A Prayer & Some Thoughts - May

[bluidkiti]

Prayer for Guidance

Lord,
I have a hard time deciding what to do.
I am afraid to make the wrong decision, and this torments me greatly.
Therefore, I turn to you and ask for your help.
Show me your will in this decision.
Give me peace of mind in the next steps!
I seek your will every day as long as I live the life you give me.
I know you will open the doors that need to be opened and you will close the ones that need to be closed.
I go boldly, knowing that you are going with me!
Amen

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Just a Thought

Before I met A.A., I was very unloving.

From the time I went away to school, I paid very little attention to my mother and father. I was on my own and didn't even bother to keep in touch with them. After I got married, I was very unappreciative of my spouse. Many times I would go out all by myself to have a good time. I paid too little attention to our children and didn't try to understand them or show them affection. My few friends were only drinking companions, not real friends.

So ............

Have I gotten over loving nobody but myself?

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Just a Contemplation

Hidden Qualities

How do people lose touch with their strength, their wisdom, their joy? Perhaps it is in the nature of humanity. Our most profound qualities are hidden deep. They never go away, but we cannot always find them. There may be nothing wrong with ourselves when we lose touch. It doesn't have to mean that we are "bad people" for getting depressed or for feeling inadequate. Who doesn't have that problem? It is the nature of life that we sometimes feel this way.

When we cannot find those reassuring feelings of strength and wisdom and joy, we may think they are gone forever. We even doubt we ever had them or could have them again. But they are still there. They cannot be destroyed. And when we regain contact we know they have been with us all along.

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Sacrifice + Unity = Survival

The unity, the effectiveness, and even the survival of A. A. will always depend upon our continued willingness to give up some of our personal ambitions and desires for the common safety and welfare. Just as sacrifice means survival for the individual alcoholic, so does sacrifice means unity and survival for the group and for A. A.'s entire Fellowship.

As Bill Sees It Page 220

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Just a Quote

"Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it. " ~ Tori Amos

[bluidkiti]

May 2


Prayer for Clarity

Lord, I give you all of my concerns, anxieties and worries. You know the inner beating of my heart and all of the troubles in my life. I pray that you will guide me during this inner turmoil. My heart weighs heavy as I struggle to discern the truth and the right path to take.I know that you understand all of my life and have a plan for me. I wait for your guidance and wisdom.
Lord, bring me clarity. Amen

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Just a Thought

Since I've been in A.A., have I made a start towards being more unselfish?

Do I no longer want my own way in everything? When things go wrong and I can't have what I want, do I no longer sulk? Am I trying not to waste money on myself? And does it make me happy to see my family and my home have enough attention from me?

So ............

Am I trying not to be all get and no give?

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Just a Contemplation

Acceptance of Anger

Anger is familiar to us all. We feel it toward others and from others. The expression and acceptance of anger is where we often falter. Most of us were told when we were small girls that we shouldn't be angry, but we were. And we are, even yet. However, we often still feel like a little girl when it comes to angry feelings.

We need to accept our anger and learn to express it, honestly, openly and assertively, not aggressively. We can't afford to hang onto anger. It grows and then festers and then boils. Soon it is interfering in all our relationships, and it provides a ready excuse for an old, self-destructive pattern we don't want to entertain for even a moment.

Nothing we set out to do today will have the right outcome if we carry anger within us. How we interpret life, how we treat our friends, what we do with our opportunities and our challenges--all these are determined by our attitudes. Repressed anger always blocks the way to a positive attitude.

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Paradox

We give away to keep.
That seems absurd and untrue.
How can you keep something if you give it away?
But in order to keep whatever it is we get in AA, we must go about giving it away to others, for no fees or rewards of any kind.

Experience, Strength & Hope Page 154

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Just a Quote

"Letting go of the past is the only way that you will ever be able to move forward and gain more mental clarity." ~ R.D. King

[bluidkiti]

May 3


Prayer for Procrastinators

Lord,
Help me with my prioritization. Guide my thoughts and my hand as I break things down into tasks and lay out the order in which things need to get done. Guide me toward what you think is best. Bring me friends and family that will kindly push me in the right directions. Unblock my thoughts and open my mind. Lord, I ask that once I get started, you help me remain focused. I know how easily I can be distracted by other things. Amen

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Just a Thought

The A.A. way of living is not an easy one.

But it's an adventure in living that is really worthwhile. And it's so much better than our old drunken way of living that there's no comparison. Our lives without A.A. would be worth nothing. With A.A., we have a chance to live reasonably good lives. It's worth the battle, no matter how tough the going is from day to day.

So ............

Isn't it worth the battle?

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Just a Contemplation

Worry

Worrying doesn’t help. Our worries haven’t prevented one disaster along the way. At times, the only thing they’ve prevented is our joy. Our worries are fear. We say, I will worry and be fearful until things have worked out; only then can I relax and enjoy. Our worries are self-punishment, a form of not forgiving ourselves, not loving ourselves, not trusting.

We may think that worrying helps ward off trouble, but that’s an illusion. Sometimes worrying brings trouble upon us, because we’re so caught up in our fear that we don’t take the responsible steps we need to take. By neglecting our lives due to worry and fear, we may bring needless consequences upon ourselves.

The lesson is trust. When we’re trusting, we let go of our fear, confident that what we want and need will come. We trust that if what comes appears to be trouble or hardship, we will get what we need to get through that, too. When we trust, we get peaceful first, before we get what we want, before we see what the future brings.

Worry and fear are the opposite of love. Love yourself more that you ever have. Love yourself enough to stop worrying. Love yourself enough to give yourself the gift of peace.

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Challenges

There is no easier, softer way.
To bring the great escape act into sobriety is to travel with a companion that led me to despair long ago. The teaching I receive in Alcoholics Anonymous about courage and love helps me to continue to grapple with the challenges of life as they are given to me, one day at a time.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 3], Page 320

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Just a Quote

“There are people who are always anticipating trouble, and in this way they manage to enjoy many sorrows that never really happen to them.” ~ Josh Billings

[bluidkiti]

May 4


The Set Aside Prayer

Dear God,
Please set aside everything I think I know About myself, this book, my disease, these steps, and especially about you dear God so that I might have an open mind And a new experience with all these things. Please help me to see the truth.



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Just a Thought

Since I've been in A.A. ............

Have I made a start towards becoming more loving to my family and friends? Do I visit my parents? Am I more appreciative of my spouse than I was before? Am I grateful to my family for having put up with me? Have I found real understanding with my children? Do I feel that the friends I've found in A.A. are real friends? Do I believe that they are always ready to help me and do I want to help them if I can?

So ............

Do I really care now about other people?

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Just a Contemplation

Our Darker Side

By the time we get to the Fourth of the Twelve Steps, we are ready to face our darker side, the side that prevents us from loving others, from letting others love us, and from enjoying life and ourselves. The purpose of Step Four is not to make ourselves feel worse; our purpose is to begin to remove our blocks to joy and love.

We look for fears, anger, hurt, and shame from past events - buried feelings that may be affecting our life today. We search for subconscious beliefs about others and ourselves that may be interfering with the quality of our relationships. These beliefs say: I'm not lovable . . . I'm a burden to those around me . . . People can't be trusted . . . I can't be trusted . . . I don't deserve to be happy and successful . . . Life isn't worth living. We look at our behaviors and patterns with an eye toward discerning the self-defeating ones. With love and compassion for ourselves, we try to unearth all our guilt - earned and unearned - and expose it to the light.

We perform this examination without fear of what we shall find, because this soul searching can cleanse us and help us feel better about ourselves than we ever dreamt possible.



