We hear about a kit of tools to help us to get by
When life decides to intervene, our peace to nullify
A tool that is most useful, no matter what the cause
Is one that we have learned to use, the one that’s called the pause
While drinking most of us rejected turning from a fight
Weather physical or verbal since we knew that we were right
Our first instinct was to lash out and make them understand
That we were right and they were wrong, we made it a demand
The bad part of this action was it always made things worse
Tempers flared, bad things were said, we’d yell and start to curse
Then walk away and carry a resentment in our brain
And drink to help forget our way of thinking was insane
Once we turned the corner and our drinking days were through
We started to think differently, a better path pursue
When faced with situations that would cause us to react
We stop and think, before we speak, some words we can’t take back
By pausing when confronted by a person, place or thing
That sets us up to lash out, makes us want to take a swing
We take the time to contemplate and let our minds rehearse
If striking back will really help or only make things worse
This does not mean we must accept what others do or say
But we have learned, most times it’s best, to put those thoughts at bay
Restrain the natural impulse to avenge what we conceive
An offence directed towards us or insensitivity
By taking time to let things cool we often realize
The thing that had upset us melts away, desensitizes
Refusing to engage what would had been an altercation
We did not add to feelings that would harm future relations
A friend or spouse just sometimes may be having a bad day
Makes a careless comment, hurts our feelings, cause dismay
They may not have meant to say it, we decide to let it pass
We think of other times when we’re the one that was the ass
So, taking time to pause before we jumped into the fray
We avoided confrontation with our defect on display
Pausing gives us power just to do the next right thing
Practice what we have been taught, serenity is king.
Larry R.
Early Sobriety Group 