bluidkiti
06-09-2023, 07:40 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.
June 10
Daily Reflections
IMPATIENT? TRY LEVITATING
We reacted more strongly to frustrations than normal people.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 111
Impatience with other people is one of my principal failings.
Following a slow car in a no-passing lane, or waiting in a
restaurant for the check, drives me to distraction. Before I
give God a chance to slow me down, I explode, and that's what
I call being quicker than God. That repeated experience gave
me an idea. I thought if I could look down on these events
from God's point of view, I might better control my feelings
and behavior. I tried it and when I encountered the next slow
driver, I levitated and looked down on the other car and upon
myself. I saw an elderly couple driving along, happily chatting
about their grandchildren. They were followed by me--bug eyed
and red of face--who had no time schedule to meet anyway. I
looked so silly that I dropped back into reality and slowed down.
Seeing things from God's angle of vision can be very relaxing.
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Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought For The Day
If we have had some moral, religious, or spiritual training,
we're better prospects for A.A. When we reach the bottom, at
this crucial moment when we're thoroughly licked, we turn
instinctively to whatever decency is left in us. We call upon
whatever reserves of morality and faith are left down deep in
our heart. Have I had this spiritual experience?
Meditation For The Day
The world wonders when it sees a person who can unexpectedly
draw large and unsuspected sums from the bank for some emergency.
But what the world has not seen are the countless small sums paid
into that bank, earned by faithful work over a long time. And so
is the bank of the spirit. The world sees the person of faith
make a demand on God's stores of power and the demand is met.
The world does not see what that person has been putting in, in
thanks and praise, in prayer and communion, in small good deeds
done faithfully, steadily over the years.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may keep making deposits in God's bank. I pray that
in my hour of need, I may call upon these.
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As Bill Sees It
Whose Inventory?, p. 161
We do not relate intimate experiences of another member unless we are sure he would
approve. We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may
criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule
aimed at someone else often produces the contrary effect.
<< << << >> >> >>
A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by
this means are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way.
More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing
self-survey and criticism.
1. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 125
2. 12 & 12, p. 88
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Walk in Dry Places
Expecting quick results
Acceptance
Most human progress comes slowly, though we see exciting breakthroughs at various times. The same is true in the lives of individuals. Though a few people do make exciting leaps forward, most of us must be content with gradual, steady improvements.
Our problem as compulsive people is in wanting quick results all the time. In fact, one of the things that reinforced our addition was the continuous need for a quick fix. We saw life as something that should be taken in frantic gulps. When a sudden break or advantage appeared, it never really satisfied us. There was always the hunger for more.
We can find real satisfaction, however, in accepting progress in small stages. If we are having small gains here and there, we are on the road to improvement. A surprising amount can be accomplished when we are moving continuously ahead, one small step at a time.
The old fable of the tortoise and the hare still applies in human affairs. If we continue to move ahead, even at a slow speed, we will reach our goals.
I'll be content today with whatever progress I can make. If I'm expecting too many quick results, I might be setting myself up for disappointment.
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Keep It Simple
Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.---Clementine Pappleford
At meetings, we meet people who have what we want. Our old way is to think these people are better or luckier than us. Our old way is to wish we were like them. But our program tells us how to work to change, not just wish for it. There is a big difference!
There are many ways to work for recovery. We practice the Steps. We attend meetings, and we help out at meetings. We welcome new members. We call our sponsor often. And we sponsor others when we're ready. It takes more than a wishbone. It takes courage and hard work, with the help of our Higher Power.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me know that wishing is lost energy. I must work at recovery. As I do today's work, guide me.
Action for the Day: Today, I'll do an extra bit of work on my recovery. I'll call a group member. I'll read. I'll spend extra time in prayer and meditation.
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Each Day a New Beginning
When we start at the center of ourselves, we discover something worthwhile extending toward the periphery of the circle. We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here, some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth. --G. F. Sear
Perhaps we have feared discovering our center; perhaps we have feared finding nothing there. The struggle to believe in ourselves, to know we have an important part to play in the circle of life, the circle encompassing all life, is a hard-fought struggle for many of us. But we are learning. We are finding treasures within ourselves. Others are helping us to find those treasures. Sharing special moments in time with loved ones and ones we are learning to love reveals many treasures.
All we have is here--now--us. We are all we ever need to be--here and now. We are, at every moment, what we need to be if only we'd trust revealing our true selves, our centers, to one another. Our centers each need that of another.
This program needs each of us for what we add to it. The worthiness of the program, of the whole circle, is enhanced by the inclusion of our centers.
I will share my center today with you.
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition
The Doctor's Opinion
When I need a mental uplift, I often think of another case brought in by a physician prominent in New York. The patient had made his own diagnosis, and deciding his situation hopeless, had hidden in a deserted barn determined to die. He was rescued by a searching party, and, in desperate condition, brought to me. Following his physical rehabilitation, he had a talk with me in which he frankly stated he thought the treatment a waste of effort, unless I could assure him, which no one ever had, that in the future he would have the “will power’’ to resist the impulse to drink.