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Prayer

All of us, without exception, pass through times when we can pray only with the greatest exertion of will. Occasionally we go even further than this. We are seized with a rebellion so sickening that we simply won't pray. When these things happen we should not think too ill of ourselves. We should simply resume prayer as soon as we can, doing what we know to be good for us.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 105



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Just a Quote

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." ~ Benjamin Franklin

[bluidkiti]

May 5


Prayer This Morning

Lord,
Give me the patience to be compassionate and helpful toward others and myself,
and to know when it is best to remain quiet.
Give me the clarity to be grateful for all that I have,
and to realize when I have something to give to others.
Give me the capacity to love and forgive others,
especially the ones who have wronged me.
Give me the serenity to find happiness and peace in each day.

~ P.C. Cast

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Just a Thought

When I was drinking, I was absolutely selfish.

I thought of myself first, last, and always. The universe revolved around me at the center. When I woke up in the morning with a hangover, my only thought was how terrible I felt and about what I could do to make myself feel better. And the only thing I could think of was more liquor. To quit was impossible. I couldn't see beyond myself and my own need for another drink.

So ............

Can I now look out and beyond my own selfishness?

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Just a Contemplation

Example

Children are smart. Remember how we used to imitate our parents' behavior? We'd dress up like them, mimic their words, even copy their attitudes. We wanted to be just like them because we thought they were the most wonderful people in the world. We can see this happen all around us, younger ones imitating parents, older brothers and sisters, and older friends. It's very flattering.

The problem is that children imitate not just healthy behavior and attitudes, but also sometimes the not-so-healthy. We get very uncomfortable when we look at a younger person misbehaving and see ourselves in that person. Suddenly, we aren't flattered any more.

When we see things we don't like in others, we must first look at ourselves to see if we need changing. This is all we can do--change ourselves. Others may follow our example or they may not, but we can be sure that, when we watch our own behavior, most of what we see of ourselves in others will be flattering.

What change can I make in myself to set a good example today?

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Consistency

What right do I have to expect perfection and efficiency in my spiritual growth when the rest of my life is so full of ups and downs, ins and outs, and backs and forths?
Throughout this whole adventure, the only consistency I have maintained is an absolute and total faith in AA, come what may.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1], Page 187

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Just a Few Quotes

“Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.” ~ Dalai Lama

“Compassion is to look beyond your own pain, to see the pain of others.” ~ Yasmin Mogahed

[bluidkiti]

May 6


Prayer for Happiness and Peace

Lord, I pray that you bless me with true happiness and peace in life.
Lead me away from hate and anger toward love.
From a restless mind and anxiety, give me peace.
Lead me from fear of death to eternal life.

Lord when I suffer despair and lack of confidence, lead me to hope, faith, and trust.
Lead me away from dishonesty and deceit toward eternal truth.
Allow eternal peace and tranquility to fill my heart, my mind, my life, and my world.
Amen

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Just a Thought

When I came into A.A.

I found men and women who had been through the same things I had been through. But now they were thinking more about how they could help others than they were about themselves. They were a lot more unselfish than I ever was. By coming to meetings and associating with them, I began to think a little less about myself and a little more about other people. I also learned that I didn't have to depend on myself alone to get out of the mess I was in. I could get a greater strength than my own.

So ............

Am I now depending less on myself and more on God?

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Just a Contemplation

Just Today

It's not always easy to understand that the day stretching before us is all that counts. Daydreaming about the party last week, or getting upset all over again about a fight we had yesterday with a friend doesn't help us right now. When our minds are on the past, we miss out on the conversation or the activity that is going on around us.

Every moment of the day is special and guaranteed to help us grow and understand life. All of us have been taught to pay attention in school, or to pay attention when others talk to us. But we should also pay attention to the birds, the sky, even the grass. And we can learn a lot by paying attention to the conversations going on around us, and to the small voice inside us that helps us know right from wrong.

What's going on today is enough to pay attention to.
Am I ready to pay attention to what is around me today?

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Freedom

Looking back we see that our freedom to choose badly was not, after all, a very real freedom.
When we chose because we 'must,' this was not a free choice either. But it got us started in the right direction.
When we chose because we 'ought to' we were really doing better.
This time we were earning some freedom, making ourselves ready for more.
But when, now and then, we could gladly make right choices without rebellion, holdout, or conflict, then we had our first view of what perfect freedom under God's will could be like.
Bill W., May 1960

The Language of the Heart Page 302

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Just a Quote

“When you do the right thing, you get the feeling of peace and serenity associated with it. Do it again and again.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

[bluidkiti]

May 7

Comforting Prayer

Lord, my life is full of difficulties.
I am anxious about everything and I am consumed with worry.
Even though I know that You always provide, I struggle to apply this to my life.
Let Your comforting spirit descend upon me.
Let it wash through me so that I might know this comfort and learn to trust in You.
Amen

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Just a Thought

People often ask what makes the A.A. program work.

One of the answers is that A.A. works because it gets a person away from himself as the center of the universe. And it teaches him to rely more on the fellowship of others and on strength from God. Forgetting ourselves in fellowship, prayer, and working with others is what makes the A.A. program work.

So ............

Are these things keeping me sober?

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Just a Contemplation

Grief

How can we measure all the grief we feel, and how can we put up with it? Doesn't the Grief of Death weigh a ton or more? Doesn't it stretch out to a month, a year, or longer still? Is the Grief of Failure lighter than the Grief of Despair, but maybe longer? Isn't the Grief of Emptiness the heaviest of all? Whether we try to ignore or make light of it, our grief, like a ton of feathers or a ton of rocks, is all the same to us. This much is sure: if we lock our grief in, it will weigh more on us and lengthen out; if we open our hearts with weeping and words, others will help carry it away.

What sadness can I let go of by sharing it today?

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Simplicity

A willingness to do whatever I was told to do simplified the program for me. Study the AA book - don't just read it. They told me to go to meetings, and I still do at every available opportunity, whether I am at home or in some other city. Attending meetings has never been a chore for me. Nor have I attended them with a feeling of just doing my duty. Meetings are both relaxing and refreshing to me after a hard day. They said 'Get active," so I helped whenever I could, and still do.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, Page 381

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Just a Quote

“Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.” ~ Arthur Somers Roche

[bluidkiti]

May 8


Joy of Giving Prayer

Lord, I ask that you open my heart to give to others.
Teach me the joy of giving, as a blessing to those in need.
Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters around the world who are in need.
Amen

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Just a Thought

All alcoholics have personality problems.

They drink to escape from life, to counteract feelings of loneliness or inferiority, or because of some emotional conflict within them, so that they cannot adjust themselves to life. Alcoholics cannot stop drinking unless they find a way to solve their personality problems. That's why going on the wagon doesn't solve anything. That's why taking the pledge usually doesn't work.

So ............

Was my personality problem ever solved by going on the wagon or taking the pledge? (aka “dry drunk”)

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Just a Contemplation

Patience

How sick and tired we may become of people telling us to be patient or to learn patience. How frustrating it can be to want to finally have something, or to move forward, and then not have that happen. How irritating to have someone tell us to wait while our needs have not been met and were in the midst of anxiety, frustration, and inaction. Do not confuse the suggestion to be patient with the old rule about not having feelings.

Being patient does not mean we go through the sometimes-grueling process of life and recovery without having feelings! Feel the frustration. Feel the impatience. Get as angry as you need to about not having your needs met. Feel your fear. Controlling our feelings will not control the process!

We find patience by surrendering to our feelings. Patience cannot be forced. It is a gift, one that closely follows acceptance and gratitude. When we work through our feelings to fully accept who we are and what we have, we will be ready to be and have more. I will let myself have my feelings while I practice patience.

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Talk or Action

In making amends, it is seldom wise to approach an individual who still smarts from our injustice to him, and announce that we have gone religious. This might be called leading with the chin. Why lay ourselves open to being branded fanatics or religious bores? If we do this, we may kill a future opportunity to carry a beneficial message.

