Someone recently suggested that I might be addicted to the internet.   My initial response was "NO way!"   After careful consideration, I decided they were probably right.

What is addiction?    A good general layman's definition for addiction is:
a mental or physical condition that requires the inclusion of some substance or activity for the addictee to feel whole.   In other words, we are addicted to something, if we can not get through some period of time or some particular set of circumstances without ingesting our addictive substance or engaging in our addictive behavior.

Is all addiction bad?    Of course not.   All living beings are addicted to food and water.    Without them we all die.    Many folks are addicted to coaching little league sports.  Many are addicted to attending worship service every Sunday or singing in the choir.   Many are addicted to working overtime every chance they get.   Many are addicted to helping every one who asks, no matter how busy they already are.    Bad, behaviour?    Not in all instances.

Before you guffaw at my suggestion, realize that I am not talking about making choices or setting priorities.   I am referring to those people that can not change this addictive behavior and even schedule or delete important activities and substances in order to have time or room for the addicting entity.

Ah, yes, I was addicted to the internet.    NGs had to be visited and answers posted, first thing, every morning.   Email had to be checked morning, noon and night.   My advice to myself and to all my internet friends:

CHOOSE YOUR ADDICTIONS CAREFULLY.

The death of my dear wife, Wanda, threw a monkey wrench into the machinery of my well oiled and addictive routine.

As we all have our addictions, I will surely have mine; but my addiction to helping will be aimed more toward the real life people that I come in contact with here is Brookneal, VA.

That is not to say that I feel any regret or guilt for my internet activities.  It is just making the point that we most often can not kick a habit or addiction without some drastic outside influence.  

What would it take to "cure" you of any of your addictions?

Until next time, blessings to all.