The Perfect Brightness of Hope by Phil S.

My Favorite Path this month is The book The Perfect Brightness of Hope written by Phil S.

When I was in nursing school, I recall a great debate going on about whether alcoholism was a diseases or a medical condition. If drinking is a condition then it is simply a matter of choice or discipline and it is true that many are able to manage their drinking so it does not become a habit. But when consumption becomes an addiction, it is a disease. For this reason the American Medical Association list alcoholism by the International Classification of Diseases under both psychiatric and medical sections.

The real issue then becomes one of addiction. As Phil points out in his prolog, addictions vary.

He says, “I define a –“holic” as anyone who engages repeatedly in destructive behaviors: spiritual, physical, or emotional.”

Wow! I love that.

Phil goes on to say, “These include but are not limited to- alcoholic, chocoholic, chewaholic, complainaholic, foodaholic, negaholic, pornaholic, sexaholic, spendaholic, smokeaholic, sportsaholic, sodaholic, workaholic, and so on.”

Complainaholic? I love it. I am certain that we are all “holic’s” to one degree or another. My children will agree that I am a junkaholic. You may remember that I just went through a terrible experience of de-junking 43 years of collecting and my house is still bulging. What kind of “-holic” are you? Be honest now.

I love this book because it applies to each of us as we overcome the “-holics” in our lives to find ourselves and our individual path. It’s a good read.

Phil’s site is at www.perfectbrightness.com