But the man who hears our amends is sure to be impressed with our sincere desire to set right a wrong. He is going to be more interested in a demonstration of good will than in talk of spiritual discoveries.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 77

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Just a Quote

"Who can I forgive today, and make my day a better one?" ~ Catherine Ponder

[bluidkiti]

May 9


Prayer for Laughter

Dear God,
As I stumble through this life, help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more cheer than gloom, spread more cheer than despair. Never let me become so indifferent, that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child, or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged. Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people, make them happy, and forget momentarily, all the unpleasantness in their lives. And in my final moment, may I hear You whisper: When you made My people smile, you made Me smile.
Amen

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An Irish blessing
(for mothers)

There is but one and only one,
Whose love will fail you never.
One who lives from sun to sun,
With constant fond endeavor.

There is but one and only one
On earth there is no other.
In heaven a noble work was done
When God gave us a Mother.

- Author Unknown

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Just a Thought

In A.A. alcoholics find a way to solve their personality problems.

They do this by recovering three things. First, they recover their personal integrity. They pull themselves together. They get honest with themselves and with other people. They face themselves and their problems honestly, instead of running away. They take a personal inventory of themselves to see where they really stand. Then they face the facts instead of making excuses for themselves.

So ............

Have I recovered my integrity?

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Just a Contemplation

Adversity

After difficult or challenging times we often say, "I never would have chosen to go through that, but I learned a lot from it." It could be a job situation, a failed relationship, or trouble with the law. When we bump up against something hard something that pushes back at us, our strength is tested, forcing us to draw on unknown reserves. A mountain climber standing on a safe ledge finds it difficult to move forward onto a more frightening spot. After he has completed the route, he looks back and feels good about himself because he met a challenge. We meet these challenges in many ways in our lives, and they help us build our self-respect.

Whatever difficulty is facing us today, we may have to deal with it ourselves, but we do not have to be alone while we do it. We can reach out for support while we do what we must. This difficulty is part of being human and can help us see more fully who we are.

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Survive Trials

In our belief, any scheme of combating alcoholism which proposes wholly to shield the sick man from temptation is doomed to failure. If the alcoholic tries to shield himself he may succeed for a time, but he usually winds up with a bigger explosion than ever. We have tried these methods. These attempts to do the impossible have always failed. Release from alcohol, and not flight from it, is our answer.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 101

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Just a Quote

"Worry is an extension of fear and can also set you up for attracting that which you don’t want in your life.' ~ Madisyn Taylor

[bluidkiti]

May 10


Happy To Be Me Prayer

Dear God,
Give me the courage to be myself.
I’m always trying to be what others expect of me.
I’m wasting time and energy pleasing everyone but myself.
I’m not even very good at it.
Help me appreciate the best parts of being me.
Show me how to love myself so I can say with confidence:
“I am very happy to be me.”
Amen

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Just a Thought

Alcoholics in A.A. recover their faith in a Power greater than themselves.

They admit that they're helpless by themselves and they call on that Higher Power for help. They surrender their lives to God, as they understand Him. They put their drink problem in God's hands and leave it there. They recover their faith in a Higher Power that can help them.

So ............

Have I recovered my faith?

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Just a Contemplation

Unexpected Experiences

You can count on moments of laughter. And you can count on twinges of fear. Life is seldom what we expect, but we can trust that we will survive the rough times. They will, in fact, soften our edges. Pleasure and pain share equally in the context of our lives.

We so easily forget that our growth comes through the challenges we label "problems." We do have the tools at hand to reap the benefits inherent in the problems that may face us today. Let us move gently forward, take the program with us, and watch the barriers disappear.

Accepting powerlessness over our children, or spouse, or co-worker may free us of a burden today. Or perhaps amends will open the communication we seek with someone in our lives. A Well lived today, will prepare me for both the pleasure and the pain of tomorrow.

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Humility

On his desk, Dr. Bob had a plaque defining humility:
"Perpetual quietness of heart."
It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised, it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about is seeming trouble.

Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers Page 222

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Just a Quote

"All time spent angry is time lost being happy." ~ Mexican Proverb

[bluidkiti]

May 11


Good Morning God Prayer

Good Morning God!
You are ushering in another day,
untouched and freshly new.
So here I am to ask you, God,
if You'll renew me too.

Forgive the many errors that I made yesterday
and let me try again dear God
to walk closer in Your way.

But Lord, I am well aware,
I can't make it on my own.
So take my hand and hold it tight,
for I cannot walk alone.

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Just a Thought

This sober world is a pleasant place for an alcoholic to live in.

Once you've got out of your alcoholic fog, you find that the world looks good. You find real friends in A.A. You get a job. You feel good in the morning. You eat a good breakfast and you do a good day's work at home or outside. And your family loves you and welcomes you because you're sober.

So ............

Am I convinced that this sober world is a pleasant place for an alcoholic to live in?

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Just a Contemplation

Letting Go of Fear

Picture yourself swimming floating - peacefully down a gentle stream. All you need to do is breathe, relax, and go with the flow.

Suddenly, you become conscious of your situation. Frightened, overwhelmed with "what if's?" your body tenses. You begin to thrash around, frantically looking for something to grab on to.

You panic so hard you start to go under. Then you remember - you're working too hard at this. You don't need to panic. All you need to do is breathe, relax, and go with the flow. You won't drown.

Panic is our great enemy.

We don't need to become desperate. If overwhelming problems appear in our life, we need to stop struggling. We can tread water for a bit, until our equilibrium returns. Then we can go back to floating peacefully down the gentle stream. It is our stream. It is a safe stream. Our course has been charted. All is well. I will relax, breathe, and go with the flow.

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The Spiritual Alibi

Our first attempts at inventories are apt to prove very unrealistic. I used to be a champ at unrealistic self-appraisal. On certain occasions, I wanted to look only at the part of my life which seemed good. Then I would greatly exaggerate whatever virtues I supposed I had attained. Next I would congratulate myself on the grand job I was doing in A.A.

Naturally this generated a terrible hankering for still more "accomplishments," and still more approval. I was falling straight back into the pattern of my drinking days. Here were the same old goals--power, fame, and applause. Besides, I had the best alibi known--the spiritual alibi. The fact that I really did have a spiritual objective made this utter nonsense seem perfectly right.

As Bill Sees It Page 193

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Just a Quote

"Our program shows us how to change the way we think. And we change how we treat ourselves and others. We learn to live a new life based on love and care." ~ Simon Tyler

[bluidkiti]

May 12


Happy Moments Prayer

Lord,
Too often I remember the bad things and not the good.
Help me to see things as they are, full of happy moments not to be taken for granted.
As I get ready to reflect on the year gone by, let me know gratitude, and all the years will be good ones.
Amen

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Just a Thought

After a time, usually alcoholics recover their proper relationship with other people.

They think less about themselves and more about others. They try to help other alcoholics. They make new friends so that they're no longer lonely. They try to live a life of service instead of selfishness. All their relationships with other people are improved. They solve their personality problems by recovering their personal integrity, their faith in a Higher Power, and their way of fellowship and service to others.

So ............

Is my drinking problem solved as long as my personality problem is solved?

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Just a Contemplation

Our Special Gift

Most of us feel pretty ordinary. We probably wish we were taller or shorter. Some of us are fat rather than thin. Few of us have perfect skin or teeth. Often we look at others, compare ourselves, and wish we were different. At these times, it's important to remember that each of us is special. We differ from others because we're created for different purposes.

Some of us will make a contribution to the world of sports, some to the art of music. Teaching or medicine will attract others and yet, no two of us will give to the world in the same way. Our unique mixture of looks, attitudes, and abilities will be special and very necessary to the people sharing our lifetime.

How can I give my special gift to the world today?