His alcoholic problem was so complex, and his depression so great, that we felt his only hope would be through what we then called “moral psychology,’’ and we doubted if even that would have any effect.
However, he did become “sold’’ on the ideas contained in this book. He has not had a drink for a great many years. I see him now and then and he is as fine a specimen of manhood as one could wish to meet.
I earnestly advise every alcoholic to read this book through, and though perhaps he came to scoff, he may remain to pray.
William D. Silkworth, M.D.
pp. xxxi-xxxii
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Stories
A LATE START - "It's been ten years since I retired, seven years since I joined A.A. Now I can truly say that I am a grateful alcoholic.
I was twenty when a I had my first drink, and although I liked the taste, I didn't like the way it made me feel. I didn't drink again until I was in my early thirties and thought it made me seem cool and sophisticated. During these early years, a couple of drinks were enough, and I often nursed one Scotch on the rocks for a full evening. When I was thirty-five, my twelve year old son was diagnosed with an incurable cancer and within a few months my husband demanded a divorce. For the following five years while my son lived, I seldom drank and never drank alone. Agony, fear, hurt, and exhaustion did not make me a drunk. Happiness opened that door much, much later.
p. 536
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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Tradition Three - "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."
A newcomer appeared at one of these groups, knocked on the door and asked to be let in. He talked frankly with that group's oldest member. He soon proved that his was a desperate case, and that above all he wanted to get well. "But," he asked, "will you let me join your group? Since I am the victim of another addiction even worse stigmatized than alcoholism, you may not want me among you. Or will you?"
There was the dilemma. What should the group do? The oldest member summoned two others, and in confidence laid the explosive facts in their laps. Said he, "Well, what about it? If we turn this man away, he'll soon die. If we allow him in, only god knows what trouble he'll brew. What shall the answer be - yes or no?"
pp. 141-142
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The quieter we become, the more we hear.
--unknown
There are glimpses of heaven in every act, or thought, or word that
raises us above ourselves.
--Arthur Stanley
When everything seems to go wrong, just P.U.S.H.!
When the job gets you down, just P.U.S.H.!
When people don't react the way you think they should, just P.U.S.H.!
When your money looks funny and the bills are due, just P.U.S.H.!
When you want to give up because it looks hopeless, just P.U.S.H.!
P.U.S.H - Pray Until Something Happens!!!!!
--Randy Walker
"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how
good things really are."
--Marianne Williamson
"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all;
but whatever I have placed in Gods hands, that I still possess."
--Martin Luther
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Father Leo's Daily Meditation
LAUGHTER
"God cannot be solemn, or he
would not have blessed man
with the incalculable gift of
laughter."
--Sydney Harris
I think the way to understand God is to begin to understand man!
Sometimes we forget that we bear the "image" of God - and this is
not so much physical as emotional, our inner selves, the soul. So much
of what I feel, what hurts me, what causes me distress and pain I
believe also affects God. Also the gifts, the creative intelligence and
spiritual sacrifice that has characterized so many people in history
reflects something of God. Involved in this is "laughter". I believe that
laughter is derived from God and is part of the spiritual gift He has
bequeathed to every one of us: we need only discover it.
"Let go - and let God." Sometimes we need to get out of our own way
so that we can begin to laugh.
You gave the gift of laughter to be used. May it be used in the precious
art of healing.
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"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
Proverbs 15:1
The joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10
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Daily Inspiration
It is not as significant to have a good life, but rather to do good things with your life. Lord, I am grateful for the talents with which You have blessed me and I pray that they will not go unused.
Gossip betrays trust. The harm done is often irreparable. Lord, may I never be responsible for hurting anyone through my conversations.
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NA Just For Today
Changing Motives
"When we finally get our own selfish motives out of the way, we begin to find a peace that we never imagined possible."
Basic Text, p. 44
As we examine our beliefs, our actions, and our motives in recovery, we'll find that sometimes we do things for the wrong reasons. In our early recovery, we may have spent a great deal of money and time on people, wanting only for them to like us. Later on, we may find that we still spend money on people, but our motives have changed. We do it because we like them. Or perhaps we used to get romantically involved because we felt hollow inside and were seeking fulfillment through another person. Now our reasons for romantic involvement are based in a desire to share our already rewarding lives with an equal partner. Maybe we used to work the steps because we were afraid we'd relapse if we didn't. Today we work the steps because we want to grow spiritually.
We have a new purpose in life today, and our changing motives reflect that. We have so much more to offer than our neediness and insecurities. We have developed a wholesomeness of spirit and a peace of mind that moves our recovery into a new realm. We extend our love and share our recovery with complete generosity, and the difference we make is the legacy we leave to those who have yet to join us.
Just for today: In recovery, my motives have changed. I want to do things for the right reason, not just for my personal benefit. Today, I will examine my motives.
