Some years ago, I took a series of courses on A Course in Miracles. I don't know if you've heard of the Course, but it's a long psychological look at spirituality. And in that study, I came across the idea of the special relationship. As soon as I read about it, it made perfect sense, this idea that what we do is try and make something out to be special, you, me, our relationship, my relationship to the world to some circumstance, setting, whatever. And the result is that we flatland the world.

In other words, by making one thing distinctively special, we essentially negate and devalue the rest of the creation.

Now, why is that important to me? Well, I knew that it was very telling about me personally. I've been known to do that perhaps just like you. It's crept in more recently to something from the recovery world: the idea of anonymity, spiritual anonymity, that ultimately we want to become less and less significant, less and less noteworthy, less distinguished or distinctive. All of which sounds like heresy I know. Still, I'm 67 years old. At this point, I'm told that letting go of my attachment to the world, and to my importance, is an extremely valuable piece of growth and development. It's actually important for all of us to get over ourselves, and find a way to make larger contribution.

You see, there's a principle here. Anytime we make something special or distinctive, we set into motion a whole cascade of events that negates others, and can turn the world in some disturbing directions.

So more recently, I've recommitted myself to this idea of anonymity, and letting go of self-importance, which is specialness. I know it sounds crazy, but you might want to try it. It could just work well for you, too.