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God's Will

Acceptance is the key to my relationship with God today. I never just sit and do nothing while waiting for Him to tell me what to do. Rather, I do whatever is in front of me to be done, and I leave the results up to Him; however it turns out, that’s God’s will for me.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 452 (3rd Edition)

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Just a Quote

"We often don't realize how heavy the weight of worry is and how much energy it requires until we are able to let go of it." ~ Kevin Nelson

[bluidkiti]

May 13


Happiness in Tough Times Prayer

Dear Lord,
Teach me to be content when I’m facing a bad day.
How easy it is to be happy when everything goes my well.
How tough it is to remember my joy when one thing after another appears to defeat me.
Let me in on the secret. Turn my frown into a smile. Tears into laughter.
I am Your humble student.
Amen

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Just a Thought

When I came into A.A., I came into a new world. A sober world.

A world of sobriety, peace, serenity, and happiness. But I know that if I take just one drink, I'll go right back into that old world. That alcoholic world. That world of drunkenness, conflict, and misery. That alcoholic world is not a pleasant place for an alcoholic to live in. Looking at the world through the bottom of a whiskey glass is no fun after you've become an alcoholic.

So ............

Do I want to go back to that alcoholic world?

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Just a Contemplation

Happiness & Others

Our happiness is not a present someone else holds in his or her hands. Our well-being is not held by another to be given or withheld at whim. If we reach out and try to force someone to give us what we believe he or she holds, we will be disappointed. We will discover that it is an illusion. The person didn't hold it. He or she never shall. That beautifully wrapped box with the ribbon on it that we believed contained our happiness that someone was holding - it's an illusion!

In those moments when we are trying to reach out and force someone to stop our pain and create our joy, if we can find the courage to stop flailing about and instead stand still and deal with our issues, we will find our happiness. It is true that if someone steps on our foot, he or she is hurting us and therefore holds the power to stop our pain by removing his or her foot. But the pain is still ours. And so is the responsibility to tell someone to stop stepping on our feet.

Healing will come when we're aware of how we attempt to use others to stop our pain and create our happiness. We will heal from the past. We will receive insights that can change the course of our relationships. We will see that, all along, our happiness and our well-being have been in our hands. We have held that box. The contents are ours for the opening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ego

I am still arrogant, egocentric, self-righteous, with no humility, even phony at times, but I'm trying to be a better person and help my fellowman. Guess I'll never be a saint, but whatever I am, I want to be sober and in AA.
The word "alcoholic" does not turn me off any more; in fact, it is music to my ears when it applies to me.

Experience, Strength and Hope Page 382

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Just a Quote

" You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow" ~ Carrie Fisher

[bluidkiti]

May 14


Prayer To Start This Day

Lord, please use me today in any way You see fit.
As You guide my thoughts and actions, please use me to bless others and for Your purposes more broadly.
Rather than seeking my own will, help me to align with Yours.
Thank You, God, for all You do for me.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

In that alcoholic world ............

I need to remember that one drink always leads to another and you can't stop till you're paralyzed. And the next morning it begins all over again. You eventually land in a hospital or jail. You lose your job. Your home is broken up. You're always in a mess. You're on the merry go round and you can't get off. You're in a squirrel cage and you can't get out.

So ............

Am I convinced that the alcoholic world is not a pleasant place for me to live in?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Secrets

We all have our secrets. Some of them we’re not about to tell anybody. God, of course, already knows them. There may be some things we consider so shameful that we can’t share them with anyone. But shame separates us from God. It’s a way of saying we are too horrible, too different – it’s a form of false pride.

To hide something means we’re holding on to the shame. Not until we’re ready to admit to God, ourselves, and another human being the nature of our secrets can we be rid of our shame. But when we come to believe that we have nothing to fear from sharing our secrets, God will transform them into something useful and constructive. There is nothing we have ever done that can’t be used to help someone, ourselves included.

Today I will share my secrets with someone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gifts

From: "The Opening to the Spiritual World"

This is the crux of the program and the crux of living: acceptance and action.
The gift of understanding has allowed the simple messages from my parents, my teachers, and my church to take on new meaning and soundness. With the gift of serenity, I am ready and willing to accept what God permits to happen to me; with the gift of courage, to take action to change the things I can for the good of myself and others. The gift of wisdom has been given to me so that in personal relationships I may act intelligently and with love or, as it has also been expressed, with competence and compassion.

Came to Believe Page 4

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Just a Quote

"Tension is who you think you should be, relaxation is who you are." ~ Chinese Proverb

[bluidkiti]

May 15


Prayer for Compassion

Lord, grant me the wisdom to see the good in each person I meet.

Grant me the empathy to understand their life situation and respect them enough to extend loving support, while sharing God's love with dignity.

Allow me, Lord, to recognize opportunities to stand with others, friend to friend.
Amen

~ John Wenger, Andersonville, IN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

I have found my way into this new world.

By the grace of God and the help of A.A.; so am I going to take that first drink, when I know that just one drink will change my whole world? Am I deliberately going back to the suffering of that alcoholic world? Or am I going to hang onto the happiness of this sober world? Is there any doubt about the answer?

So ............

With God's help, am I going to hang onto A.A. with both hands?

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Just a Contemplation

Enjoyment

One of the prohibitions many of us learned in childhood is the unspoken rule — don't have fun and enjoy life. This rule creates martyrs — people who will not let themselves embrace the pleasures of day-to-day living. Many of us associated suffering with some sort of sainthood. We can go through the day making ourselves feel anxious, guilty, miserable, and deprived. Or we can allow ourselves to go through that same day feeling good.

There is much to be enjoyed each day, and it is okay to feel good. We can let ourselves enjoy our tasks. We can learn to relax without guilt. We can even learn to have fun.

Work at learning to have fun. Apply yourself with dedication to learning enjoyment. Work as hard at learning to have fun as you did at feeling miserable. Our work will pay off. Fun will become fun. Life will become worth living. And each day, we'll find many pleasures to be enjoyed.

I will let myself enjoy life as I go through my day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An Illness

Alcoholism, not cancer was my illness, but what was the difference? Was not alcoholism also a consumer of body and mind? Alcoholism took longer to do its killing, but the result was the same. So, I decided, if there was a great Physician who could cure alcoholic sickness, I had better seek Him at once.

A.A. Comes Of Age, p. 61

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Just a Quote

"To behave with dignity is nothing less than to allow others freely to be themselves." ~ Sol Chaneles

[bluidkiti]

May 16


Prayer For Patience

God, teach us what it means to have faith in silence.
When we face trials that are beyond our understanding, help us to find peace.
Help me be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.
You set all things in accordance to your time.
Remind us to wait patiently, and find peace in your plan.

~ Dick Woodward

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Just a Thought

One of the best things about the A.A. program is the peace of mind and serenity that it can bring us.

In our drinking days, we had no peace of mind or serenity. We had the exact opposite, a kind of turmoil and that "quiet desperation" we knew so well. The turmoil of our drinking days was caused partly by our physical suffering, the terrible hangovers, the cold sweats, the shakes and the jitters. But it was caused even more by our mental suffering, the loneliness, the feeling of inferiority, the lying, the remorse that every alcoholic understands.

So ............

Have I achieved more peace of mind?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Perfectionism

Expecting ourselves to be perfect puts us in a guilty and anxious state. Expecting others to be perfect is equally destructive; it makes others feel ashamed and may interfere with their growth.

People are human and vulnerable, and that is wonderful. We can accept and cherish that idea. Expecting others to be perfect puts us in that state of moral superiority. Expecting ourselves to be perfect makes us feel rigid and inferior. We can let go of both ideas.

We do not need to go to the other extreme; tolerating anything people throw our way. We can still expect appropriate, responsible behavior from ourselves. But most of us can afford to loosen up a bit. And when we stop expecting others to be perfect, we may discover that they're doing much better than we thought. When we stop expecting ourselves to be perfect, we'll discover the beauty in ourselves.

I will practice tolerance, acceptance, and love of others as they are, and myself as I am. I will strive for that balance between expecting too much and expecting too little from others and myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Language of the Heart

Why, at this particular point in history, has God chosen to communicate His healing grace to so many of us? Every aspect of this global unfoldment can be related to a single crucial word. The word is "communication." There has been a lifesaving communication among ourselves, with the world around us, and with God.

