Today's Thought - August

[bluidkiti]

August 1

The love of God is passionate. He pursues each of us even when we know it not.

~William Wordsworth

A woman at a meeting of adult children recently told of a deal she had made with God. She promised God she would stop smoking if God would help her son get off drugs. A lively discussion ensued. Most were of the belief that God doesn’t bargain—not because God isn’t sympathetic, but because He has already given that which we try to bargain for.

Isn’t that a wondrous truth? God already loves our loved ones even more than we do. And because God loves them, they have already been gifted with everything they need. Why do we imagine that we need to manipulate God? God is doing everything, short of interfering with our free will, to assist us and our loved ones along the road to recovery and freedom.

As long as it may take and as hard as it may be, we need to accept the incredible fact that the prize is already won, and all we need to do is open up and receive it.

Today, I weigh the love I feel for my family members, and I am comforted to know they are loved even more by God.

Today's reading is from the book Days of Healing, Days of Joy, Daily Meditations for Adult Children

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August 2

Being a good manager doesn’t mean managing someone else’s life!

Some of us sharing these meetings mistakenly thought we were supposed to manage everyone and everything. We managed children and spouses, and when we could, neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And we saw our ability to manage other people’s lives as proof of our worthiness. Letting others manage themselves, however, is the real asset, and working on its development takes perseverance.

The appeal of managing others is clearly to protect ourselves. When we can’t count on them to do what we want without our input, then we must get involved. Unfortunately, over the years many people let us manage them. Oftentimes their alcoholism or other drug dependence opened the door to us. We took this as a sign that we were needed. Learning now that we are needed, but not to manage others, is a challenging lesson.

I won’t manage others’ lives today. I can offer suggestions to others, if asked, but I will only manage myself.

Today's reading is from the book A Life of My Own, Meditations on Hope and Acceptance

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August 3

Similar to love, forgiveness, and trust, respect is not something we can really engender from others until we have, ourselves, consumed from this special wellspring. What are the most important elements involved in respecting ourselves? We look up to, and think highly of, who we are inside and how our positive qualities manifest in the outer world. We honor our own esteem and treat with reverence our very existence. We admire our being, because of—and in spite of—our imperfections.

Respect permeates thoughts, feelings, and actions toward oneself or another. And most important, it is the foundation of us walking our talk. When we live a life that embraces respect, we keep our word to ourselves. In order for a hero to inspire the respect of others, he must be worthy, possess a certain dignity, and consistently act in ways that are in line with his values. Respect conjures images of politeness, civility, courtesy, being well mannered and friendly—all qualities worthy of cultivation. But this social veneer is less important than the more essential essence of being thoughtful, sensitive, and considerate. More than the demands of a polite society, respect speaks to a genuine, open-hearted caring for other humans.

I fill the well of self-respect when I do what I say I will do.

Today's reading is from the book Cornerstones, Daily Meditations for the Journey into Manhood and Recovery

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August 4

Solving Problems

Problems are made to be solved!

Some of us spend more time reacting to the fact that we have a problem than we do solving the problem. “Why is this happening to me?” … “Isn’t life awful?” … “How come this had to happen?” … “Oh, dear. This is terrible.” … “Why is God (the Universe, an agency, a person, or life) picking on me?”

Problems are inevitable. Some problems can be anticipated. Some are surprises. But the idea that problems occur regularly need never be a surprise.

The good news is that for every problem, there’s a solution. Sometimes the solution is immediate. Sometimes, it takes a while to discover. Sometimes, the solution involves letting go. Sometimes, the problem is ours to solve; sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes, there is something we can clearly do to solve the problem; other times, we need to struggle, flounder, do our part, then trust our Higher Power for help.

Sometimes, the problem is just part of life. Sometimes, the problem is important because we are learning something through the problem and its solution. Sometimes, problems end up working out for good in our life. They get us headed in a direction that is superior to one we may otherwise have taken.

Sometimes, problems just are; sometimes they are a warning sign that we are on the wrong track.