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You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
Whoever I am or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach. --John W.Gardner
It's easy to forget how important we each are -- to our parents, to other family members, to our friends. We are in this world, even in our particular family, because we are important and necessary in the lives of others. It's easy to feel not so important though, especially when we think we're not good enough at anything we try. School or work comes easy for some. Maybe not us. Athletics come easy to others. May it's helping around the house that's easiest. Each of us is very good at some things. And it's okay to not be good at everything.
How can I show my talent today?
You are reading from the book Touchstones.
We learn more by seeing someone play good tennis than by reading a book about how to play good tennis. --W. Timothy Gallwey
In our program we learn from each other. Most of us would rather have thought our problems through on our own or read about them without having to ask for help. Recovery requires us to break this old habit. We can no longer say at a meeting, "I had some problems this week, but I've worked them out now" or "I know what I have to do." The change for us is to ask for help from other men in this program. We need to say, "What do you think about my problem?" or "Would you be willing to talk to me for a while?"
Having a sponsor is an important way of getting to know how another man applies his program to his life. We need to select a sponsor we admire, who has learned the Steps well and who truly lives them. Then we need to spend time with our sponsor outside of meetings, perhaps while drinking a cup of coffee or going for a walk. By associating with others who are diligent about recovery, we will learn more than we could any other way.
Today, I will make personal contact with others in this program.
You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
When we start at the center of ourselves, we discover something worthwhile extending toward the periphery of the circle. We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here, some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth. --G. F. Sear
Perhaps we have feared discovering our center; perhaps we have feared finding nothing there. The struggle to believe in ourselves, to know we have an important part to play in the circle of life, the circle encompassing all life, is a hard-fought struggle for many of us. But we are learning. We are finding treasures within ourselves. Others are helping us to find those treasures. Sharing special moments in time with loved ones and ones we are learning to love reveals many treasures.
All we have is here--now--us. We are all we ever need to be--here and now. We are, at every moment, what we need to be if only we'd trust revealing our true selves, our centers, to one another. Our centers each need that of another.
This program needs each of us for what we add to it. The worthiness of the program, of the whole circle, is enhanced by the inclusion of our centers.
I will share my center today with you.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Responsibility
Self care means taking responsibility for ourselves. Taking responsibility for ourselves includes assuming our true responsibilities to others.
Sometimes, when we begin recovery, we're worn down from feeling responsible for so many other people. Learning that we need only take responsibility for ourselves may be such a great relief that, for a time, we disown our responsibilities to others.
The goal in recovery is to find the balance: we take responsibility for ourselves, and we identify our true responsibilities to others.
This may take some sorting through, especially if we have functioned for years on distorted notions about our responsibilities to others. We may be responsible to one person as a friend or as an employee; to another person, we're responsible as an employer or as a spouse. With each person, we have certain responsibilities. When we tend to those true responsibilities, we'll find balance in our life.
We are also learning that while others aren't responsible for us, they are accountable to us in certain ways.
We can learn to discern our true responsibilities for ourselves, and to others. We can allow others to be responsible for themselves and expect them to be appropriately responsible to us.
We'll need to be gentle with ourselves while we learn.
Today, I will strive for clear thinking about my actual responsibilities to others. I will assume these responsibilities as part of taking care of myself.
Today my heart brings me to new places of giving and sharing that I have not yet experienced. I am a friend today and get great satisfaction when I put the needs of others first because I want to, not because I think I have to do so. --Ruth Fishel
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Journey To The Heart
Enjoy Summer
Learn to enjoy summer, that wonderful warm time when everything is in full bloom.
Summer isn’t forever, but don’t ruin it by fussing. Forget about the winter just past, the autumn that lies ahead. Immerse yourself in the good times, the fullness of summertime.
We may have gotten so used to the other times, the colder times, that we’ve forgotten how to enjoy the sun, the warmth, the play times. The good times. Each moment of our lives is important. Each moment of our lives is a spiritual experience. To live fully in joy, we need to learn to enjoy the good times as well as weather the storms. Most of us are proficient at hunkering down and getting through the winters of our lives. Now it’s time to learn something different.
Take off your heavy wrap. Grab your straw hat and go bask in the sun. Tomorrow’s lessons will take care of themselves.
Today the lesson is learning to enjoy summer.
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More Language Of Letting Go
Let go of guilt
Guilt is a rock. It lies in the pit of our stomachs and keeps us awake at night. All of our muscles work overtime just to carry it around, and yet we still hold on to it.
Yesterday, you stumbled. That was yesterday. But you also righted your wrong and vowed to do better today. So why are you still carrying that guilt around with you?
If you’re in recovery, you probably did some terrible things before you got sober. How can you ever move on? But you got sober. You made amends. What happened yesterday belongs to yesterday. Today, you can let go of your guilt and relax in the peace that comes from walking a path with heart.
Have you made a list of people you have harmed and made amends to them, as suggested in the Eighth and Ninth Steps of the Twelve Step programs? That’s an excellent way to begin clearing and releasing guilt. If you’re not in a Twelve Step program, there are other options. Most religions offer rituals to clear guilt. Sometimes, we’ve taken all these steps and we still feel guilty. What’s wrong? We’re hanging on to our guilt, and we’re being hard on ourselves.
