bluidkiti
05-08-2023, 07:50 AM
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
and Wisdom to know the difference.
Thy will, not mine, be done.
May 9
Daily Reflections
WALKING THROUGH FEAR
If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us
be willing.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 76
When I had taken my Fifth Step, I became aware that all my defects
of character stemmed from my need to feel secure and loved. To use
my will alone to work on them would have been trying obsessively to
solve the problem. In the Sixth Step I intensified the action I had
taken in the first three Steps -- meditating on the Step by saying it over and
over, going to meetings, following my sponsor's suggestions, reading
and searching within myself. During the first three years of sobriety I
had a fear of entering an elevator alone. One day I decided I must
walk through this fear. I asked for God's help, entered the elevator, and
there in the corner was a lady crying. She said that since her husband
had died she was deathly afraid of elevators. I forgot my fear and
comforted her. This spiritual experience helped me to see how
willingness was the key to working the rest of the Twelve Steps to
recovery. God helps those who help themselves.
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Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought For The Day
We alcoholics used so little self-control when we were drinking, we
were so absolutely selfish, that it does us good to give up something
once in a while. Using self-discipline and denying ourselves a few
things is good for us. At first, giving up liquor is a big enough job for
all of us, even with God's help. But later on, we can practice
self-discipline in other ways to keep a firm grip on our minds so that
we don't start any wishful thinking. If we daydream too much, we'll be
in danger of slipping. Am I practicing enough self-discipline?
Meditation For The Day
In material things, you must rely on your own wisdom and that of
others. In spiritual things, you cannot rely so much on your own
wisdom as on God's guidance. In dealing with personalities, it is a
mistake to step out too much on your own. You must try to be guided
by God in all human relationships. You cannot accomplish much of
value in dealing with people until God knows you are ready. You alone
do not have the power or wisdom to put things right between people.
You must rely on God to help you in these vital matters.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may rely on God in dealing with people's problems. I pray
that I may try to follow His guidance in all personal relationships.
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As Bill Sees It
The Way Of Strength, p. 129
We need not apologize to anyone for depending upon the Creator.
We have good reason to disbelieve those who think spirituality is the
way of weakness. For us, it is the way of strength.
The verdict of the ages is that men of faith seldom lack courage.
They trust their God. So we never apologize for our belief in Him.
Instead, we try to let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do.
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 68
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Walk in Dry Places
The Importance of Hope
Maintaining Optimism.
As a great virtue, hope is ranked with faith and love. But those of us caught in the thicket of alcoholism and other addictions had much experience with hopes that turned out to be merely cruel illusions. In recovery, however, hope has a sound purpose. It is really a form of optimism, an underlying belief that things will work out in spite of the obstacles and problems we face. This helps provide the strength and energy we need to succeed in the face of opposition and setbacks.
We also own much of our recovery to the capacity for hope that was in our friends and family members. Henrietta D... wife of AA member Number three, told an interviewer that she had never lost hope that her husband would eventually recover. She saw it as the answer to her hope and prayers when Bill W. and Dr. Bob arrived at her husband's bedside in Akron's City Hospital... an when he left, he never drank again.
Hope is the optimism that keeps us moving toward our highest good. Let's keep it alive.
I'll face my day with the underlying belief that things will work out in the long run. I'll refuse to be overwhelmed by temporary setbacks.
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Keep It Simple
The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.---Frank Lloyd Wright
For many for us, life was a burden while using alcohol and other drugs. As our illness went on, life was more ugly. We grew further from our friends, family, and Higher Power. In recovery, our eyes and hearts open a little more each day. We see the beauty that life holds. We now see the beauty that life holds. We now see that before recovery, we weren’t living---we were dying. In recovery, we again feel happy when we hold a baby. We again may feel joy when we see a sunset. This happens mainly because we've chosen to be with people who love life, people who've been given a second chance. Once we've almost lost something important, it becomes more precious. We almost lost our lives. Now our lives are special.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thank-you for a second chance. Thank-you for opening my eyes and heart. Give me the strength to keep them open.
Action for the Day: I'll list the most beautiful parts of my life. I'll open my heart today to the joy in store for me.
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Each Day a New Beginning
To expect too much is to have a sentimental view of life, and this is a softness that ends in bitterness. --Flannery O'Connor
Having too high expectations is a set-up for disappointment. Expectations that are high lend themselves to a fantasy life, and reality can never match our fantasies. When we get hooked on the fantasies, somehow thinking they are reality, or should be reality, we are vulnerable to the hurt that accompanies the emergence of "the real." Then we feel cheated--bitter: "Why did this have to happen to me?"
Having too high expectations was a familiar feeling before recovery. And it remains familiar to us, even now. Dreams and aspirations aren't wrong. In fact, they beckon us on to better and greater things. But dreams of what we can become through responsible choices are quite different from idle expectations of what will or should be.
Every moment of every day opens the way to my aspirations that enhance reality. I will be open and receptive to reality and its gifts.
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition
Foreword To Second Edition
Figures given in this foreword describe the Fellowship as it was in 1955.
As we discovered the principles by which the individual alcoholic could live, so we had to evolve principles by which the A.A. groups and A.A. as a whole could survive and function effectively. It was thought that no alcoholic man or woman could be excluded from our Society; that our leaders might serve but never govern; that each group was to be autonomous and there was to be no professional class of therapy. There were to be no fees or dues; our expenses were to be met by our own voluntary contributions. There was to be the least possible organization, even in our service centers. Our public relations were to be based upon attraction rather than promotion. It was decided that all members ought to be anonymous at the level of press, radio, TV and films. And in no circumstances should we give endorsements, make alliances or enter public controversies.
p. xix
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Stories
GROUNDED - Alcohol clipped this pilot's wings until sobriety and hard work brought him back to the sky.
I got out of treatment determined to complete ninety A.A. meetings in ninety days but was afraid my court date would interfere, so I completed my ninety meetings in sixty-seven days. I went through an intense, media-covered three-week trial. On most evenings after the day in court, I sought refuge in A.A. meetings and renewed my strength for the coming day. Recovery and all I had learned allowed me to handle things much, much differently than my two co-defendants. Many spoke of my serenity throughout this experience of horror, which surprised me. Inside I did not feel what others seemed to see.
pp. 525-526
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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Step Seven - "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. "
How we alcoholics did resent that verdict! We would not believe that our adult dreams were often truly childish. And considering the rough deal life had given us, we felt it perfectly natural that we were sensitive. As to our grandiose behavior, we insisted that we had been possessed of nothing but a high and legitimate ambition to win the battle of life.
p. 123
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Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.