We can learn to accept problems as an inevitable part of life. We can learn to solve problems. We can learn to trust our ability to solve problems. We can learn to identify which problems are trying to lead us in a new direction, and which simply ask for solving.

We can learn to focus on the solution rather than on the problem, and maintain a positive attitude toward life and the inevitable flow of problems and solutions.

Today, I will learn to trust solutions, rather than be victimized by problems.

Today's reading is from the book The Language of Letting Go, Daily Meditations on Codependency

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August 5

Reflection for the Day

In a letter to a friend, AA cofounder Bill W. wrote, “I don’t think happiness or unhappiness is the point. How do we meet the problems we face? How do we best learn from them and transmit what we have learned to others, if they would receive the knowledge? In my view, we of this world are pupils in a great school of life. It is intended that we try to grow, and that we try to help our fellow travelers to grow in the kind of love that makes no demands. When pain comes, we are expected to learn from it willingly, and help others to learn. When happiness comes, we accept it as a gift, and thank God for it.” Can I accept both pain and happiness willingly?
Today I Pray

Higher Power, please help me remember that everything that happens to me has its worth, including the misery of addiction. May I believe that even my dependence was part of my Higher Power’s Grand Scheme.
Today I Will Remember

All that I am is all that has happened to me.

Today's reading is from the book A Day at a Time, Daily Reflections for Recovering People

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August 5

We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we can find in our travels is an honest friend.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

Addiction destroyed many of our relationships. It took away our ability to get close to others. The above quotation reminds us that real friends are more important than the people we hung around with while using alcohol or drugs.

Recovery is all about bettering our relationships. Our lives depend upon this. We find honest friends in recovery. We are not alone anymore. We are honest with each other about character defects and work to help each other have better, ever-closer relationships. Our lives also depend upon this. We work to help each other find a way out of the wilderness or at times just survive in the wilderness. Over time, we see that, even though people can be a pain at times, friendships and relationships are the best things in life.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, teach me how to be a good, honest friend. Comfort me as I travel in the wilderness of life.
Today's Action

Today I will think about what makes a good friend. Then I will do an honest inventory of what type of friend I am. Am I there for others in the bad times as well as the good times?

Today's reading is from the book God Grant Me, More Daily Meditations from the Authors of Keep It Simple

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August 7

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

~Goethe

When our ability to participate again in life is restored through recovery, we also rediscover the gift of commitment. Maybe the commitment is to raising a child, doing a job we love, earning a degree, or working on a special relationship. It is a moment of wonder when we have something in our lives that requires the best we have to give.

During times of doubt or struggle, we may question what we’ve gotten ourselves into. But an activity or a person to which we give ourselves wholly and freely is evidence of our Higher Power in our lives. If the commitment is to something God has asked us to do, we can know absolutely that God will help us take care of it. The time we need will come, money will come, support will come, and the energy and enthusiasm we need will come. Although it may appear that things are simply going our way, we can trust God is giving them to us so our task can be accomplished.

Today offers me a wonderful opportunity to fulfill my commitments in peace and grace. I am being looked after.

Today's reading is from the book Answers in the Heart, Daily Meditations for Men and Women Recovering from Sex Addiction

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August 8

Seven days without a meeting makes one weak.

~Anonymous

The amount of time we invested in our addiction over the years was considerable. We spent countless hours feeding our addiction, thinking about feeding it, and trying to recover from the episode. A great investment of time was made.

We need to consider the idea that a tremendous amount of time invested in recovery is a wise choice. This disease of ours has deep wounds. Healing will take time. Just because we put the substance or behavior down does not mean they will put us down. Our program describes them as cunning, baffling, and powerful. Some old-timers add patient, too.

The point is made in many cases that those who don’t spend the time, don’t make it. Ours is not a solitary fellowship. We don’t work our program alone. The meetings we attend are very important to us.

I will put as much energy into my meeting attendance as I once put into my active addiction.

Today's reading is from the book Easy Does It, A Book of Daily Twelve Step Meditations

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August 9

What you are is God’s gift to you; what you make of it is your gift to God.