You will find it easier to relax and flow through the experiences of your life if you let go of the weight of yesterday’s guilt.
God, today I give you all of the guilt from my past. Take it from me, and allow me to begin fresh right now. Help me make the amends I need to make, then let my guilt go.
Activity: If you’ve taken steps to make amends and clear away your legitimate guilt, and your guilt is still haunting your every move, try this: First thing in the morning and last thing in the evening, look in your mirror. Look yourself in the eye. Then say out loud seven times, “I now release all my guilt, earned and unearned.” Try this for a week. See if your guilt doesn’t disappear.
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Meeting of the Minds
Fragments of the Self by Madisyn Taylor
We all have many fragments of self which need attention to help make our whole selves better.
Sometimes it feels as if we have many different people living inside of us, expressing themselves in voices that seem distinct from one another. There is the inner child with its wants and needs, the angry voice that expresses its opinion and probably several more as well. With all these different parts of ourselves express differing desires and needs and opinions, we may begin to feel as if we have no clarity. It is difficult to know which voices to pay attention to and which ones to ignore or dismiss. Even if we manage to move forward amidst the confusion, doubts and concerns may linger in our psyches simply because they have not been fully expressed and examined. As a result, we may have trouble being at peace with the decisions we do make.
One way to handle this dilemma is to consciously make time for a meeting of the minds within our psyche. This can be done as a guided meditation or as a journaling exercise. In both we can summon the many fragments that make up the whole of who we are and give them each a chance to speak. This can be a helpful tool in the face of a decision we need to make, and it can also be a fruitful path to take in the interest of self-exploration and self-care. When we gather the many fragments of our psyche together, the health and power of the whole is greatly increased.
We can imagine a roundtable in which we gather all the various representatives of our being, allowing them to name themselves and giving them a chance to speak. We allow each one to weigh in, fully expressing the perspective they represent, and we listen without comment. As we listen, we may be amazed at the wisdom and energy stored in these fragments of our self. This gathering brings the fragmented pieces of our psyche into a closer relationship, enabling us to move forward as a unified whole. Published with permission from Daily OM
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A Day At A Time
Reflection For The Day
When I least expect it, my keen addictive mind will try to divert me back toward my old ideas and old ways. My mind is expert, in fact, at planting and nourishing negative feelings within me — feeling such as envy, fear, anxiety, or guilt. The minute I spot any of these poisonous feelings rising up, I have to deal with them. If not, the more I think about them, the stronger they’ll get; the stronger they get, the more I’ll think about them — to the point of obsession. When negative feelings arise, do I “name the, claim them, an dump them…”?
Today I Pray
I should know — and may I please never forget — that a sure way to let my feelings get the best of me is to pretend they aren’t there. Like spoiled offspring, they act up when they are ignored. But also like when they are ignored. But also like offspring’s, they are here, they are mine and I am responsible for them. May I learn to pay attention to my feelings, even if sometimes I would rather make-believe they didn’t belong to me.
Today I Will Remember
Name them, claim them, dump them.
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One More Day
Pain is hard to bear….
But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away.
– Theodore Tilton
When emotional or physical pain becomes unbearable, the duration of each day seems longer than twenty-four hours. Any movement is intolerable; any attempt to begin the day is met with the shrilling objections of the voice of pain.
It is at this exact moment, each time it occurs, that we are tempted to give up the fight and become invalids. Then something prods us to try just one more time — just one more day. And so we struggle, and we are amazed to discover that we have successfully met and conquered another sunrise and another sunset. The strength to go on was there all the time, deep within us.
When my pain becomes greater than i can ever remember, I must draw on my inner resources to keep going.
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Food For Thought
Procrastination
This is a particularly dangerous habit for compulsive overeaters, since when we put off unpleasant or difficult tasks, we may revert back to our old escape route - eating. The result is that the unpleasant situation is still with us, and we are less able to deal with it. The longer we procrastinate, the larger the difficulty looms. Even small responsibilities left undone weaken our self-respect.
Often we procrastinate because of fear that we are inadequate for the job to be done. Sometimes we are simply rebelling against doing something we do not want to do. If we are taking a daily inventory, we will examine our motives and use the subsequent self-knowledge for constructive action.
Whatever it is that we are putting off, it will rarely become easier to do later. This is especially true if we are procrastinating about our abstinence! The time is now.
Since today is all I have, may I use it wisely.
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One Day At A Time
GROWTH
"You will either step forward into growth,
or you will step back into safety."
Abraham Maslow
In my early years in program, one of my sponsors told me, "You're in a very well-decorated rut. You even have wall-to-wall carpeting and curtains in it." As I continued trudging my road to happy destiny, her words would crop up in my head any time I got "stuck." I could see how far I had come each time, so I persevered and kept turning my fear into faith. As I continued to work the steps, I was led to new levels of recovery.
One day at a time...