--Mary McLeod Bethune
"God's strength behind you, His concern for you, His love within you,
and His arms beneath you are more than sufficient for the job ahead
of you."
--William Arthur Ward
True happiness is not in having everything you want, but in wanting
everything you have.
"Some days I trudge. Some days I trot. But most days I enjoy the
journey."
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.
Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to
keep your mind young."
--Henry Ford
"I know some good marriages - marriages where both people are just
trying to get through their days by helping each other, being good to
each other."
--Erica Jong
Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree,
but in the hearts of true friends.
--Cindy Lew
All yesterdays are canceled, and tomorrow is but a speculation, today
is the day God has made.
--SweetyZee
Practicing being in service takes the focus off ourselves and looks for
how we might help others. When we feel grateful, we naturally want
to share ourselves and our good fortune. Then we find that being in
service only increases our gratitude and joy.
--Mary Manin Morrissey
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Father Leo's Daily Meditation
POETRY
"Poetry is the rhythmical
creation of beauty in words."
--Edgar Allan Poe
Language helps us to understand and communicate. Poetry adds the
dimension of "shape" and "movement". Poetry seems to go beyond
words and ideas to the very essence of what life is about; it hints at
divinity!
When I was drinking, I never understood the art of poetry. Today I
use poetry as part of my adventure into meaning and self-knowledge.
So much more is open to me in sobriety, and I am able to appreciate
things I never used to comprehend. Poetry is part of "it gets better".
Help me to seek You through all aspects of art.
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things
there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows,
this he will also reap.
Galatians 6:7
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Daily Inspiration
You can become more peaceful and a more interesting person by having a healthy attitude and accepting your responsibilities. Lord, help me to remember that life is what we make of it.
Take less for granted and you will become very busy enjoying all that you have. Lord, thank you for my blessings and for all those that I am able to share them with.
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NA Just For Today
Write About It!
"We sit down with a notebook, ask for guidance, pick up our pen, and start writing."
Basic Text, p. 29
When we're confused or in pain, our sponsor sometimes tells us to "write about it." Though we may groan as we drag out the notebook, we know that it will help. By laying it all out on paper, we give ourselves the chance to sort through what's bothering us. We know we can get to the bottom of our confusion and find out what's really causing our pain when we put the pen to the paper.
Writing can be rewarding, especially when working through the steps. Many members maintain a daily journal. Simply thinking about the steps, pondering their meaning, and analyzing their effect is not sufficient for most of us. There's something about the physical action of writing that helps to fix the principles of recovery in our minds and hearts.
The rewards we find through the simple action of writing are many. Clarity of thought, keys to locked places inside of us, and the voice of conscience are but a few. Writing helps us be more honest with ourselves. We sit down, quiet our thoughts, and listen to our hearts. What we hear in the stillness are the truths that we put down on paper.
Just for today: One of the ways I can search for truth in recovery is to write. I will write about my recovery today.
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You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
Planning is deciding what to change today so tomorrow will be different from yesterday. --Ichak Adizes
A house is like a lump of clay that can be molded and changed. It can be fixed and shaped, torn down and added to, painted, papered, carpeted, and panelled. We can think about how to change it, find pictures in books, and order plans. We can stock up on supplies, take fix-it classes, and get advice from others. But the house will remain unchanged until we pick up a brush, grab a bucket of paint, and get to work. Only then will we see tomorrow the results of what we did today.
Our plans help us construct a vision of how we'd like the future to be, but only actions will bring these things about. With confidence in the rightness of our desires, we can be assured that God never gives us a dream we can't reach.
What action can I take today to make tomorrow's changes?
You are reading from the book Touchstones.
I learned from them that inspiration does not come like a bolt, nor is it kinetic, energetic striving, but it comes into us slowly and quietly and all the time, though we must regularly and every day give it a little chance to start flowing, prime it with a little solitude and idleness. --Brenda Ueland
We tend to be action-oriented and concerned about showing results in the shortest period of time. Our world has emphasized this outlook, especially for men. Now we are seeking spiritual progress. We are on a journey seeking a relationship with our Higher Power, with ourselves, and with others.
Spiritual progress is made by pushing aside busyness and efficiency. We become receptive to inspiration by allowing empty spaces in our lives, some solitude and idleness. This moment - right now - is one such time. It is not clearly goal-oriented. Rather it is a moment when we reflect on ourselves as recovering men. We become receptive to inspiration, to a deeper wisdom, to that part of life which we do not command.
I will remember today that spiritual progress comes only when I make room for it in my life.
You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
To expect too much is to have a sentimental view of life, and this is a softness that ends in bitterness. --Flannery O'Connor
Having too high expectations is a set-up for disappointment. Expectations that are high lend themselves to a fantasy life, and reality can never match our fantasies. When we get hooked on the fantasies, somehow thinking they are reality, or should be reality, we are vulnerable to the hurt that accompanies the emergence of "the real." Then we feel cheated--bitter: "Why did this have to happen to me?"
Having too high expectations was a familiar feeling before recovery. And it remains familiar to us, even now. Dreams and aspirations aren't wrong. In fact, they beckon us on to better and greater things. But dreams of what we can become through responsible choices are quite different from idle expectations of what will or should be.
Every moment of every day opens the way to my aspirations that enhance reality. I will be open and receptive to reality and its gifts.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Learning New Behaviors
Sometimes well take a few steps backward. That's okay too. Sometimes its necessary. Sometimes its part of going forward. --Codependent No More
Life is a Gentle Teacher. She wants to help us learn.
The lessons she wants to teach us are the ones we need to learn. Some say they are the lessons we chose to learn before we were born. Others say they are the lessons that were chosen for us.
Its frustrating to be in the midst of learning. It is like sitting in algebra class, listening to a teacher explain a subject beyond our comprehension. We do not understand, but the teacher takes the understanding for granted.
It may feel like someone is torturing us with messages that we shall never understand. We strain and strain. We become angry. Frustrated. Confused. Finally, in despair, we turn away, deciding that that formula will never be available to our mind.