~Anthony Dalla Villa

Many opportunities for growth and glory present themselves to us every day. Depending on how grateful we’re feeling, and how aware we are of the rhythms of the moment, we are able to either enjoy them or pass them by. With a quiet mind, free of ongoing inner conversations, we notice the moment’s opportunity and can know how God wants us to use our talents to meet it. While none of us can always employ our talents to the fullest, our best effort is its own reward.

Many of us still deny that we’re talented at all. But when we quiet our mind of habitual self-criticism, we see our opportunities and God-given talents. The quiet left by the silenced voices makes room for the inner strength we’ve always had to seize our opportunities and use our talents.

Our life has purpose or we wouldn’t be here. For most of us, that purpose is far from complicated. We will know it easily when we turn to the stillness within.

Today will be as glorious as I quietly allow it to be.

Today's reading is from the book In God's Care, Daily Meditations on Spirituality in Recovery

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August 10

With each new day l put away the past and discover the new beginnings I have been given.

~Angela L Wozniak

We can't recapture what is no more. And the minutes or hours we spend dwelling on what was or should have been only steal away from all that presently is. Today stands before us with promise. The opportunities for growth are guaranteed, as is all the spiritual help we need to handle any situation the day offers.

If today offers us a challenge, we can be grateful. Our challenges are gifts. They mean we are ready to move ahead to new awarenesses, to a new sense of our womanhood. Challenges force us to think creatively; they force us to turn to others; they demand that we change. Without challenges, we'd stagnate, enjoying life little, offering life nothing.

We each are making a special contribution, one that only we can make, each time we confront a new situation with courage. Each time we dare to open a new door. What we need to do today is to close the door on yesterday. Then we can stand ready and willing to go forward.

This day awaits my full presence. I will be the recipient of its gifts.

Today's reading is from the book Each Day a New Beginning, Daily meditations for Women

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August 11

To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.

~Gail Sheehy

We don’t learn anything new from successfully doing things that we have already mastered. We learn from our mistakes and the obstacles that appear in our path. They call on us to come up with new skills. We have certainly come to this path after facing plenty of challenges. And we know that a problem doesn’t guarantee that growth will be the outcome.

A problem or a challenge can simply be a net loss until we turn it into an opportunity for growth. If we make a mistake and simply feel stuck in shame and regret, it leads to nothing more. But if we have an element of faith, we can look for its message. That is the path to greater strength and maturity.

Today, I will notice my mistakes and use them to grow.

Today's reading is from the book Stepping Stones, More Daily Meditations for Men

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August 12

AA Thought for the Day

For a while, we are going back to the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, and pick out passages here and there, so that they may become fixed in our minds, a little at a time, day by day, as we go along. There is no substitute for reading the Big Book. It is our “bible.” We should study it thoroughly and make it a part of ourselves. We should not try to change any of it. Within its covers is the full exposition of the AA program. There is no substitute for it. We should study it often. Have I studied the Big Book faithfully?
Meditation for the Day

All of life is a fluctuation between effort and rest. You need both every day. But effort is not truly effective until first you have had the proper preparation for it, by resting in a time of quiet meditation. This daily time of rest and meditation gives you the power necessary to make your best effort. There are days when you are called on for much effort and then comes a time when you need much rest. It is not good to rest too long and it is not good to carry on great effort too long without rest. The successful life is a proper balance between the two.
Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be ready to make the proper effort. I pray that I may also recognize the need for relaxation.

Today's reading is from the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day, A Spiritual Resource with Practical Applications for Daily Life

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August 13

There is surely a piece of divinity in us, something that was before the elements…

~Sir Thomas Browne

One definition of divinity in the dictionary is "supreme excellence." It also means "god-like character" and "divine nature."

Doesn't that describe someone we love? When we are in love with someone, we see only the best of that person—it's impossible to see anything else. That person is "divine," we say, perfect for us, because he or she loves us and is loveable.

Each one of us has a part that is divine. We see it occasionally in others, and they see it in us when they love us. We can draw on that divine part of every person for strength and hope and courage and faith and love. There is wonderful, mysterious beauty in all of us, even when we behave badly.