I put one foot in front of the other, keep taking the next right action and continue working the steps. I live the promises of the program. Safety or growth? My choice is clear.
~ Rory
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AA 'Big Book' - Quote
I earnestly advise every alcoholic to read this book through, and though perhaps he came to scoff, he may remain to pray.
William D. Silkworth, M.D. - Pg. xxxii - 4th. Edition - The Doctor's Opinion
Hour To Hour - Book - Quote
Many times we thought we used chemicals because we were unhappy, but coming to this program, we discovered that using too many chemicals is what made us unhappy. Now is the time to break the old unhappy pattern.
This hour, I am beginning the new clean and sober pattern of my life.
Suffering
Today, I will not hide my pain and suffering from myself or from my Higher Power. When I bring my most honest and pure self to the fore and understand my essential powerlessness over situations, when I am truly willing to turn over this angst to a power greater than myself, something changes. I let go and create space for a shift in perception. I experience a quiet awakening in my life, and forces that did not have room to enter are coming in to heal me. It is in letting go that I have a chance of achieving what I desire in my life. Holding on pushes away what I want, while releasing lets it all have enough breathing room so it can stay alive.
I open my heart to my Higher Power.
- Tian Dayton PhD
' Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody... I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.... We must find each other. '
- Mother Teresa
Pocket Sponsor - Book - Quote
Many problems will be averted with a very simple code for behavior. This is called 'kindness.' Kindness is more then politeness; it means a warm concern for the other person's feelings.
I let my kindness be a gift to another and the tag reads, 'Please handle with tender loving care.'
"Walk Softly and Carry a Big Book" - Book
Live today as you want to remember your life.
Time for Joy - Book - Quote
Today my heart brings me to new places of giving and sharing that I have not yet experienced. I am a friend today and get great satisfaction when I put the needs of others first because I want to, not because I think I have to do so.
Alkiespeak - Book - Quote
We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated There is but one course to pursue; We must accept the situation. - Robert E Lee.
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AA Thought for the Day
June 10
Action
In shame and despair, I went to my first AA meeting.
By some minor miracle, I was able to suspend opinion, analysis, judgment, and criticism,
and instead to listen and hear.
I heard someone say that AA works for those who work for it,
those who put action into the program. . .
I heard that I should forget about yesterday and instead concentrate on today
and staying away from the first drink today -- now. I tried it and it worked.
- Came To Believe. . ., p. 42
Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.
~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
Anger
"Then the miracle happened - to me!
It isn't always so sudden with everyone,
but I ran into a personal crisis which filled me
with a raging and righteous anger.
And as I fumed helplessly and planned
to get good and drunk and show them,
my eye caught a sentence to
the book lying open on my bed.
'We cannot live with anger.'
The walls crumpled - and the light streamed in.
I wasn't trapped. I wasn't helpless.
I was free, and I didn't have to drink to 'show them.'
This wasn't 'religion' - this was freedom!
Freedom from anger and fear,
freedom to know happiness and love."
1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 228
Thought to Consider ...
Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes
the light of reason.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
NUTS Not Using The Steps?
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Beginning
from: "Two alcoholics meet"
"'I have placed both operation and myself in God's hands. I'm going to do what it takes to get sober and stay that way.'
"Just before they stopped [at the hospital, where Dr. Bob was to perform surgery], Bill, who also had his practical side,
gave him a bottle of beer...The bottle of beer Bill gave him that morning was the last drink he [Dr. Bob] ever had.
"Although arguments have been and will be made for other significant occasions in A.A. history, it is generally agreed
that Alcoholics Anonymous began there, in Akron, on that date: June 10, 1935."
1980, Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers, pages 74-75
*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Alone in the town, I was scared to death of getting drunk. I was no longer a teacher or a preacher, I was an alcoholic
who knew that he needed another alcoholic, as much as that one could possibly need me. Driven by that urge, I was
soon face to face with Dr. Bob."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., July 1965
"A Fragment of History: Origin of the Twelve Steps"
The Language of the Heart
~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*
"We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from
it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will
find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new
attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or
effort on our part. It just comes!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84~
"Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get
well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in
God and clean house."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 98~
During this process of learning more about humility, the most profound result of all was the change in our attitude toward God.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 75
Misc. AA Literature - Quote
We do not relate intimate experiences of another member unless we are sure he would approve. We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule aimed at someone else produces the contrary effect.
A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by this means are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way. More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism.
Prayer For The Day: Lord, lead me to look for the positive in all people and in all situations. May I help bring light to those in darkness, and encouragement to those who feel unhappy. May I show as much care for others as I would like them to show for me. Amen.
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.
June 10
Daily Reflections
IMPATIENT? TRY LEVITATING
We reacted more strongly to frustrations than normal people.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 111
Impatience with other people is one of my principal failings.