Later, while taking a quiet walk, we break through. Quietly, the gift of understanding has reached that deepest place in us. We understand. We have learned. The next day in class, its hard for us to imagine not knowing. It is hard to remember the frustration and confusion of those who have not yet caught on. It seems so easy . . . now.
Life is a Gentle Teacher. She will keep repeating the lesson until we learn. It is okay to become frustrated. Confused. Angry. Sometimes it is okay to despair. Then, it is okay to walk away and allow the breakthrough to come.
It shall.
Help me remember that frustration and confusion usually precede growth. If my situation is challenging me, it is because Im learning something new, rising to a higher level of understanding. Help me be grateful, even in my frustration, that life is an exciting progression of lessons.
Today my trust in the overall and the long run is deep and is growing. When events and people do not act as I would like them to act, I reach deeper inside for my faith and let it comfort me. --Ruth Fishel
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Journey to the Heart
Trust Each Step
Stay present for each step of your journey. We don’t go from one place to another in a gigantic leap. We get there in increments, by going through each feeling, each belief, each experience one step at a time.
Sometimes when we pray for miracles, what we’re really praying for is help in skipping steps, for shortcuts. The simple act of acceptance, of returning to each step of our path, can often bring us the miracle we need. Then we see the truth. The real miracle is one always available to each of us: it’s a miracle of acceptance. We can go where we want to go, one step at a time.
Stay present for each step of your journey. Trust each stage. Many things are possible for you if you accept that the fastest way is one step at a time.
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More language of letting go
Say when it’s too much compassion
Sometimes, it’s easy to step across that line and have too much compassion for the people in our lives. Although compassion is good, too much compassion can cripple the people we’re trying to love. We understand so clearly how they feel that we don’t hold them accountable for themselves. Too much compassion can hurt us,too. We can wind up feeling victimized by and resenting the people we’re experiencing too much compassion toward. We’re so worried about their feelings that we neglect our own.
Too much compassion means we don’t believe in others enough to let them do what they need to do to help themselves. It’s a way of telling them, “You can’t.” You can’t handle your reality. You can’t learn your lessons. You can’t handle the truth, so I’ll treat you like a helpless child.
Too much compassion can leave us prey to victimization and manipulation. We’re so worried about how the other person feels that we neglect to take care of ourselves.
Here are some guidleines about compassion.
. If we’re creating a problem for ourselves to solve someone else’s dilemma, we’ve probably crossed the line.
. If we’re so worried about another person’s pain that we’re neglecting our own emotions, we’re probably over-involved.
. If guilt is the underlying motive for our behavior, maybe what we’re practicing isn’t compassion.
The lesson here isn’t to stop caring about others. Instead we need to respect other people’s right to learn their own lessons.
Too much of anything isn’t a good thing. If we’ve crossed that line into too much compassion, we can step back into the safe zone and use a lighter touch.
God, show me if I’m harming someone in my life– a parent, child, or friend– by smothering that person with too much compassion.
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Family Ceremonies
Creating Connections while Apart by Madisyn Taylor
Create a ceremony around nature to connect with loved ones that are far away.
Life’s journeys may sometimes take us away from our families and friends, but there are many ways to stay connected. Aside from making use of the technology available—speaking on the phone or seeing each other from across cyberspace—we can create simple ceremonies using nature and our own thoughts to connect our hearts across the miles.
The first step in creating your ceremony is to look to nature for similarities in the different surroundings. The second step is agreeing upon something that is meaningful to all involved. If your mother loves birds, then perhaps each time you hear a bird chirp, you can think of her and mentally send love. You may choose the sight of a butterfly, the feel of a breeze or raindrops, or the scent of flowers to remind you of a special someone. The pink glow of sunset might be your favorite time to send a thought, or perhaps the warming oranges of sunrise. We can all see the sun, the moon, and an array of twinkling stars when we look to the skies. The monthly full moon may be your time to connect with your loved ones, or the first star you see each night, knowing that they, too, are gazing into the night sky and sending love. You could choose a day that you would usually celebrate together, such as a holiday or a solstice. If you once shared Sunday brunches in the garden, you can! each seek out a garden on Sundays. Or you can choose a specific time and account for the time difference in order to connect by heart and mind at exactly the same moment.
With practice, we may learn to recognize the feeling that comes when a loved one sends energy our way, and the feeling of soul-to-soul communication. In this case, distance may indeed make our connections stronger. There is certainly much to make us think of our close friends and loved ones often, but when we decide upon a reminder together, we create a simple ceremony of connection that defies any distance. Published with permission from Daily OM
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A Day At A Time
Reflection For The Day
“Perfect courage,” wrote La Rochefoucauld, “means doing witnessed what we would be capable of with the world looking on.” As we grow in The Program, we recognize persistent fear for what it is, and we become able to handle it. We begin to see each adversity as a God-given opportunity to develop the kind of courage which is born of humility, rather than of bravado. Do I realize that whistling to keep up my courage is merely good practice for whistling?
Today I Pray
May I find courage in my Higher Power. Since all things are possible through Him, I must be able to overcome the insidious fears that haunt me — so often fears of losing someone or some thing that has become important in my life. I pray for my own willingness to let go of those fears.
Today I Will Remember
Praying is more than whistling in the dark.
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One More Day
The dark, uneasy world of family life — where the greatest can fail and the humblest succeed.
– Randall Jarrell
We carry so much emotional baggage from childhood into our adult lives. The sum total of all our experiences forms our personalities and , in the very essence of our being, our spiritual selves. Less often do the wonderful memories, the happier times, spring forward in our minds. The bad feelings, the sad memories, the hard times — these are what we may remember the most.
Who we came from, what we came from, shouldn’t define all that we can be as adults. There may come a time when regardless of our past experiences, we can acknowledge them, put them aside, and move on with our lives.
I can put aside my past by facing my future with hope and promise. I am looking for progress, not perfection.
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Food For Thought
Self-Pity
"Poor little ol' me." The PLOMS. How often do we succumb to this temptation? Usually it's an excuse for not doing what we know we should do, but do not want to do. Or it's a way to manipulate someone else into doing something for us, which we should be doing ourselves. If we spend our time moaning and groaning about how unfairly life is treating us, we do not have much chance of discovering the plan which our Higher Power has for us, nor are we able to carry out His will.
