Diplomacy
“It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.”
Who says military intelligence is an oxymoron? This looks like pretty good Advice. To many, this is a familiar scenario. The practical lesson, even for pacifists, is that the safe confines of our metaphorical cockpits may have to be abandoned due to the unexpected. Do we have a safe place to land if we need to eject? Like the metaphor that warns of burning our bridges behind us, we should think through our exit strategies, in case things don't go our way. Our households, the boss's office, our home groups or our social networks might not be sanctuaries if we unloaded a shit-storm the last time we were there.
We take responsibility for our actions in recovery and we become mindful and more considerate of how our actions impact on others. Less "bombing" will lead to less hiding, less apologizing and less chaos - and we will endure less retaliation, too.
We all need a safe place to vent and the right time to do it. Sometimes we have wrath that we feel compelled to unleash. Restraint is a sign of maturity. Some letters, emails and speeches are best when they aren't delivered. It can be healthy just to get our feelings out on paper. How much more do we get from hitting the send button and dropping the bomb - and at what cost? Life is unpredictable. Like our pilot who has to eject from his war plane, we never know from whom we might need help or mercy tomorrow. We stand up for what we believe. We are also cautious about imposing our will on others. War is the utter failure of diplomacy.
How good am I at diplomacy? Can I express my needs and wants without being threatening or passive-aggressive?
Today’s daily reflection - Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life