Following a slow car in a no-passing lane, or waiting in a
restaurant for the check, drives me to distraction. Before I
give God a chance to slow me down, I explode, and that's what
I call being quicker than God. That repeated experience gave
me an idea. I thought if I could look down on these events
from God's point of view, I might better control my feelings
and behavior. I tried it and when I encountered the next slow
driver, I levitated and looked down on the other car and upon
myself. I saw an elderly couple driving along, happily chatting
about their grandchildren. They were followed by me--bug eyed
and red of face--who had no time schedule to meet anyway. I
looked so silly that I dropped back into reality and slowed down.
Seeing things from God's angle of vision can be very relaxing.
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Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought For The Day
If we have had some moral, religious, or spiritual training,
we're better prospects for A.A. When we reach the bottom, at
this crucial moment when we're thoroughly licked, we turn
instinctively to whatever decency is left in us. We call upon
whatever reserves of morality and faith are left down deep in
our heart. Have I had this spiritual experience?
Meditation For The Day
The world wonders when it sees a person who can unexpectedly
draw large and unsuspected sums from the bank for some emergency.
But what the world has not seen are the countless small sums paid
into that bank, earned by faithful work over a long time. And so
is the bank of the spirit. The world sees the person of faith
make a demand on God's stores of power and the demand is met.
The world does not see what that person has been putting in, in
thanks and praise, in prayer and communion, in small good deeds
done faithfully, steadily over the years.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may keep making deposits in God's bank. I pray that
in my hour of need, I may call upon these.
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As Bill Sees It
Whose Inventory?, p. 161
We do not relate intimate experiences of another member unless we are sure he would
approve. We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may
criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule
aimed at someone else often produces the contrary effect.
<< << << >> >> >>
A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by
this means are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way.
More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing
self-survey and criticism.
1. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 125
2. 12 & 12, p. 88
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Walk in Dry Places
Expecting quick results
Acceptance
Most human progress comes slowly, though we see exciting breakthroughs at various times. The same is true in the lives of individuals. Though a few people do make exciting leaps forward, most of us must be content with gradual, steady improvements.
Our problem as compulsive people is in wanting quick results all the time. In fact, one of the things that reinforced our addition was the continuous need for a quick fix. We saw life as something that should be taken in frantic gulps. When a sudden break or advantage appeared, it never really satisfied us. There was always the hunger for more.
We can find real satisfaction, however, in accepting progress in small stages. If we are having small gains here and there, we are on the road to improvement. A surprising amount can be accomplished when we are moving continuously ahead, one small step at a time.
The old fable of the tortoise and the hare still applies in human affairs. If we continue to move ahead, even at a slow speed, we will reach our goals.
I'll be content today with whatever progress I can make. If I'm expecting too many quick results, I might be setting myself up for disappointment.
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Keep It Simple
Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.---Clementine Pappleford
At meetings, we meet people who have what we want. Our old way is to think these people are better or luckier than us. Our old way is to wish we were like them. But our program tells us how to work to change, not just wish for it. There is a big difference!
There are many ways to work for recovery. We practice the Steps. We attend meetings, and we help out at meetings. We welcome new members. We call our sponsor often. And we sponsor others when we're ready. It takes more than a wishbone. It takes courage and hard work, with the help of our Higher Power.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me know that wishing is lost energy. I must work at recovery. As I do today's work, guide me.
Action for the Day: Today, I'll do an extra bit of work on my recovery. I'll call a group member. I'll read. I'll spend extra time in prayer and meditation.
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Each Day a New Beginning
When we start at the center of ourselves, we discover something worthwhile extending toward the periphery of the circle. We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here, some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth. --G. F. Sear
Perhaps we have feared discovering our center; perhaps we have feared finding nothing there. The struggle to believe in ourselves, to know we have an important part to play in the circle of life, the circle encompassing all life, is a hard-fought struggle for many of us. But we are learning. We are finding treasures within ourselves. Others are helping us to find those treasures. Sharing special moments in time with loved ones and ones we are learning to love reveals many treasures.
All we have is here--now--us. We are all we ever need to be--here and now. We are, at every moment, what we need to be if only we'd trust revealing our true selves, our centers, to one another. Our centers each need that of another.
This program needs each of us for what we add to it. The worthiness of the program, of the whole circle, is enhanced by the inclusion of our centers.
I will share my center today with you.
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition
The Doctor's Opinion
When I need a mental uplift, I often think of another case brought in by a physician prominent in New York. The patient had made his own diagnosis, and deciding his situation hopeless, had hidden in a deserted barn determined to die. He was rescued by a searching party, and, in desperate condition, brought to me. Following his physical rehabilitation, he had a talk with me in which he frankly stated he thought the treatment a waste of effort, unless I could assure him, which no one ever had, that in the future he would have the “will power’’ to resist the impulse to drink.
His alcoholic problem was so complex, and his depression so great, that we felt his only hope would be through what we then called “moral psychology,’’ and we doubted if even that would have any effect.
However, he did become “sold’’ on the ideas contained in this book. He has not had a drink for a great many years. I see him now and then and he is as fine a specimen of manhood as one could wish to meet.
I earnestly advise every alcoholic to read this book through, and though perhaps he came to scoff, he may remain to pray.