From the beginning, communication in A.A. has been no ordinary transmission of helpful ideas and attitudes. Because of our kinship in suffering, and because our common means of deliverance are effective for ourselves only when constantly carried to others, our channels of contact have always been charged with the language of the heart.

As Bill Sees It Page 195

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Just a Quote

“I’ve learned that anything in life worth having comes from patience and hard work.” ~ Greg Behrendt

[bluidkiti]

May 17


Peace in Life Prayer


Dear Lord,
When I suffer despair and lack of confidence, lead me to hope, faith, and trust.
Lead me away from dishonesty and deceit toward eternal truth.
Allow eternal peace and tranquility to fill my heart, my mind, my life, and my world.
Amen


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Many of us have cast aside old ideas without acquiring new ones.

Disillusionment and spiritual confusion mark our age. Many men and women are creeping through life on their hands and knees, merely because they refuse to rely on any power but themselves. Many of them feel that they are being brave and independent, but actually they are only courting disaster. Anxiety and the inferiority complex have become the greatest of all modern plagues. In A.A. we have the answer to these ills.

So ............

Have I ceased to rely on myself only?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Praise

Hearing the good words and praise from another person is harder for some of us to accept than criticism and abuse. Perhaps it is easier to receive what we are accustomed to, or maybe we feel a loss of control when someone compliments us. This is a time for us to begin accepting others' actions. We do not need to be in control of our relationships at all times. When friends offer sincere compliments, we don't need to push them away or brush them off.

All we need to do is allow others' positive messages to come into us. In a good relationship we listen to the feelings of our friends, and sometimes that means truly listening as they tell us their good feelings about us.

I will be open to the compliments that come my way without controlling them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paradox

We Give Away to Keep. That seems absurd and untrue.

How can you keep anything if you give it away?
But in order to keep whatever it is we get in AA, we must go about giving it away to others, for no fees or rewards of any kind.
When we cannot afford to give away what we have received so freely in AA, we had better get ready for our next 'drunk.' It will happen every time.
We've got to continue to give it away in order to keep it.

Alcoholics Anonymous (2nd Ed.), Pages 341-342

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Just a Quote

" God is invisible, though he is seen; incomprehensible, though manifested by grace; inconceivable, though conceived by human senses. " --- Turtullian (Born 160 AD, Carthage, Tunisia)

[bluidkiti]

May 18


Prayer for Curiosity

Lord, when did I lose the wonder and curiosity of a child?
How did this “I can do it all” attitude take over my brain?
When did sarcasm, doubt, fear and anger invade my every cell squeezing out trust, faith and the ability to marvel at the ordinary?
Lord I ask you for the eyes of a child:
To giggle at silly noises and pay attention to the whispers beneath the clamor
To peer deeply into the eyes of someone who cares
To squeal with delight with daily discoveries
To see the ordinary from a different point of view
To crawl on the floor exploring whatever is right in front of me
To learn something new each week and savor that moment
To feel the thrill of the quest in spying a desired object across the room and concentrating to use my entire body to reach it.
To smack my lips with new tastes and celebrate the miracle of each moment.
Lord pour into my heart refreshing waters of curiosity from your well of life, hope, and delight.
Touch my eyes to your marvels and heal my grown up blindness.
Connect me once again with your divine curiosity and sacred surprises.

~ Jean Wise


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Just a Thought

In A.A. we have “insurance.”

Our faith in God is a kind of “insurance” against the terrible things that might happen to us if we ever drink again. By putting our drink problem in the hands of God, we've taken out a sort of “insurance policy,” which “insures” us against the ravages of drink, as our homes are insured against destruction by fire.

So ............

Am I paying my A.A. “insurance premiums” regularly?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Twelfth Step Work

It is discouraging when someone we wish to help turns down the program. It is hard to know what to say or do when a friend who needs A.A. responds to our efforts with indifference or hostility. Sometimes, those we are trying to help take advantage of our time and patience. Often, we feel inadequate when we encounter a person with seemingly overwhelming and insoluble problems.

As we go about our Twelfth Step work, let's remember that the best way we can help someone else is by maintaining our own sobriety. Let's also remember to turn over our perplexities to our Higher Power. We do the best we can, according to the insight we are given at the time, and we leave the results to God.

Show me what to do for those I would help.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Character

Many of us felt that we had plenty of character. There was a tremendous urge to cease forever. Yet we found it impossible. This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it—this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 34

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Just a Quote

“I am neither clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.” ~ Albert Einstein

[bluidkiti]

May 19


Responsibility for Our Words Prayer

Lord, nothing carries more potential for hope and harm, building up and tearing down, giving life and dolling death than our words. Therefore, as this day begins, we choose to take responsibility for our words.

Today, we will most likely experience difficult people and disappointing circumstances; challenging relationships and unplanned interruptions; personal limitations and repeat offenders. Lord, it’s our desire to respond with mercy and grace, as opposed to reacting out of irritation and anger. So we look to you for guidance.

May the words of our mouths, born out of the meditation of our hearts, reflect and reveal you will & guidance.
Amen

~ Peter Johnson

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Just a Thought

Living the Sober A.A. Life.

Every time we go to an A.A. meeting, every time we say the Lord's Prayer, every time we have a quiet time before breakfast, we're paying a premium on our insurance against taking that first drink. And every time we help another alcoholic, we're making a large payment on our drink insurance. We're making sure that our policy doesn't lapse.

So ............

Am I building up an endowment in serenity, peace, and happiness that will put me on easy street for the rest of my life?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Taking Care of Ourselves

Self-care is not, as some may think, a spin off of the “Me” generation. It isn't self-indulgence. It isn't selfishness - in the negative interpretation of that word.

We're learning to take care of ourselves, instead of obsessively focusing on another person. We're learning self-responsibility, instead of feeling excessively responsible for others. Self-care also means tending to our true responsibilities to others; we do this better when we're not feeling overly responsible.

Self-care sometimes means me first, but usually, me too. It means we are responsible for ourselves and can choose to no longer be victims.

Self-care means learning to love the person we're responsible for taking care of - ourselves. We do not do this to hibernate in a cocoon of isolation and self indulgence; we do it so we can better love others, and learn to let them love us.

Self-care isn't selfish; it's self-esteem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love

For me, AA is a synthesis of all the philosophy I've ever read, all of the positive, good philosophy, all of it based on love. I have seen that there is only one law, the law of love, and there are only two sins; the first is to interfere with the growth of another human being, and the second is to interfere with one's own growth.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, Page 542

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Just a Quote

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you **** well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." ~ P. J. O'Rourke

[bluidkiti]

May 20


Expressing Gratitude Prayer

Lord,
My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation, for sleep and water, for a mind that thinks and a body that feels.

I thank you, too, for those things in my life that are less than I would hope them to be. Even the things that seem challenging, unfair, or difficult. I rejoice that I am growing and learning. I thank you most of all for your unconditional and eternal love.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

My drinking career.
As I look back over my drinking career, have I learned that you take out of life what you put into it? When I put drinking into my life, did I take out a lot of bad things? Hospitals with the D.T.'s? Jails for drunken driving? Loss of job? Loss of home and family?

So ............

When I put drinking into my life, was almost everything I took out bad?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Freedom

Many of us were oppressed and victimized as children. As adults, we may continue to keep ourselves oppressed.

Some of us don't recognize that caretaking and not setting boundaries will leave us feeling victimized.
Some of us don't understand that thinking of ourselves as victims will leave us feeling oppressed.
Some of us don't know that we hold the key to our own freedom. That key is honoring ourselves, and taking care of ourselves.

We can say what we mean, and mean what we say.
We can stop waiting for others to give us what we need and take responsibility for ourselves. When we do, the gates to freedom will swing wide.
Walk through.