What divinity do I see in those around me right now?

Today's reading is from the book Today's Gift, Daily Meditations for Families

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August 14

There are times we must grab God’s hand and walk forward.

~Anonymous

Sometimes we struggle with being part of the problem, instead of being part of the solution. Inside we know this, but somehow we can’t “Let go and let God.”

To let go takes faith that the outcome will be okay. When we have faith, we know our Higher Power believes in us and will guide us. When we have faith, we believe in ourselves. When we let go, we let go of our need to always be right. Letting go first takes place on the inside. Letting go allows us to change how we view what’s happening. Often, all we really need is this change of attitude. This is the beauty of faith: it allows us to see the same thing in different ways.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, permit me to let go. Let me see that believing in You must also mean believing in myself.
Action for the Day

I will review my life since entering the Twelve Step program. I will work at seeing what good partners my Higher Power and I make.

Today's reading is from the book Keep it Simple, Daily Meditations for Twelve Step Beginnings and Renewal

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August 15

To be a man means to be a fellow man.

~Leo Baeck

Sometimes we become overburdened with frustration and disappointment in our lives. When we turn inward and focus only on our problems, we may be cutting ourselves off from the healing effect of contact with others. Today, there may be a new group member who would appreciate a phone call from us. Perhaps we could visit an aged person or someone who is sick. Help is always needed in providing food to the hungry. Perhaps a co-worker would welcome our assistance on a task or errand.

When we help others, we affirm our solidarity with them in their stress and suffering. We don’t give help because we are better or without problems of our own, but because we suffer too. When we act as fellow men, the comradeship and human contact we get provide us with as much help as we give. They liberate us from our own oppressive egos and help us see that we are worthwhile men.

I affirm myself as a man when I stand in solidarity with others and help them in their need.

Today's reading is from the book Touchstones, A Book of Daily Meditations for Men

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August 16

Feeling self-important

After being in the program for a while, some of us feel we know much more than the average member (and perhaps we do). But self-importance helps no one. What is important is working hard to stay sober. By taking care of ourselves, we quietly set a good example.

We need to carry the message and offer help, but it does not help to set ourselves above or apart.

Am I letting go of any self-importance?

Higher Power, help me to learn my weaknesses and be humble.

I will practice humility today by…

Today's reading is from the book Day by Day, Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts

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August 17

It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

~Agnes Repplier

There is a curious phenomenon found among many adult children called “switching addictions.” It may not truly be addictions one is talking about, but the dynamics are similar; we become obsessively involved in one activity as an excuse, and an escape, from dealing with another.

Rather than deal with many core issues such as emotional dependency, shame, or fear of abandonment, adult children may seek freedom from outside activities. We may become compulsive exercisers or seek happiness by spending, eating, or collecting romantic involvements like charms on a bracelet.

Happiness cannot be found outside ourselves. If the inner core of control and satisfaction is not there, no matter what else we may surround ourselves with (or deny ourselves), we remain barren.

I accept responsibility for my own happiness, for the obstacles I put in my own way, and for the happiness substitutes that I use to distract myself.

Today's reading is from the book Days of Healing, Days of Joy, Daily Meditations for Adult Children

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August 18

Meetings are one way of carrying the message.

Step Twelve reminds us that part of our responsibility as recovering people is to carry the message to others who still suffer. That doesn’t mean we have to reveal our stories to strangers. Nor do we have to break our anonymity if we think it might jeopardize us or members of our family. But when we are at meetings with others who are seeking answers, we are safe to share our personal message of what it was like, what happened, and what it’s like now.

Carrying our message of change and hope strengthens our own reliance on this program. We hear the old-timers in the program say we have to “give it away to keep it,” but we can’t know what that means until we experience the relief and hope that happens each time we honestly share a part of our lives with someone else. The “honeymoon high” that newcomers often experience when they first get involved in the program is repeated again and again, as long as we actively carry our message.

I will help myself by carrying my message of hope today. What I give away will come back to me, many times over.