William D. Silkworth, M.D.
pp. xxxi-xxxii
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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Stories
A LATE START - "It's been ten years since I retired, seven years since I joined A.A. Now I can truly say that I am a grateful alcoholic.
I was twenty when a I had my first drink, and although I liked the taste, I didn't like the way it made me feel. I didn't drink again until I was in my early thirties and thought it made me seem cool and sophisticated. During these early years, a couple of drinks were enough, and I often nursed one Scotch on the rocks for a full evening. When I was thirty-five, my twelve year old son was diagnosed with an incurable cancer and within a few months my husband demanded a divorce. For the following five years while my son lived, I seldom drank and never drank alone. Agony, fear, hurt, and exhaustion did not make me a drunk. Happiness opened that door much, much later.
p. 536
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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Tradition Three - "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."
A newcomer appeared at one of these groups, knocked on the door and asked to be let in. He talked frankly with that group's oldest member. He soon proved that his was a desperate case, and that above all he wanted to get well. "But," he asked, "will you let me join your group? Since I am the victim of another addiction even worse stigmatized than alcoholism, you may not want me among you. Or will you?"
There was the dilemma. What should the group do? The oldest member summoned two others, and in confidence laid the explosive facts in their laps. Said he, "Well, what about it? If we turn this man away, he'll soon die. If we allow him in, only god knows what trouble he'll brew. What shall the answer be - yes or no?"
pp. 141-142
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The quieter we become, the more we hear.
--unknown
There are glimpses of heaven in every act, or thought, or word that
raises us above ourselves.
--Arthur Stanley
When everything seems to go wrong, just P.U.S.H.!
When the job gets you down, just P.U.S.H.!
When people don't react the way you think they should, just P.U.S.H.!
When your money looks funny and the bills are due, just P.U.S.H.!
When you want to give up because it looks hopeless, just P.U.S.H.!
P.U.S.H - Pray Until Something Happens!!!!!
--Randy Walker
"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how
good things really are."
--Marianne Williamson
"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all;
but whatever I have placed in Gods hands, that I still possess."
--Martin Luther
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Father Leo's Daily Meditation
LAUGHTER
"God cannot be solemn, or he
would not have blessed man
with the incalculable gift of
laughter."
--Sydney Harris
I think the way to understand God is to begin to understand man!
Sometimes we forget that we bear the "image" of God - and this is
not so much physical as emotional, our inner selves, the soul. So much
of what I feel, what hurts me, what causes me distress and pain I
believe also affects God. Also the gifts, the creative intelligence and
spiritual sacrifice that has characterized so many people in history
reflects something of God. Involved in this is "laughter". I believe that
laughter is derived from God and is part of the spiritual gift He has
bequeathed to every one of us: we need only discover it.
"Let go - and let God." Sometimes we need to get out of our own way
so that we can begin to laugh.
You gave the gift of laughter to be used. May it be used in the precious
art of healing.
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"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
Proverbs 15:1
The joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10
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Daily Inspiration
It is not as significant to have a good life, but rather to do good things with your life. Lord, I am grateful for the talents with which You have blessed me and I pray that they will not go unused.
Gossip betrays trust. The harm done is often irreparable. Lord, may I never be responsible for hurting anyone through my conversations.
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NA Just For Today
Changing Motives
"When we finally get our own selfish motives out of the way, we begin to find a peace that we never imagined possible."
Basic Text, p. 44
As we examine our beliefs, our actions, and our motives in recovery, we'll find that sometimes we do things for the wrong reasons. In our early recovery, we may have spent a great deal of money and time on people, wanting only for them to like us. Later on, we may find that we still spend money on people, but our motives have changed. We do it because we like them. Or perhaps we used to get romantically involved because we felt hollow inside and were seeking fulfillment through another person. Now our reasons for romantic involvement are based in a desire to share our already rewarding lives with an equal partner. Maybe we used to work the steps because we were afraid we'd relapse if we didn't. Today we work the steps because we want to grow spiritually.
We have a new purpose in life today, and our changing motives reflect that. We have so much more to offer than our neediness and insecurities. We have developed a wholesomeness of spirit and a peace of mind that moves our recovery into a new realm. We extend our love and share our recovery with complete generosity, and the difference we make is the legacy we leave to those who have yet to join us.
Just for today: In recovery, my motives have changed. I want to do things for the right reason, not just for my personal benefit. Today, I will examine my motives.
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You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
Whoever I am or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach. --John W.Gardner
It's easy to forget how important we each are -- to our parents, to other family members, to our friends. We are in this world, even in our particular family, because we are important and necessary in the lives of others. It's easy to feel not so important though, especially when we think we're not good enough at anything we try. School or work comes easy for some. Maybe not us. Athletics come easy to others. May it's helping around the house that's easiest. Each of us is very good at some things. And it's okay to not be good at everything.
How can I show my talent today?
You are reading from the book Touchstones.