I will understand that I hold the key to my freedom. I will stop participating in my oppression and victimization. I will take responsibility for myself, and let others do as they may.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good Question

When we find ourselves up-tight and even frantic, we can ask ourselves occasionally, Am I really that indispensable? or Is this hurry really necessary? What a relief to find the honest answer is frequently no! And such devices actually serve, in the long run, not only to help us get over the drinking problem and its old ways; they also enable us to become far more productive, because we conserve and channel our energy better. We arrange priorities more sensibly. We learn that many actions once considered vital can be eliminated if they are thoughtfully reexamined. How much does it really matter? is a very good question.

Living Sober, Pages 45-46

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Just a Quote

"Today, 1 will practice a welcoming attitude toward everyone I meet." ~ Edith Wharton

[bluidkiti]

May 21


Right Path Prayer

Dear God,
So many youths are addicted to drugs and alcohol.
They believe that addiction is the path that has been laid out for them.
But Lord, that is not true because you have great plans for them.
The enemy has fed them with lies so that he can keep them imprisoned to drugs and alcohol.
Please help them to understand their value and to see themselves the way you see them.
Uproot all the lies that the enemy has placed in their hearts about their identity.
Lead them in the right path and help them to become free.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Today, I try to live a sober life.

Since I've been putting sobriety into my life, I've been taking out a lot of good things. I can describe it best as a kind of quiet satisfaction. I feel good. I feel right with the world, on the right side of the fence. As long as I put sobriety into my life, almost everything I take out is good. The satisfaction you get out of living a sober life is made up of a lot of little things. You have the ambition to do things you didn't feel like doing when you were drinking.

So ............

Am I getting satisfaction out of living a sober life?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

"Never’s”

Be careful what you say you’ll never do again. You might be building a wall between you and the good in your life.

He hurt me, so I’m never going to speak to him again. She hurt me, so I’m never going to get involved with women again.

Sometimes, our hurt feelings can be accurate and reliable warnings that we need to back off and stay away. But usually when we say never, it’s because we don’t want to be vulnerable and feel the hurt that came our way.

Saying never may be an indication that we’ve closed our hearts.

Have you built a wall with your “never’s”? Look. Peek underneath. Is there a feeling of hurt you need to feel, instead?

You got burned when you touched the hot stove, so you’re never going to go near a stove again? You’ll miss out on some tasty meals.

God, help me be vulnerable enough to feel my pain and learn my lesson, instead of saying never and building a big wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Requirements

What if the doors to AA could really be locked against me?
What if it was possible to take away my membership?
Maybe because I hadn't paid my dues, or because I didn't meet some ethical or ethnic standards, or maybe because I "broke the rules" by going out and getting drunk, as I have a few times during my long association with the Fellowship? But then I recall the Preamble, and the Third Tradition . . . "The only requirement for AA membership," it says, "is a desire to stop drinking."

The Home Group: Heartbeat Of AA Page 69

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Just a Quote

"Never look back with regret because life is never perfect, but it offers us the perfect moment to start anew which is right now." ~ Jessica Mesman Griffith

[bluidkiti]

May 22


Prayer for Anxiety & Stress Relief


Lord,
I am weary and tired. The world around me has become difficult and hard to bear.
I lay all these burdens down before you. You are my strength and rock in times of trouble.
I listen and hear your presence in the trees and the flowers and all the beauty of nature.
I know you are involved in every aspect of my life whether I see it now or not.
I will choose to breathe deep, let go of fear and anxiety, and rest in you.
Amen


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought


The satisfaction you get out of living a sober life is made up of a lot of little things.

But they add up to a satisfactory and happy life. You take out of life what you put into it. So I'd say to people coming into A.A.: "Don't worry about what life will be like without liquor. Just hang in there and a lot of good things will happen to you. And you'll have that feeling of quiet satisfaction and peace and serenity and gratitude for the grace of God."

So ............

Is my life becoming really worth living?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Limitations

Often, when we involve ourselves in a whirlwind of activities, plans, and expectations, we push ourselves so hard that we don't derive any satisfaction from success. We need to face our limitations. We can't do everything we want. Even when we can do a great deal, if we overextend ourselves, take on too much, we will not enjoy ourselves, and there is no reason not to enjoy our work.

Our activities are part of what we are. If we choose to live in a frantic hurry, worrying about the next moment instead of this one, we'll miss life entirely. Part of self-knowledge is learning to pace ourselves to our own speed, learning to set goals we can attain for each day. When we do this, we can say, "Now that I've completed this, I don't have to do one more thing to feel worthwhile."

Am I trying to do too much too fast?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choice

Any number of alcoholics are bedeviled by the dire conviction that if they ever go near A.A. they will be pressured to conform to some particular brand of faith or theology.

They just don't realize that faith is never an imperative for A.A. membership. that sobriety can be achieved with an easily acceptable minimum of it, and that our concepts of a Higher Power and God--as we understand Him--afford everyone a nearly unlimited choice of spiritual belief and action.

As Bill Sees It Page 201

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Just a Quote

"When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened." ~ Winston Churchill

[bluidkiti]

May 23


Prayer for Strength and Courage

Lord,
Please give me strength when I am weak,
love when I feel forsaken,
courage when I am afraid,
wisdom when I feel foolish,
comfort when I am alone, hope when I feel rejected,
and peace when I am in turmoil.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

For us humility and sobriety go hand in hand.

After we've been in A.A. for a while, we find out that if we're going to stay sober, we have to be humble people. The men and women in A.A. who have achieved sobriety are all humble people. When I stop to think that but for the grace of God I might be drunk right now, I can't help feeling humble. Gratitude to God for His grace makes me humble. When I think of the kind of person I was not so long ago, when I think of the person I left behind me, I have nothing to be proud of.

So ............

Am I grateful and humble?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Grief

It is a sad occasion when we must say goodbye to a loved one or pet who has died. But grief is the only way we can come to understand our losses, and sharing grief helps us experience it more fully.

Perhaps we wish to grieve for something else we've lost, like fading youth, a job, a possession, or a habit we had come to enjoy. It's natural to feel grief over things like this, too.

We can share stories and good memories with other grievers, and give free reign to our tears. Sometimes it seems the more we talk, the sadder we feel about our losses, but when we share these feelings with others, we turn our losses into gain. We heal ourselves, pay tribute to those we grieve for, and share an intimate sense of loss with someone else.

Do I have grief to share?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today

But today is always here. Life is daily; today is all we have; and anybody can go one day without drinking.
First, we try living in the now just in order to stay sober -- and it works.
Once the idea has become a part of our thinking, we find that living life in 24-hour segments is an effective and satisfying way to handle many other matters as well.

Living Sober Page 7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." ~ Harry S Truman

[bluidkiti]

May 24


Prayer for Strength

God, please give me strength when I am weak,
love when I feel forsaken, courage when I am afraid,
wisdom when I feel foolish,
comfort when I am alone,
hope when I feel rejected,
and peace when I am in turmoil.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

People believe in A.A. when they see it work.

An actual demonstration is what convinces them. What they read in books, what they hear people say doesn't always convince them. But when they see a real honest to goodness change take place in a person, a change from a drunkard to a sober, useful citizen, that's something they can believe because they can see it. There's really only one thing that proves to me that A.A. works.

So ............

Have I seen the change in people who come into A.A.?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Coping With Stress

Inevitably, there are times of stress in our lives.
Sometimes, the stress is outside or around us. We're feeling balanced, but our circumstances are stressful. Sometimes, the stress is within; we feel out of balance. When the stress is external and internal, we experience our most difficult times.

During stressful times, we can rely more heavily on our support systems. Our friends and groups can help us feel more balanced and peaceful in spite of our stressful conditions. Affirming that the events taking place are a temporarily uncomfortable part of a good, solid plan can help. We can assure ourselves that we will get through. We won't be destroyed. We won't crumple or go under.

