I THINK TIGER MADE A POSITIVE FORWARD STEP towards recovering his sanity and a potential life for himself, his wife and children.Only an early step. Not a minute too soon. After coming out of a month-long treatment for sex addiction, he's publicly apologized saying he's going back for at least six more weeks. Good, because his years-long-----if not decades---sexcapades, not to mention mental machinations/rationalizations under-pinning this awful behavior will take a lifetime to repair. His work has just begun. He can't do it alone, without God's Grace and the help of strong, recovering men who've walked this grinding road ahead of him and who can help keep him accountable. Men like Larry Kudlow.
Anyone who's ever faced addictions---and I have with prescription drugs and have been walking the path for 22 years now--- knows the road back is long and wrought with land-mines everywhere. Tiger will be faced with almost unbearable temptations for a long, long time. His will not be an easy or quick road back. He can't do it alone. Isolation, arrogance and unrealistic expectations are the best friends addictions ever had.
I'm glad Elin was not standing beside him, or even in the room. She may be supporting his early recovery efforts, but he needed to mount that podium alone like a man and not make any excuses for himself or his appalling behavior. I'm glad he talked about his sense of entitlement---a national epidemic---after all the sacrifices he's made for his profession. I've come to know from my own journey that a sense of entitlement is another term for self-pity. This self-pity is the real issue Tiger now needs to address. Addiction is only the symptom, never the cause. It's always bad thinking, desperate mental loops that gets us in trouble. And a lack of responsibility for our actions--putting it off on other people.
Addictions---be it booze, pills, sex, gambling, spending or just romantic fantasy to name only a few---always have at their roots a poor me, I've been wronged, I've made such sacrifices that I deserve this indulgence, I'm above the forces of gravity attidues. But these only dig us deeper into the grave.
My hat is off to Tiger. I know he's far from being out of the rough. God bless him, his wife, his children and mother. May he continue one day at a time.
Image and full story here.
Well...maybe. As Gerard has hinted at today, the National Public Apology Tour has become a free pass for any and all egregious behavior - and primarily serves as an embarrassment to the culture.
ReplyDeleteEven worse, to me, is the whole concept of "sex addiction." I get it that there are manifold temptations to someone in his position, but the choice was his. His "apology" amounts to "I did wrong, I knew I was doing wrong, and I did it anyway. But it's not my fault." Poor Tiger.
I've done wrong, for sure. And it was my fault. I think he's looking for a free pass, and America has been carefully coached to give it to him over the last few decades of 12-step terror.
FWIW.
Thanks for your comment Rob. I'll be back later to respond when I have a bit more time...
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and I were talking about this today. We decided that just as "love" is a verb, so "apologize" is a verb. It will be informative to see what he does with his life now. I pray that he will be receptive to God's love, forgiveness and mercy.
ReplyDeleteHere, here. Yes, love, forgiveness, integrity are all verbs. Thank you great point.
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