as long as we know that no matter how excruciatingly enticing, or how painfully intoxicating it seems, it's a myth and a complete fabrication and we can accept the caged beast and realize it's not something we need pay any heed to.
I know I've suffered so much lately from not giving in to my desire, I experienced such physical and mental anguish. But I know that if I would give in, after a few fleeting moments of drinking joyfully from the forbidden waters, I will suffer many more times the pain, laden with feelings of guilt and dishonesty, wallowing in being undisciplined and morally deficient. I would need to restart my trek from the deepest depths of depravity and selfishness towards an island of humanity and sanity yet again.
So why go through all of that if I'm already sitting on top of that mountain? I was already blessed with the clarity of vision and education of past mistakes. I can't con myself into forgetting all that I've learned. For if I do, what better am I than a beast in the jungle?
So will I take a sip of these salty waters, to quench my thirst and to wet my parched throat? I think not. That would only be a fools journey of shortlived indulgence and self gratification, with a devastating effect and debilitating consequences.
Today I will think for myself, for if not, there is no me. I will not let the lowest pieces of refuse, masquerading as humans, decide my fate. I will not allow the animal in me to reign supreme! I will not answer my instincts every beck and call. I am not subservient to dishonesty and foolishness.
Why am I sharing this? Because I needed to think about this, and write it, and read it again from time to time. I want to document all the lows and highs of my journey for reference at a later date when needed. Just like I did last night. Maybe reading this will help others too, but that wasn't my primary objective. I'm not here to preach, but rather to learn.
Here's to hoping these feelings will last and pull me through these trying times.
Grant
P.S. All said and done, without you guys and this forum I don't think I would still be clicking "still clean". It's thanks to all of you who share your own experiences and inspire all of us to be the best we can be. Thank you guys!