Our most important focus during times of stress is taking care of ourselves. We are better able to cope with the most irregular circumstances; we are better able to be there for others, if we're caring for ourselves. We can ask ourselves regularly: What do we need to do to take care of ourselves? What might help us feel better or more comfortable?

Self-care may not come as easily during times of stress. Self-neglect may feel more comfortable. But taking care of us always works.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obsession

Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity and death. We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step to recovery.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 30

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Just a Quote

"We can develop acceptance of any circumstances, but our success in doing so comes mainly through our reliance on God to show us the way." ~ Karen Casey

[bluidkiti]

May 25


Denial Prayer

Lord,
Forgive me for the ways I’ve sought to escape responsibility for my actions through various forms of denial. I invite You to reveal to me the truth about the impact of my past actions and behavior. I ask you to fill me with strength and courage to acknowledge and deal with what You reveal to me. I come to You weary of my burdens. I desire the new life of healing and hope that You promise when I live in truth. Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

In A.A. we live in today.

We know from experience that as time goes on, the future takes care of itself. Everything works out well, as long as we stay sober. All we need to think about is today. When we get up in the morning and see the sun shining in the window, we thank God that He has given us another day to enjoy because we're sober, a day in which we may have a chance to help somebody.

So ............

Do I know that this day is all I have and that with God's help I can stay sober today?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Commitments

While many of us fear committing, it's good to weigh the cost of any commitment we are considering. We need to feel consistently positive that it's an appropriate commitment for us. Many of us have a history of jumping -- leaping headfirst -- into commitments without weighing the cost and the possible consequences of that particular commitment. When we get in, we find that we do not really want to commit and feel trapped.

Some of us may become afraid of losing out on a particular opportunity if we don't commit. It is true that we will lose out on certain opportunities if we are unwilling to commit. We still need to weigh the commitment. We still need to become clear about whether that commitment seems right for us. If it isn't, we need to be direct and honest with others and ourselves.

Be patient. Do some soul searching. Wait for a clear answer. We need to make our commitments not in urgency or panic but in quiet confidence that what we are committing to is right for us. Don't panic. We don't have to commit to what isn't right for us, even if we try to tell ourselves it should be right for us and we should commit.

In the excitement of making a commitment and beginning, we may overlook the realities of the middle. That is what we need to consider. We don't have to commit out of urgency, impulsivity, or fear. We are entitled to ask, Will this be good for me? We are entitled to ask if this commitment feels right. Often, we can trust our intuitive sense more than we can trust our intellect about commitments.

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Change

Let us never fear needed change. Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse and changes for better. But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole, it has long since been found out that we cannot stand still and look the other way. The essence of all growth is a willingness to change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails.

As Bill Sees It Page 115

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Just a Quote

“Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.” ~ James E. Faust

[bluidkiti]

May 26


Prayer of Gratitude

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. They lift me up in ways that keep my eyes focused.

Also, thank you, Lord, for keeping me safe. You help me make better choices and provide me with advisors to help me with life’s difficult decisions. You speak to me in so many ways, if I just listen.

And Lord, I am so grateful for keeping those around me safe and loved. I hope that you provide me with the ability and sense to show them every day how much they matter. I hope that you give me the ability to give to them the same kindness they have provided to me.

I am extremely grateful for all of your blessings in my life, Lord. I pray that you remind me of just how blessed I am and that you never allow me to forget to show my gratitude in prayer and returned acts of kindness.
Amen

~ Kelli Mahoney

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Just a Thought

Men and women keep coming into A.A

Defeated by alcohol, often given up by doctors as hopeless cases, they themselves admitting they're helpless to stop drinking. When I see these men and women get sober and stay sober over a period of months and years, I know that A.A. works. The change I see in people who come into A.A. not only convinces me that A.A. works, but it also convinces me that there must be a Power greater than ourselves which helps us to make that change.

So ........................

Am I convinced that a Higher Power can help me to change?

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Just a Contemplation

Courage

It is not unusual to feel afraid. It is unusual, however, to hear anyone admit to feeling afraid. Sometimes we think there are some people who are so cool and calm that they never feel afraid. This may make us think we're not as good because we know how often we feel afraid. This is why it is important to think about what courage really is. It is not the absence of fear. Courage is not letting fear stop us from doing what we need to do.

We might have to get up in front of a group to give a speech. We could give in to our fear and not give the speech, or we could admit our fear to those who love us, and then go ahead and do the best we can. To go ahead in the face of fear is courage.

What am I afraid of?

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A New Life

When we work at our Twelve Steps, the old life of guzzling and fuzzy thinking, and all that goes with it, gradually dies, and we acquire a different and better way of life. As our shortcomings are removed, one of us dies, and another life of us lives. We in AA die to live.

Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 156

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Just a Quote

"Sometimes we have to start over again when we don’t want to, didn’t plan on it, and don’t think it’s fair." ~ Pia Mellody

[bluidkiti]

May 27


Humility Prayer

God, I am far too often influenced by what others think of me.
I am always pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am.
Please prevent me from trying to attract attention.
Don't let me gloat over praise on one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other.
Nor let me waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present is myself.
Show me how to be humble of heart, like you.

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Just a Thought

It's been proven that we alcoholics can't get sober by our willpower.

We've failed again and again. Therefore I believe there must be a Higher Power, which helps me. I think of that power as the grace of God. And I pray to God every morning for the strength to stay sober today. I know that Power is there because it never fails to help me.

So ............

Do I believe that A.A. works through the grace of God?

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Just a Contemplation

Patience

Patience is a quality that frequently eludes us. We want what we want when we want it. Fortunately, we don't get it until the time is right, but the waiting convinces us our prayers aren't heard. We must believe that the answer always comes in its own special time and place. The frustration is that our timetable is seldom like God's.

When we look back over the past few weeks, months, or even years, we can recall past prayers. Had they all been answered at the time of request, how different our lives would be. We are each on a path unique to us, offering special lessons to be learned. Just as a child must crawl before walking, so must we move slowly, taking the steps in our growth in sequence.

Our prayers will be answered, sometime, somewhere. Of that we can be sure. They will be answered for our greater good. And they will be answered at the right time, the right place, in the right way.

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Helping Others

We realize now that we were excessively self-centered, chiefly concerned about our feelings, our problems, other people's reactions to us, and our own past and future.
Therefore, trying to get into communication with and help other people is a recovery measure for us, because it helps take us out of ourselves.
Trying to heal ourselves by helping others works, even when it is an insincere gesture. Try it some time.

Living Sober Page 85

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Just a Quote

“Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the past and enjoy working in the present toward the future.” ~ Denis Waitley

[bluidkiti]

May 28


Technology Wisdom Prayer

Spirit of love and connectivity, originator of emerging technologies, and ever evolving intelligences, you give me both a gift and challenge.
Help me choose wisely amid the endless tweets and plethora of knowledge that daily saturate my consciousness.
Immerse me in the power of your Providence.
Let it always be the well of wisdom from which I can draw meaning to make sense of the madness of my life.
That’s enough for me.

~ Sister Cathy Campbell
(Sisters of Providence)

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Just a Thought

Seeing is believing.

I don't believe that A.A. works because I read it in a book or because I hear people say so. I believe it because I see people getting sober and staying sober. An actual demonstration is what convinces me. When I see the change in people, I can't help believing that A.A. works. We could listen to talk about A.A. all day and still not believe it, but when we see it work, we have to believe it. Seeing is believing.

So ............

Do I see A.A. work every day?

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Just a Contemplation

Unused Capacities

Those of us who have suffered a broken bone and had to put up with a cast for several weeks know how hard it is to use muscles that have been inactive for so long. They have gotten weak from lack of use, and we have to begin to develop our strength all over again.

The same thing happens if we don't use our other capacities. If we don't constantly use our minds to think and learn, we become dull people, almost incapable of new thoughts and insights. If we don't use our hearts to love, we become uncaring and insensitive - much like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. If we don't use our creative talents - to draw or write or sew, or whatever it is we're into - we lose the ability to do those things.