Today's reading is from the book A Life of My Own, Meditations on Hope and Acceptance

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August 19

When certain muscle groups learn a specific skill through practice, they become more efficient. We can easily imagine this if we think of what it’s like to play a favorite sport or learn a musical instrument. The same is true for our mind. If we consistently work on our ability to concentrate, visualize, imagine, or logically analyze, the functioning of these faculties will improve, which increases our sense of well-being and capability to live confidently in the world.

One of the most damaging aspects of addiction is that it often interferes with our normal development. We experience an enormous brain growth spurt between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, and if our substance use began in earnest at an early age, we suffered some setbacks in the normal progression of our brain’s faculties. This is often especially true in terms of the frontal lobe, which is the center for planning and problem solving, judgment, and impulse control.

With time and attention, sobriety allows us to overcome these deficits. With practice, we can again become masters of our own thinking and processing. We can learn to observe the flow of our own thinking and to transform it with more empowering thoughts.

I honor the reparative functions of my brain and work diligently to improve my mind.

Today's reading is from the book Cornerstones, Daily Meditations for the Journey into Manhood and Recovery

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August 20

Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

~Step Eight of Al-Anon

The Eighth Step is not meant to punish us; it is meant to set us free from guilt, anxiety, and discord.

We begin by making a list of everyone we have harmed on our journey, as we have struggled to survive. We have probably done more damage to ourselves than to anyone else, so we put ourselves first on the list.

Often, our tendency is to feel guilty about everything we’ve ever done, everyone we’ve come in contact with. That is unearned guilt. Writing helps us clarify whether or not we are punishing ourselves for no reason. But we need to be open to guidance as we work this Step, getting everything out of us and on to paper, so we can be healed.

Once we have made the list, we strive to become willing to make amends to everyone on it because that is how we will heal. Making amends does not mean feeling guilty and ashamed and punishing ourselves; it means swallowing our pride and defenses, and doing what we can to take care of ourselves. We become ready to improve our self-esteem by taking responsibility for our behaviors. We become willing to have our relationships with ourselves, others, and our Higher Power restored.

Today, I will open myself to an honest understanding of the people I have harmed. God, help me let go of my defenses and pride. Help me become willing to make amends to those I have harmed, so that I can improve my relationships with myself and others.

Today's reading is from the book The Language of Letting Go, Daily Meditations on Codependency

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August 21

Reflection for the Day

Among the important things we learn in the program is to be good to ourselves. For so many of us, though, this is a surprisingly difficult thing to do. Some of us relish our suffering so much that we balloon each happening to enormous proportions in the reliving and telling. Self-pitiers are drawn to martyrdom as if by a powerful magnet—until the joys of serenity and contentment come to them through the program and Twelve Steps. Am I gradually learning to be good to myself?

Today I Pray

May I learn to forgive myself. I have asked—and received—forgiveness from my Higher Power and from others, so why is it so hard to forgive myself? Why do I still magnify my suffering?
Today I Will Remember

Why do I go on licking my emotional wounds? May I follow my Higher Power’s forgiving example, get on with the program, and learn to be good to myself.

Today's reading is from the book A Day at a Time, Daily Reflections for Recovering People

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August 22

Hitch your wagon to a star.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

When we are new to recovery, there is a lot we don’t know. We learn it, a little bit at a time. One of the best ways to learn more about how to work a recovery program is to work with a sponsor. Even after we have been in recovery for a long time, sponsors are very important. Sponsors are our personal guides to living in recovery. We should choose someone who we admire, works a good program, and seems like he or she might understand us. We never have to be afraid to ask someone to be our sponsor. This person will feel good that we asked and will say yes or no depending on whether he or she can do it.

Some sponsors ask their “sponsees” or “pigeons”—that would be us—to call them every day to check in. Other sponsors might prefer to talk with us less often. They help us learn how the program applies to our daily life and relationships.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, I need your help for sure, but I also need a real live guiding star to talk with—a sponsor. Help me reach out to someone who would be a good sponsor for me.
Today's Action

If I already have a sponsor, I will talk with this person today and thank him or her for working with me. If I don’t have a sponsor, I will make a decision to ask someone to sponsor me.

