Hung up and held back

The accepted definition of “addiction” in the medical community is “continued use in spite of negative consequences.”

Now combine that with Conversations with God’s definition:  We experience addiction when the absence of something in our life renders us unable to experience joy and happiness.

Let’s look at humanity’s addiction to our story.

What is “story”?  Story is a tool the ego uses to protect the small us, the physical sense of who we are.  An observation of mine is that most beings are living in a distorted reality as a result of our ego protecting what it has made up about what it imagines we are lacking.  We then take that out into the world, either silently or quite loudly.  Some of us sneak through life quietly, hoping to not be noticed due to our story that we are simply not good enough; others have to be the center of attention, the loudest person in the room, for fear that they, too, will be seen as insufficient.  We all know the person who is always ready to knock someone else down in order to prop themselves up.

We have all heard someone tell stories like, “I would have gotten the promotion, but my boss doesn’t like people who are taller than him” or “Jane broke up with me because she didn’t like how I say what is on my mind” or “The cops had it in for me because I have tattoos.”

Is that person really higher up or more evolved than the rest of us, therefore deserving of their self-created pedestal?  Is anyone greater or less than another?  Are we addicted to our separation?  Are our hang-ups holding us back from experiencing life in all its grandness?

Why is it that many of us tend to hide behind a story?  A reason for why we act the way we act?  Are we really just acting out our lives  here in this grand illusion to protect ourselves from some unforeseen danger?

What makes some people rise above their story?  What is your story and when will you change it or, at the very least, challenge it?  What would it look like if you did this?  What would the world look like if we all managed to get out from under our self- imposed prisons?

By now almost everyone has heard the saying “The truth will set you free,” yet not too many people are willing to tell the truth even to themselves.  Does the truth hurt or does it truly open us to more freedom and joy?

(Kevin McCormack may be reached at Kevin@TheGlobalConversation.com)