Trite as it may sound, the cure for self-pity is to think about those who are less fortunate and start counting our blessings. Taking some action, doing some small thing for someone else, perhaps a phone call - these are constructive steps to take us off the "pity pot."
When we begin to feel sorry for ourselves because we must follow a food plan and may not eat spontaneously, let's remember where we came from and what things were like before we found OA.
I don't need self-pity.
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One Day At A Time
OPEN MINDEDNESS
Let go of your attachment to being right,
and suddenly your mind is more open.
You're able to benefit from the unique viewpoints of others,
without being crippled by your own judgment.
Ralph Marston
Before joining this program much of my life was taken up with defending myself against those who would hurl abuse. I kept everything and everybody at arm's length in a bid to protect my increasingly fragile and sensitive self-assurance. As time marched on, and my disease became parasitical, the walls around me grew higher and isolation drew me inwards.
Ironically, the fortress I was building didn’t protect me from myself and I soon became my own worst enemy. My self-loathing and my unceasing search for perfection led me deeper into a self-induced state of depression. Keeping everybody out and locking myself in became an exhausting exercise.
On entering the 12 Step program I soon realized that the fortress I had so carefully built to protect myself against the outside world was also preventing any kind of light, warmth and love from entering in.
As my journey of recovery progressed, brick by brick the walls came down and afforded me the nourishment I needed to blossom and grow. In learning to accept myself, I found that what others thought of me paled into insignificance. I learned that there was a wealth of experience, strength and hope which would help me along the journey. I learned that I could take what I needed and put down the remainder, without the resentment, anger, fear or pain, which previously would have sent me running for cover.
One Day at a Time . . .
I aim to be willing to keep my mind open, to accept what I need to continue my journey, and to leave the rest.
~ Sue G ~
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AA 'Big Book' - Quote
The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences* which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God's universe. - Pg. 25 - There Is A Solution
Hour To Hour - Book - Quote
This is a 'We' program, not a 'Me' program. We do this together. Look at our steps. They all say 'We admitted' or 'We came to believe.' Doing it together makes us stronger and less likely to fool ourselves with dysfunctional ways of thinking.
Let me know that I am no longer alone and need never be alone again.
Healing Light
I am surrounding myself with healing light. I am inviting a warm, yellow/white light to surround me. I breathe it in deeply into all parts of me and I breathe out any lingering fear or darkness. Healing energy is quietly pulsing in and around me, imbuing me with a feeling of well being. I allow this energy to fill each pore of my body. This healing energy has its own intelligence and I become one with it and direct it towards those parts of me that need healing. I rest in this vibrating yellow-white light and let it fill me, surround me and make me well. Even the act of allowing this lifts me up.
I am filled with healing energy
- Tian Dayton PhD
Pocket Sponsor - Book - Quote
Few of us realize that God is all we need until God is all we have.
If I can't find God, I know who moved.
"Walk Softly and Carry a Big Book" - Book
Rather than getting even with those that hurt you, the challenge is to get even with those that help you.
Time for Joy - Book - Quote
Today I am letting a power greater than myself remove all my fear. I am now free to look within for my answers.
Alkiespeak - Book - Quote
My sponsor said; 'OK, the only way to disprove a belief system is to adopt it. You can't stand outside the experience and say it doesn't work. So, for six months, live this program, really live it. And a t the end of that time if you say: 'It doesn't work, my life's still in the toilet.' Then I'll be happy to say; 'You're absolutely right, for you it doesn't work, bon voyage.' And I've tried that with a lot of guys and there's no way you can do that and say AA doesn't work - Because it does. - John L.
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AA Thought for the Day
May 9
Surrender
On the face of it, surrendering certainly doesn't sound like winning.
But it is in AA. . .
We must, and we do, surrender to win.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, pp. 155-156
Thought to Ponder . . .
Avoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
K I S S = Keep It Simple; Surrender.
~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
Anonymity
"We have denied ourselves personal government,
professionalism, and the right to say
who our members shall be.
We have abandoned do-goodism,
reform, and paternalism.
We refuse charitable money and prefer
to pay our own way.
We will cooperate with practically everybody,
yet we decline to marry our Society to anyone.
We abstain from public controversy and will not
quarrel among ourselves about
those things that so rip society asunder--
religion, politics, and reform.
We have but one purpose;
to carry the AA message
to the sick alcoholic who wants it."
Bill W., The Language of the Heart, p. 211
Thought to Consider . . .
AA is not something you join, it's a way of life.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
ANONYMOUS
Actions Not Our Names Yield Maintenance Of Unity & Service
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Psychology
From "Medicine Looks at Alcoholics Anonymous":":
"As excuse-makers and rationalizers, we drunks are champions. It is the business of the psychiatrist to get behind our
excuses and to find the deeper causes for our conduct. Though uninstructed in psychiatry, we can, after a little time in
A.A., see that our motives have not been what we thought they were and that we have been motivated by forces
unknown to us. Therefore we ought to look with the deepest respect, interest, and profit upon the findings of psychiatry,
remembering that up to now the psychiatrists have been far more tolerant of us than we have been of them. "Bill W."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 236
*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"How will I know if I've really hit my bottom?' I asked at my home group. 'When you stop digging,' they told me."
Chelsea, Mich., November 2002
"The Foundation,"
In Our Own Words
~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*
"Faith without works was dead, he said. And how appallingly true for
the alcoholic! For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his
spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could
not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. If he did not
work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely
die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 14~
"It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to
futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit
these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~
Then he asked for the grace to bring love, forgiveness, harmony, truth, faith, hope, light, and joy to every human being he could.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 101
Misc. AA Literature - Quote
The Way of Strength
We need not apologize to anyone for depending upon the Creator. We have good reason to disbelieve those who think
spirituality is the way of weakness. For us, it is the way of strength.
The verdict of the ages is that men of faith seldom lack courage. They trust their God. So we never apologize for our
belief in Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 68
Prayer For The Day: Dear Father, life seems so hard at times and I can hardly get through. I close my eyes and hand you my troubles for I know you can do much better than I. Thank you Lord for your blessings and kindness.
Ask and you shall receive,
Seek and ye shall find,
Knock and it shall be opened unto you.