Today's reading is from the book God Grant Me, More Daily Meditations from the Authors of Keep It Simple

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August 23

Anger as soon as fed is dead
’Tis starving makes it fat.

~Emily Dickinson

Many addicts have a problem with anger. We may have been abused, neglected, or battered as children, and we may turn that abuse against ourselves or others in a vicious, repetitive cycle.

We need to talk about incidents that still torment us, and get angry at those who abused us. If we have been victimized, we are likely to go on being victims until we fight our way out of those early situations. Often, we can only do that by giving ourselves permission to vent anger as an affirmation of our self-worth, and not a contradiction of all we have been taught about being tolerant, forgiving, and peace-loving.

It is possible to hate the deed but to forgive the doer. We have the right to hate what happened to us, we have the right to be angry at people for their hurtful acts, while being ready to forgive them as people. If we keep our anger back, it will fester and come out in mean and petty ways. Let’s not starve our anger, or it will rob us of our dignity and serenity.

I do have things to be angry about, and it is healthy for me to get angry at people when they abuse and humiliate me.

Today's reading is from the book Answers in the Heart, Daily Meditations for Men and Women Recovering from Sex Addiction

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August 24

Listen to the sounds of silence.

~Paul Simon

Sharing experiences, strengths, and hopes, and reading during recovery is very important. But just as important are the times of silence we allow ourselves to think over the information we’re receiving during times of sharing and reading.

Before recovery, being quiet may have meant having to face our problems alone. We avoided being by ourselves. We may think we don’t have time for silence in our busy lives. But quiet moments in the morning or evening for meditation, moments going to and from work, moments spent doing household chores, moments during exercise—all of these moments add up to the precious times of silence we need to absorb all we are learning, feeling, and experiencing.

I now look forward to my quiet times. I am learning how to relax and be with my Higher Power in prayer, meditation, and reflection.

Today's reading is from the book Easy Does It, A Book of Daily Twelve Step Meditations

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August 25

I can identify with anybody—a feeling is a feeling.

~Anonymous

Feelings are no respecters of age, gender, marital status, wealth, position in the community, intelligence, or any other standard we use to gauge and categorize other people. A teenage boy knows what an older woman means when she says, “I was scared to death, but I didn’t know what I was scared of.” My heart melted; my stomach turned over; my skin crawled; a feeling of dread spread through me; my heart was thumping—we are all familiar with feelings, though we may not always know at any particular moment what caused them.

No matter who we are or what we’ve done, we can identify with each other. We are God’s creation, and we were made alike in love. We created our own fear, but we can return—anytime we want to—to God’s love, the great equalizer.

I will say today, “I know how you feel,” and mean it.

Today's reading is from the book In God's Care, Daily Meditations on Spirituality in Recovery

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August 26

…to have a crisis and act upon it is one thing. To dwell in perpetual crisis is another.

~Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Exaggerating the negative element in our lives is familiar behavior for all too many of us. But this obsession is our choice. We can stop at any moment. We can decide to let go of a situation that we can't control, turn it over to God, and be free to look ahead at the possibilities for happiness.

Perhaps we can learn to accept a serious situation in our lives as a special opportunity for growth first of all, but even more as an opportunity to let God work in our lives. We learn to trust by giving over our dilemmas to God for solutions. With patience, we will see the right outcomes, and we will more easily turn to God the next time.

Crises will lessen in number and in gravity in direct proportion to the partnership we develop with our higher power. The stronger our dependence on that power, for all answers and all directions, the greater will our comfort be in all situations.

Serenity is the gift promised when we let God handle our lives. No crisis need worry us. The solution is only a prayer away.

l will take action against every crisis confronting me—I will turn to God. Each crisis is an invitation to serenity.

Today's reading is from the book Each Day a New Beginning, Daily meditations for Women

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August 27

God is like a mirror. The mirror never changes, but everybody who looks at it sees something different.

