Telling Lies - May 4th

One who is falsely trying to make himself the highest by keeping his false ego intact has no spiritual life.
~Chris Butler

A.A. Thought for the Day

When I was drinking, I always tried to build myself up. I used to tell tall stories about myself. I told them so often that I half believe some of them now, even though I know they aren't true. I used to hang around the lowbrow barrooms so I could feel superior to the other customers. The reason I always tried to build myself up was that I knew deep down in my heart that I really didn't amount to anything. It was a kind of defense against my feeling of inferiority. Do I still build myself up?

My own inferiority complex led me to drinking, when drinking I could (in my mind) be the master of the social scene. I would gain the confidence needed to meet strangers and to make small talk without feeling like I didn't belong. For some reason once I felt that I fit in all of a sudden I would need to be the center of attention and to be the center of attention I had to act out and tell stories. I try to stay on an even keel these days and try not to engage in self-promotion - having learned from this program that attraction rather than promotion is a better way.

~Mike