Matthew 7:7
Courage to change the things I can;
and Wisdom to know the difference.
Thy will, not mine, be done.
May 9
Daily Reflections
WALKING THROUGH FEAR
If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us
be willing.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 76
When I had taken my Fifth Step, I became aware that all my defects
of character stemmed from my need to feel secure and loved. To use
my will alone to work on them would have been trying obsessively to
solve the problem. In the Sixth Step I intensified the action I had
taken in the first three Steps -- meditating on the Step by saying it over and
over, going to meetings, following my sponsor's suggestions, reading
and searching within myself. During the first three years of sobriety I
had a fear of entering an elevator alone. One day I decided I must
walk through this fear. I asked for God's help, entered the elevator, and
there in the corner was a lady crying. She said that since her husband
had died she was deathly afraid of elevators. I forgot my fear and
comforted her. This spiritual experience helped me to see how
willingness was the key to working the rest of the Twelve Steps to
recovery. God helps those who help themselves.
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Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought For The Day
We alcoholics used so little self-control when we were drinking, we
were so absolutely selfish, that it does us good to give up something
once in a while. Using self-discipline and denying ourselves a few
things is good for us. At first, giving up liquor is a big enough job for
all of us, even with God's help. But later on, we can practice
self-discipline in other ways to keep a firm grip on our minds so that
we don't start any wishful thinking. If we daydream too much, we'll be
in danger of slipping. Am I practicing enough self-discipline?
Meditation For The Day
In material things, you must rely on your own wisdom and that of
others. In spiritual things, you cannot rely so much on your own
wisdom as on God's guidance. In dealing with personalities, it is a
mistake to step out too much on your own. You must try to be guided
by God in all human relationships. You cannot accomplish much of
value in dealing with people until God knows you are ready. You alone
do not have the power or wisdom to put things right between people.
You must rely on God to help you in these vital matters.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may rely on God in dealing with people's problems. I pray
that I may try to follow His guidance in all personal relationships.
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As Bill Sees It
The Way Of Strength, p. 129
We need not apologize to anyone for depending upon the Creator.
We have good reason to disbelieve those who think spirituality is the
way of weakness. For us, it is the way of strength.
The verdict of the ages is that men of faith seldom lack courage.
They trust their God. So we never apologize for our belief in Him.
Instead, we try to let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do.
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 68
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Walk in Dry Places
The Importance of Hope
Maintaining Optimism.
As a great virtue, hope is ranked with faith and love. But those of us caught in the thicket of alcoholism and other addictions had much experience with hopes that turned out to be merely cruel illusions. In recovery, however, hope has a sound purpose. It is really a form of optimism, an underlying belief that things will work out in spite of the obstacles and problems we face. This helps provide the strength and energy we need to succeed in the face of opposition and setbacks.
We also own much of our recovery to the capacity for hope that was in our friends and family members. Henrietta D... wife of AA member Number three, told an interviewer that she had never lost hope that her husband would eventually recover. She saw it as the answer to her hope and prayers when Bill W. and Dr. Bob arrived at her husband's bedside in Akron's City Hospital... an when he left, he never drank again.
Hope is the optimism that keeps us moving toward our highest good. Let's keep it alive.
I'll face my day with the underlying belief that things will work out in the long run. I'll refuse to be overwhelmed by temporary setbacks.
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Keep It Simple
The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.---Frank Lloyd Wright
For many for us, life was a burden while using alcohol and other drugs. As our illness went on, life was more ugly. We grew further from our friends, family, and Higher Power. In recovery, our eyes and hearts open a little more each day. We see the beauty that life holds. We now see the beauty that life holds. We now see that before recovery, we weren’t living---we were dying. In recovery, we again feel happy when we hold a baby. We again may feel joy when we see a sunset. This happens mainly because we've chosen to be with people who love life, people who've been given a second chance. Once we've almost lost something important, it becomes more precious. We almost lost our lives. Now our lives are special.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thank-you for a second chance. Thank-you for opening my eyes and heart. Give me the strength to keep them open.
Action for the Day: I'll list the most beautiful parts of my life. I'll open my heart today to the joy in store for me.
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Each Day a New Beginning
To expect too much is to have a sentimental view of life, and this is a softness that ends in bitterness. --Flannery O'Connor
Having too high expectations is a set-up for disappointment. Expectations that are high lend themselves to a fantasy life, and reality can never match our fantasies. When we get hooked on the fantasies, somehow thinking they are reality, or should be reality, we are vulnerable to the hurt that accompanies the emergence of "the real." Then we feel cheated--bitter: "Why did this have to happen to me?"
Having too high expectations was a familiar feeling before recovery. And it remains familiar to us, even now. Dreams and aspirations aren't wrong. In fact, they beckon us on to better and greater things. But dreams of what we can become through responsible choices are quite different from idle expectations of what will or should be.
Every moment of every day opens the way to my aspirations that enhance reality. I will be open and receptive to reality and its gifts.
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition
Foreword To Second Edition
Figures given in this foreword describe the Fellowship as it was in 1955.
As we discovered the principles by which the individual alcoholic could live, so we had to evolve principles by which the A.A. groups and A.A. as a whole could survive and function effectively. It was thought that no alcoholic man or woman could be excluded from our Society; that our leaders might serve but never govern; that each group was to be autonomous and there was to be no professional class of therapy. There were to be no fees or dues; our expenses were to be met by our own voluntary contributions. There was to be the least possible organization, even in our service centers. Our public relations were to be based upon attraction rather than promotion. It was decided that all members ought to be anonymous at the level of press, radio, TV and films. And in no circumstances should we give endorsements, make alliances or enter public controversies.
p. xix
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Stories
GROUNDED - Alcohol clipped this pilot's wings until sobriety and hard work brought him back to the sky.
I got out of treatment determined to complete ninety A.A. meetings in ninety days but was afraid my court date would interfere, so I completed my ninety meetings in sixty-seven days. I went through an intense, media-covered three-week trial. On most evenings after the day in court, I sought refuge in A.A. meetings and renewed my strength for the coming day. Recovery and all I had learned allowed me to handle things much, much differently than my two co-defendants. Many spoke of my serenity throughout this experience of horror, which surprised me. Inside I did not feel what others seemed to see.
pp. 525-526
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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Step Seven - "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. "
How we alcoholics did resent that verdict! We would not believe that our adult dreams were often truly childish. And considering the rough deal life had given us, we felt it perfectly natural that we were sensitive. As to our grandiose behavior, we insisted that we had been possessed of nothing but a high and legitimate ambition to win the battle of life.
p. 123
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Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.
