I Don't Want to be ME

Last night we discussed a famous story of Reb Zusha of Anipoli:

Reb Zusha told his students: When I come to Heaven and they ask me "Why weren't you like Abraham our forefather", I will answer, because I wasn't Abraham. If they inquire why I didn't match the greatness of Moses, I can answer that I wasn't Moses. Even If they try to compare me to my brother Reb Elimelech, I can still say that I wasn't Elimelech. However, If they ask me why I wasn't the way Zusha needed to be... to that I have no answer.

The first obvious point is that I don't even have to try to be someone else, it is not who G-d wants me to be. The other important point here is that besides not being someone else, I have to put effort into being ME. The reason for that is, that if I won't be me, then who would? If G-d put me in this world, obviously it is because I can serve a unique purpose that no one else can.

Which brought up an interesting thought from Barbara S., echoed by others: My drinking didn't stem from the fact that I wanted to be somebody else, but from the fact that I didn't want to be me. My recovery starts when I start being me without the barrier of the alcohol and drugs.