On the other hand, like our muscles, our other capacities can be strengthened and developed by daily use. We exercise our hearts by being kind and loving, our minds by thinking, our imaginations by being creative. In this way, we become spiritually powerful, a force for good in the world.

How can I exercise my assets today?

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Expectations

Peace is possible for me only when I let go of expectations.
When I am trapped in thoughts about what I want and what should be coming to me, I'm in a state of fear or anxious anticipation and this is not conducive to emotional sobriety. I must surrender -- over and over -- to my dependence on God, for then I find peace, gratitude and spiritual security.

Daily Reflections Page 197

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Just a Quote

" I Understood Myself Only After I Destroyed Myself. And Only In The Process Of Fixing Myself, Did I Know Who I Really Was." ~ John Gillen

[bluidkiti]

May 29


Morning Prayer

God,
Thank you for the gift of today.
Refresh me. Invite me to discover your presence
In each person that I meet
And every event that I encounter.
Teach me when to speak and when to listen
When to ponder and when to share.
In moments of challenge and decision
Attune my heart to the whisperings of your Wisdom.
As I undertake ordinary and unnoticed tasks,
Gift me with simple joy.
When my day goes well, may I rejoice.
When it grows difficult, surprise me with
New possibilities.
When life is overwhelming, call me to
Sabbath moments
To restore your Peace and Harmony.
May my living today reveal your Goodness.

~ Pat Bergen, C.S.J, Xavier University

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Just a Thought

The A.A. program is one of submission, release, and action.

When we're drinking, we're submitting to a power greater than ourselves, alcohol. Our own wills are no use against the power of alcohol. One drink and we where powerless over alcohol. In A.A. we stop submitting to the power of alcohol. Instead, we submit to a Power, also greater than ourselves, which we call God.

So ............

Have I submitted myself to that Higher Power?

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Just a Contemplation

Crises

Yet we are not alone. An animal caught in a hole would cry out until someone came along and helped it out. We, too, can call out for help - to our Higher Power and to the important people in our lives. We can learn to trust that, with the help of our friends and our God, we will be able to crawl out of our holes.

With trust, we will climb out of our crises and be healed with the passage of time. Such holes are a part of our landscape, yet every time we will be able to climb out and walk, leaving the darkness behind us.

If I need help, will I ask for it?

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My Solution

Bewilderment, fear, and resentment moved into my life. And yet my ability to lie outwardly and to kid myself inwardly grew with every drink I took. Indeed, I had to drink now to live, to cope with the demands of everyday existence. When I encountered disappointments or frustrations - as I did more and more frequently - my solution was to drink. I had always been oversensitive to criticism and was acutely so now. When I was criticized or reprimanded, the bottle was my refuge and comfort.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Page 555

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Just a Quote

“Recovery is all about using our power to change our beliefs that are based on faulty data.” ~ Kevin McCormick

[bluidkiti]

May 30


To Remove Hatred Prayer

God,
I come to you in need because I carry so much hatred in me that causes me to sin and feel miserable . I have blocked you from my life, I only came to you when I needed something . I should’ve never took you for granted .

Now I hold all this hatred towards people who, I believe betrayed me or disappointed me I can never seem to let go of a grudge which intervenes in my everyday life. Please take this hatred and anger I hold inside and help me move on in my life . Amen

~ Crystal (Queens , NY)

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Just a Thought

By submitting to God, as I understood him,
We're released from the power of alcohol.

It has no more hold on us. We're also released from the things that were holding us down: pride, selfishness, and fear. And we're free to grow into a new life, which is so much better than the old life that there's no comparison. This release gives us serenity and peace with the world.

So ............

Have I been released from the power of alcohol?

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Just a Contemplation

Expressing Feelings

Many of us were raised to deny our feelings; that is, we might have been allowed to describe them politely, but we were not allowed to express feelings on the spot by wailing, jumping for joy, or dancing. This is often considered rude. In a proper home, we often hear, if people have feelings, they have them quietly. But many of us have suffered living this way.

We need a full and thorough expression of a feeling in order to know it, experience it, and move beyond it. This is the way we let go of sadness, for instance.

Feelings come and go. If we are not afraid to let them have their moment, we will not be afraid to express them.

What am I feeling right now?

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Bridge to Faith

We were squarely confronted with the question of faith. We couldn't duck the issue. Some of us had already walked along the bridge of reason toward the desired shore of faith, where friendly hands stretched out in welcome. We were grateful that reason had brought us so far. Perhaps we had been relying too heavily on reason that last mile, and we did not like to lose our support.

Yet, without knowing it, had we not been brought to where we stood by a certain kind of faith? For did we not believe in our own reasoning? Did we not have confidence in our ability to think? What was that but a sort of faith? Yes, we had been faithful to the god of reason. So, in one way or another, we discovered that faith had been involved all the time!

Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 53-54

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Just a Quote

"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change." ~ Carl Rogers

[bluidkiti]

May 31


Prayer for This Day

God,
Thank you for Your gift of recovery; that through this Program,
I have come to know myself better than ever before, and that I have come to know others better as well.
I pray that I may be eternally grateful for this blessing.
Amen

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Memorial Day Prayer


God,
We thank You for bringing us together at this Memorial Day celebration to acknowledge the debt we owe to the men and women of the United States military who have guarded this country with their lives. We especially honor those who lost their lives while defending this nation. They fought on land, at sea, and in the air, always understanding that they may not come back from the mission and accepting that as part of the job. They were willing to risk death to protect this land we hold so dear and the American people along with it. We thank them for their sacrifice and promise we'll carry on their legacy to ensure they did not die in vain.


Father, we pray that You strengthen and protect all our military personnel who are serving presently and in the future. Give them the courage to face whatever comes, protect them in battle, and help them prosper in times of peace. Watch over their families, Lord, as You watch over us all. We put our trust and faith in You and even though we don't always understand Your ways, we accept that You have a plan for each and every one of us. Please help us fulfill our personal missions, whatever they may be.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Do I realize how important I am??

When I think of all who have gone before me in A.A., I realize that I am only one, not very important, person. What happens to me is not so very important after all. And A.A. has taught me to be more outgoing, to seek friendship by going at least half way; to have a sincere desire to help. I have more self-respect now that I have less sensitiveness. I have found that the only way to live comfortably with myself is to take a real interest in others.

So ............

Do I realize that I am not so important after all?

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Just a Contemplation

Humility

What, exactly, is humility? Does it mean that we are to be submissive, accepting everything that comes our way, no matter how humiliating? Does it mean surrender to ugliness and a destructive way of life? To the contrary. The basic ingredient of all humility is simply a desire to seek and do God's will.

Am I coming to understand that an attitude of true humility confers dignity and grace on me, strengthening me to take intelligent spiritual action in solving my problems?

Today I Will Remember
Humility is awareness of God.

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Humor

Don't take yourself too damned seriously.
Rule #62, AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (page 149)

In the years of my existence, before I got into recovery, I would run from one self-important crisis to another. Everything was so important, so heavy! What laughter there was ended up directed derisively at others. I treated my life with self-importance and pomposity.

It took sitting in the rooms, day after day and night after night, listening to how recovering people were able to laugh at themselves. Oh, they were deadly serious when it came to working the Steps and the traditions. After all, if not for them, they'd be dead or crazy. But as they would share things where they had shown the heavy-does-it attitude, they would see the folly of their ways and start a good belly laugh that would cascade through the room and have us all wiping our eyes.

As I work my program, I realize that there are some things that need more prayer and meditation than others. Then there are those things in my life that, under the light of my recovery, are just plain flat-out silly. My Higher Power gives me the ability to cry and grieve where appropriate. My Higher Power also has taught me that laughter, indeed, is often the best medicine.

From: One Day At A Time

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Just a Quote

"You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest, that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present." ~ Jan Glidewell