--Mary McLeod Bethune
"God's strength behind you, His concern for you, His love within you,
and His arms beneath you are more than sufficient for the job ahead
of you."
--William Arthur Ward
True happiness is not in having everything you want, but in wanting
everything you have.
"Some days I trudge. Some days I trot. But most days I enjoy the
journey."
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.
Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to
keep your mind young."
--Henry Ford
"I know some good marriages - marriages where both people are just
trying to get through their days by helping each other, being good to
each other."
--Erica Jong
Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree,
but in the hearts of true friends.
--Cindy Lew
All yesterdays are canceled, and tomorrow is but a speculation, today
is the day God has made.
--SweetyZee
Practicing being in service takes the focus off ourselves and looks for
how we might help others. When we feel grateful, we naturally want
to share ourselves and our good fortune. Then we find that being in
service only increases our gratitude and joy.
--Mary Manin Morrissey
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Father Leo's Daily Meditation
POETRY
"Poetry is the rhythmical
creation of beauty in words."
--Edgar Allan Poe
Language helps us to understand and communicate. Poetry adds the
dimension of "shape" and "movement". Poetry seems to go beyond
words and ideas to the very essence of what life is about; it hints at
divinity!
When I was drinking, I never understood the art of poetry. Today I
use poetry as part of my adventure into meaning and self-knowledge.
So much more is open to me in sobriety, and I am able to appreciate
things I never used to comprehend. Poetry is part of "it gets better".
Help me to seek You through all aspects of art.
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things
there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows,
this he will also reap.
Galatians 6:7
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Daily Inspiration
You can become more peaceful and a more interesting person by having a healthy attitude and accepting your responsibilities. Lord, help me to remember that life is what we make of it.
Take less for granted and you will become very busy enjoying all that you have. Lord, thank you for my blessings and for all those that I am able to share them with.
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NA Just For Today
Write About It!
"We sit down with a notebook, ask for guidance, pick up our pen, and start writing."
Basic Text, p. 29
When we're confused or in pain, our sponsor sometimes tells us to "write about it." Though we may groan as we drag out the notebook, we know that it will help. By laying it all out on paper, we give ourselves the chance to sort through what's bothering us. We know we can get to the bottom of our confusion and find out what's really causing our pain when we put the pen to the paper.
Writing can be rewarding, especially when working through the steps. Many members maintain a daily journal. Simply thinking about the steps, pondering their meaning, and analyzing their effect is not sufficient for most of us. There's something about the physical action of writing that helps to fix the principles of recovery in our minds and hearts.
The rewards we find through the simple action of writing are many. Clarity of thought, keys to locked places inside of us, and the voice of conscience are but a few. Writing helps us be more honest with ourselves. We sit down, quiet our thoughts, and listen to our hearts. What we hear in the stillness are the truths that we put down on paper.
Just for today: One of the ways I can search for truth in recovery is to write. I will write about my recovery today.
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You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
Planning is deciding what to change today so tomorrow will be different from yesterday. --Ichak Adizes
A house is like a lump of clay that can be molded and changed. It can be fixed and shaped, torn down and added to, painted, papered, carpeted, and panelled. We can think about how to change it, find pictures in books, and order plans. We can stock up on supplies, take fix-it classes, and get advice from others. But the house will remain unchanged until we pick up a brush, grab a bucket of paint, and get to work. Only then will we see tomorrow the results of what we did today.
Our plans help us construct a vision of how we'd like the future to be, but only actions will bring these things about. With confidence in the rightness of our desires, we can be assured that God never gives us a dream we can't reach.
What action can I take today to make tomorrow's changes?
You are reading from the book Touchstones.
I learned from them that inspiration does not come like a bolt, nor is it kinetic, energetic striving, but it comes into us slowly and quietly and all the time, though we must regularly and every day give it a little chance to start flowing, prime it with a little solitude and idleness. --Brenda Ueland
We tend to be action-oriented and concerned about showing results in the shortest period of time. Our world has emphasized this outlook, especially for men. Now we are seeking spiritual progress. We are on a journey seeking a relationship with our Higher Power, with ourselves, and with others.
Spiritual progress is made by pushing aside busyness and efficiency. We become receptive to inspiration by allowing empty spaces in our lives, some solitude and idleness. This moment - right now - is one such time. It is not clearly goal-oriented. Rather it is a moment when we reflect on ourselves as recovering men. We become receptive to inspiration, to a deeper wisdom, to that part of life which we do not command.
I will remember today that spiritual progress comes only when I make room for it in my life.
You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
To expect too much is to have a sentimental view of life, and this is a softness that ends in bitterness. --Flannery O'Connor
Having too high expectations is a set-up for disappointment. Expectations that are high lend themselves to a fantasy life, and reality can never match our fantasies. When we get hooked on the fantasies, somehow thinking they are reality, or should be reality, we are vulnerable to the hurt that accompanies the emergence of "the real." Then we feel cheated--bitter: "Why did this have to happen to me?"
Having too high expectations was a familiar feeling before recovery. And it remains familiar to us, even now. Dreams and aspirations aren't wrong. In fact, they beckon us on to better and greater things. But dreams of what we can become through responsible choices are quite different from idle expectations of what will or should be.
Every moment of every day opens the way to my aspirations that enhance reality. I will be open and receptive to reality and its gifts.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Learning New Behaviors
Sometimes well take a few steps backward. That's okay too. Sometimes its necessary. Sometimes its part of going forward. --Codependent No More
Life is a Gentle Teacher. She wants to help us learn.
The lessons she wants to teach us are the ones we need to learn. Some say they are the lessons we chose to learn before we were born. Others say they are the lessons that were chosen for us.
Its frustrating to be in the midst of learning. It is like sitting in algebra class, listening to a teacher explain a subject beyond our comprehension. We do not understand, but the teacher takes the understanding for granted.
It may feel like someone is torturing us with messages that we shall never understand. We strain and strain. We become angry. Frustrated. Confused. Finally, in despair, we turn away, deciding that that formula will never be available to our mind.