~Rabbi Harold S. Kushner

In their wisdom, the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous struggled with how to express the spirituality at the core of the program. They landed on the phrase “God as we understood Him.” That phrase is another way to express the idea of God as a mirror. Even those who try to define God will find that words cannot adequately describe the ultimate creator; instead, they place false limits on God.

When we face God, we don’t see ourselves as we do in a mirror, but we see beyond ourselves. God provides us with a pathway out of our willful ego-based mind and expands our understanding as participants in the universe of creation. The awe and reverence and meaning of our spiritual lives call us to align ourselves with something far beyond our immediate pleasure and self-satisfying will.

Today, I am grateful for the spiritual awakening that this program gives me.

Today's reading is from the book Stepping Stones, More Daily Meditations for Men

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August 28

AA Thought for the Day

“When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith. When we saw others solve their problems by a simple reliance upon the Spirit of the universe, we have to stop doubting the power of God. Our ideas did not work, but the God-idea does. Deep down in every man, woman, and child is the fundamental idea of God. Faith in a Power greater than ourselves and miraculous demonstrations of that power in our lives are facts as old as the human race.” Am I willing to rely on the Spirit of the universe?
Meditation for the Day

You should not dwell too much on the mistakes, faults, and failures of the past. Be done with shame and remorse and contempt for yourself. With God’s help, develop a new self-respect. Unless you respect yourself, others will not respect you. You ran a race, you stumbled and fell, you have risen again, and now you press on toward the goal of a better life. Do not stay to examine the spot where you fell, only feel sorry for the delay, the shortsightedness that prevented you from seeing the real goal sooner.
Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not look back. I pray that I may keep picking myself up and making a fresh start each day.

Today's reading is from the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day, A Spiritual Resource with Practical Applications for Daily Life

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August 29

What is without periods of rest will not endure.

~Ovid

When we are tired, we need to stop and give ourselves time to rest. Sometimes we think we can't spare the time. But without rest, all our activity soon becomes a burden and there is no joy in it. Animals know it is necessary to take time to rest. This is part of the rhythm of life: activity and rest, effort and relaxation.

Our bad moods are often our body's way of telling us we need rest. When we were little, we needed naps. Somehow, we forget to allow ourselves this right when we are older. We are wise to remember we never outgrow this need for rest to make the day go better.

When we return to our day refreshed, we have given ourselves and all those around us the gift of ourselves at our best.

What can I do better when I am rested?

Today's reading is from the book Today's Gift, Daily Meditations for Families

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August 30

We only see what we want to see; we only hear what we want to hear.

~Don Miguel Ruiz

We only want to hear good things. That we’re nice people. That our loved ones are healthy. That we did a good job. We don’t want to hear that anyone is angry with us, or that we made a mistake. We don’t want to hear about an illness or troubles.

But life isn’t just happy news. Bad things happen. We can’t change that. As we live our recovery program, we learn to handle the hard things without running back to our addiction. We choose the path of life. We need to know all the news, good and bad. Then we can deal with life as it really is.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me listen—even when I don’t want to. Gently help me deal with both the good and bad. All the help I need is mine for the asking.
Action for the Day

I will ask my sponsor and three friends to tell me about my blind spots.

Today's reading is from the book Keep it Simple, Daily Meditations for Twelve Step Beginnings and Renewal

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August 31

There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity. People who do not experience self-love have little or no capacity to love others.

~Nathaniel Branden

We cannot hang on to feelings of shame and guilt and still hope to become better people. How did these feelings begin? If we were treated badly by people, we need to be honest about what happened so we can resolve it and move on. Have we perpetuated our feelings by acting disrespectfully ourselves? Then we need to take a thorough inventory of our wrongdoings, admit them, make repairs, and let them go.

We may wallow in shame because facing it feels too frightening. Often, we believe our shame is greater than that of others. This belief is usually untrue and grandiose. It’s part of how we isolate ourselves. We don’t have to face it alone. We have the help of other men and women who can listen to our pain and tell us about their experiences.

Today, may I find the courage to face my shame and assert my right to self-esteem.

Today's reading is from the book Touchstones, A Book of Daily Meditations for Men