Later, while taking a quiet walk, we break through. Quietly, the gift of understanding has reached that deepest place in us. We understand. We have learned. The next day in class, its hard for us to imagine not knowing. It is hard to remember the frustration and confusion of those who have not yet caught on. It seems so easy . . . now.
Life is a Gentle Teacher. She will keep repeating the lesson until we learn. It is okay to become frustrated. Confused. Angry. Sometimes it is okay to despair. Then, it is okay to walk away and allow the breakthrough to come.
It shall.
Help me remember that frustration and confusion usually precede growth. If my situation is challenging me, it is because Im learning something new, rising to a higher level of understanding. Help me be grateful, even in my frustration, that life is an exciting progression of lessons.
Today my trust in the overall and the long run is deep and is growing. When events and people do not act as I would like them to act, I reach deeper inside for my faith and let it comfort me. --Ruth Fishel
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Journey to the Heart
Trust Each Step
Stay present for each step of your journey. We don’t go from one place to another in a gigantic leap. We get there in increments, by going through each feeling, each belief, each experience one step at a time.
Sometimes when we pray for miracles, what we’re really praying for is help in skipping steps, for shortcuts. The simple act of acceptance, of returning to each step of our path, can often bring us the miracle we need. Then we see the truth. The real miracle is one always available to each of us: it’s a miracle of acceptance. We can go where we want to go, one step at a time.
Stay present for each step of your journey. Trust each stage. Many things are possible for you if you accept that the fastest way is one step at a time.
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More language of letting go
Say when it’s too much compassion
Sometimes, it’s easy to step across that line and have too much compassion for the people in our lives. Although compassion is good, too much compassion can cripple the people we’re trying to love. We understand so clearly how they feel that we don’t hold them accountable for themselves. Too much compassion can hurt us,too. We can wind up feeling victimized by and resenting the people we’re experiencing too much compassion toward. We’re so worried about their feelings that we neglect our own.
Too much compassion means we don’t believe in others enough to let them do what they need to do to help themselves. It’s a way of telling them, “You can’t.” You can’t handle your reality. You can’t learn your lessons. You can’t handle the truth, so I’ll treat you like a helpless child.
Too much compassion can leave us prey to victimization and manipulation. We’re so worried about how the other person feels that we neglect to take care of ourselves.
Here are some guidleines about compassion.
. If we’re creating a problem for ourselves to solve someone else’s dilemma, we’ve probably crossed the line.
. If we’re so worried about another person’s pain that we’re neglecting our own emotions, we’re probably over-involved.
. If guilt is the underlying motive for our behavior, maybe what we’re practicing isn’t compassion.
The lesson here isn’t to stop caring about others. Instead we need to respect other people’s right to learn their own lessons.
Too much of anything isn’t a good thing. If we’ve crossed that line into too much compassion, we can step back into the safe zone and use a lighter touch.
God, show me if I’m harming someone in my life– a parent, child, or friend– by smothering that person with too much compassion.
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Family Ceremonies
Creating Connections while Apart by Madisyn Taylor
Create a ceremony around nature to connect with loved ones that are far away.
Life’s journeys may sometimes take us away from our families and friends, but there are many ways to stay connected. Aside from making use of the technology available—speaking on the phone or seeing each other from across cyberspace—we can create simple ceremonies using nature and our own thoughts to connect our hearts across the miles.
The first step in creating your ceremony is to look to nature for similarities in the different surroundings. The second step is agreeing upon something that is meaningful to all involved. If your mother loves birds, then perhaps each time you hear a bird chirp, you can think of her and mentally send love. You may choose the sight of a butterfly, the feel of a breeze or raindrops, or the scent of flowers to remind you of a special someone. The pink glow of sunset might be your favorite time to send a thought, or perhaps the warming oranges of sunrise. We can all see the sun, the moon, and an array of twinkling stars when we look to the skies. The monthly full moon may be your time to connect with your loved ones, or the first star you see each night, knowing that they, too, are gazing into the night sky and sending love. You could choose a day that you would usually celebrate together, such as a holiday or a solstice. If you once shared Sunday brunches in the garden, you can! each seek out a garden on Sundays. Or you can choose a specific time and account for the time difference in order to connect by heart and mind at exactly the same moment.
With practice, we may learn to recognize the feeling that comes when a loved one sends energy our way, and the feeling of soul-to-soul communication. In this case, distance may indeed make our connections stronger. There is certainly much to make us think of our close friends and loved ones often, but when we decide upon a reminder together, we create a simple ceremony of connection that defies any distance. Published with permission from Daily OM
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A Day At A Time
Reflection For The Day
“Perfect courage,” wrote La Rochefoucauld, “means doing witnessed what we would be capable of with the world looking on.” As we grow in The Program, we recognize persistent fear for what it is, and we become able to handle it. We begin to see each adversity as a God-given opportunity to develop the kind of courage which is born of humility, rather than of bravado. Do I realize that whistling to keep up my courage is merely good practice for whistling?
Today I Pray
May I find courage in my Higher Power. Since all things are possible through Him, I must be able to overcome the insidious fears that haunt me — so often fears of losing someone or some thing that has become important in my life. I pray for my own willingness to let go of those fears.
Today I Will Remember
Praying is more than whistling in the dark.
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One More Day
The dark, uneasy world of family life — where the greatest can fail and the humblest succeed.
– Randall Jarrell
We carry so much emotional baggage from childhood into our adult lives. The sum total of all our experiences forms our personalities and , in the very essence of our being, our spiritual selves. Less often do the wonderful memories, the happier times, spring forward in our minds. The bad feelings, the sad memories, the hard times — these are what we may remember the most.
Who we came from, what we came from, shouldn’t define all that we can be as adults. There may come a time when regardless of our past experiences, we can acknowledge them, put them aside, and move on with our lives.
I can put aside my past by facing my future with hope and promise. I am looking for progress, not perfection.
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Food For Thought
Self-Pity
"Poor little ol' me." The PLOMS. How often do we succumb to this temptation? Usually it's an excuse for not doing what we know we should do, but do not want to do. Or it's a way to manipulate someone else into doing something for us, which we should be doing ourselves. If we spend our time moaning and groaning about how unfairly life is treating us, we do not have much chance of discovering the plan which our Higher Power has for us, nor are we able to carry out His will.
Trite as it may sound, the cure for self-pity is to think about those who are less fortunate and start counting our blessings. Taking some action, doing some small thing for someone else, perhaps a phone call - these are constructive steps to take us off the "pity pot."
When we begin to feel sorry for ourselves because we must follow a food plan and may not eat spontaneously, let's remember where we came from and what things were like before we found OA.
I don't need self-pity.
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One Day At A Time
OPEN MINDEDNESS
Let go of your attachment to being right,
and suddenly your mind is more open.
You're able to benefit from the unique viewpoints of others,
without being crippled by your own judgment.
Ralph Marston
Before joining this program much of my life was taken up with defending myself against those who would hurl abuse. I kept everything and everybody at arm's length in a bid to protect my increasingly fragile and sensitive self-assurance. As time marched on, and my disease became parasitical, the walls around me grew higher and isolation drew me inwards.
Ironically, the fortress I was building didn’t protect me from myself and I soon became my own worst enemy. My self-loathing and my unceasing search for perfection led me deeper into a self-induced state of depression. Keeping everybody out and locking myself in became an exhausting exercise.
On entering the 12 Step program I soon realized that the fortress I had so carefully built to protect myself against the outside world was also preventing any kind of light, warmth and love from entering in.
As my journey of recovery progressed, brick by brick the walls came down and afforded me the nourishment I needed to blossom and grow. In learning to accept myself, I found that what others thought of me paled into insignificance. I learned that there was a wealth of experience, strength and hope which would help me along the journey. I learned that I could take what I needed and put down the remainder, without the resentment, anger, fear or pain, which previously would have sent me running for cover.
One Day at a Time . . .
I aim to be willing to keep my mind open, to accept what I need to continue my journey, and to leave the rest.
~ Sue G ~
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AA 'Big Book' - Quote
The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences* which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God's universe. - Pg. 25 - There Is A Solution
Hour To Hour - Book - Quote
This is a 'We' program, not a 'Me' program. We do this together. Look at our steps. They all say 'We admitted' or 'We came to believe.' Doing it together makes us stronger and less likely to fool ourselves with dysfunctional ways of thinking.
Let me know that I am no longer alone and need never be alone again.
Healing Light
I am surrounding myself with healing light. I am inviting a warm, yellow/white light to surround me. I breathe it in deeply into all parts of me and I breathe out any lingering fear or darkness. Healing energy is quietly pulsing in and around me, imbuing me with a feeling of well being. I allow this energy to fill each pore of my body. This healing energy has its own intelligence and I become one with it and direct it towards those parts of me that need healing. I rest in this vibrating yellow-white light and let it fill me, surround me and make me well. Even the act of allowing this lifts me up.
I am filled with healing energy
- Tian Dayton PhD
Pocket Sponsor - Book - Quote
Few of us realize that God is all we need until God is all we have.
If I can't find God, I know who moved.
"Walk Softly and Carry a Big Book" - Book
Rather than getting even with those that hurt you, the challenge is to get even with those that help you.
Time for Joy - Book - Quote
Today I am letting a power greater than myself remove all my fear. I am now free to look within for my answers.
Alkiespeak - Book - Quote
My sponsor said; 'OK, the only way to disprove a belief system is to adopt it. You can't stand outside the experience and say it doesn't work. So, for six months, live this program, really live it. And a t the end of that time if you say: 'It doesn't work, my life's still in the toilet.' Then I'll be happy to say; 'You're absolutely right, for you it doesn't work, bon voyage.' And I've tried that with a lot of guys and there's no way you can do that and say AA doesn't work - Because it does. - John L.
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AA Thought for the Day
May 9
Surrender
On the face of it, surrendering certainly doesn't sound like winning.
But it is in AA. . .
We must, and we do, surrender to win.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, pp. 155-156
Thought to Ponder . . .
Avoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
K I S S = Keep It Simple; Surrender.
~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
Anonymity
"We have denied ourselves personal government,
professionalism, and the right to say
who our members shall be.
We have abandoned do-goodism,
reform, and paternalism.
We refuse charitable money and prefer
to pay our own way.
We will cooperate with practically everybody,
yet we decline to marry our Society to anyone.
We abstain from public controversy and will not
quarrel among ourselves about
those things that so rip society asunder--
religion, politics, and reform.
We have but one purpose;
to carry the AA message
to the sick alcoholic who wants it."
Bill W., The Language of the Heart, p. 211
Thought to Consider . . .
AA is not something you join, it's a way of life.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
ANONYMOUS
Actions Not Our Names Yield Maintenance Of Unity & Service
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Psychology
From "Medicine Looks at Alcoholics Anonymous":":
"As excuse-makers and rationalizers, we drunks are champions. It is the business of the psychiatrist to get behind our
excuses and to find the deeper causes for our conduct. Though uninstructed in psychiatry, we can, after a little time in
A.A., see that our motives have not been what we thought they were and that we have been motivated by forces
unknown to us. Therefore we ought to look with the deepest respect, interest, and profit upon the findings of psychiatry,
remembering that up to now the psychiatrists have been far more tolerant of us than we have been of them. "Bill W."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 236
*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"How will I know if I've really hit my bottom?' I asked at my home group. 'When you stop digging,' they told me."
Chelsea, Mich., November 2002
"The Foundation,"
In Our Own Words
~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*
"Faith without works was dead, he said. And how appallingly true for
the alcoholic! For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his
spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could
not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. If he did not
work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely
die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 14~
"It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to
futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit
these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~
Then he asked for the grace to bring love, forgiveness, harmony, truth, faith, hope, light, and joy to every human being he could.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 101
Misc. AA Literature - Quote
The Way of Strength
We need not apologize to anyone for depending upon the Creator. We have good reason to disbelieve those who think
spirituality is the way of weakness. For us, it is the way of strength.
The verdict of the ages is that men of faith seldom lack courage. They trust their God. So we never apologize for our
belief in Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 68
Prayer For The Day: Dear Father, life seems so hard at times and I can hardly get through. I close my eyes and hand you my troubles for I know you can do much better than I. Thank you Lord for your blessings and kindness.
Ask and you shall receive,
Seek and ye shall find,
Knock and it shall be opened unto you.
Matthew 7:7