We learn more by seeing someone play good tennis than by reading a book about how to play good tennis. --W. Timothy Gallwey
In our program we learn from each other. Most of us would rather have thought our problems through on our own or read about them without having to ask for help. Recovery requires us to break this old habit. We can no longer say at a meeting, "I had some problems this week, but I've worked them out now" or "I know what I have to do." The change for us is to ask for help from other men in this program. We need to say, "What do you think about my problem?" or "Would you be willing to talk to me for a while?"
Having a sponsor is an important way of getting to know how another man applies his program to his life. We need to select a sponsor we admire, who has learned the Steps well and who truly lives them. Then we need to spend time with our sponsor outside of meetings, perhaps while drinking a cup of coffee or going for a walk. By associating with others who are diligent about recovery, we will learn more than we could any other way.
Today, I will make personal contact with others in this program.
You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
When we start at the center of ourselves, we discover something worthwhile extending toward the periphery of the circle. We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here, some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth. --G. F. Sear
Perhaps we have feared discovering our center; perhaps we have feared finding nothing there. The struggle to believe in ourselves, to know we have an important part to play in the circle of life, the circle encompassing all life, is a hard-fought struggle for many of us. But we are learning. We are finding treasures within ourselves. Others are helping us to find those treasures. Sharing special moments in time with loved ones and ones we are learning to love reveals many treasures.
All we have is here--now--us. We are all we ever need to be--here and now. We are, at every moment, what we need to be if only we'd trust revealing our true selves, our centers, to one another. Our centers each need that of another.
This program needs each of us for what we add to it. The worthiness of the program, of the whole circle, is enhanced by the inclusion of our centers.
I will share my center today with you.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Responsibility
Self care means taking responsibility for ourselves. Taking responsibility for ourselves includes assuming our true responsibilities to others.
Sometimes, when we begin recovery, we're worn down from feeling responsible for so many other people. Learning that we need only take responsibility for ourselves may be such a great relief that, for a time, we disown our responsibilities to others.
The goal in recovery is to find the balance: we take responsibility for ourselves, and we identify our true responsibilities to others.
This may take some sorting through, especially if we have functioned for years on distorted notions about our responsibilities to others. We may be responsible to one person as a friend or as an employee; to another person, we're responsible as an employer or as a spouse. With each person, we have certain responsibilities. When we tend to those true responsibilities, we'll find balance in our life.
We are also learning that while others aren't responsible for us, they are accountable to us in certain ways.
We can learn to discern our true responsibilities for ourselves, and to others. We can allow others to be responsible for themselves and expect them to be appropriately responsible to us.
We'll need to be gentle with ourselves while we learn.
Today, I will strive for clear thinking about my actual responsibilities to others. I will assume these responsibilities as part of taking care of myself.
Today my heart brings me to new places of giving and sharing that I have not yet experienced. I am a friend today and get great satisfaction when I put the needs of others first because I want to, not because I think I have to do so. --Ruth Fishel
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Journey To The Heart
Enjoy Summer
Learn to enjoy summer, that wonderful warm time when everything is in full bloom.
Summer isn’t forever, but don’t ruin it by fussing. Forget about the winter just past, the autumn that lies ahead. Immerse yourself in the good times, the fullness of summertime.
We may have gotten so used to the other times, the colder times, that we’ve forgotten how to enjoy the sun, the warmth, the play times. The good times. Each moment of our lives is important. Each moment of our lives is a spiritual experience. To live fully in joy, we need to learn to enjoy the good times as well as weather the storms. Most of us are proficient at hunkering down and getting through the winters of our lives. Now it’s time to learn something different.
Take off your heavy wrap. Grab your straw hat and go bask in the sun. Tomorrow’s lessons will take care of themselves.
Today the lesson is learning to enjoy summer.
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More Language Of Letting Go
Let go of guilt
Guilt is a rock. It lies in the pit of our stomachs and keeps us awake at night. All of our muscles work overtime just to carry it around, and yet we still hold on to it.
Yesterday, you stumbled. That was yesterday. But you also righted your wrong and vowed to do better today. So why are you still carrying that guilt around with you?
If you’re in recovery, you probably did some terrible things before you got sober. How can you ever move on? But you got sober. You made amends. What happened yesterday belongs to yesterday. Today, you can let go of your guilt and relax in the peace that comes from walking a path with heart.
Have you made a list of people you have harmed and made amends to them, as suggested in the Eighth and Ninth Steps of the Twelve Step programs? That’s an excellent way to begin clearing and releasing guilt. If you’re not in a Twelve Step program, there are other options. Most religions offer rituals to clear guilt. Sometimes, we’ve taken all these steps and we still feel guilty. What’s wrong? We’re hanging on to our guilt, and we’re being hard on ourselves.
You will find it easier to relax and flow through the experiences of your life if you let go of the weight of yesterday’s guilt.
God, today I give you all of the guilt from my past. Take it from me, and allow me to begin fresh right now. Help me make the amends I need to make, then let my guilt go.
Activity: If you’ve taken steps to make amends and clear away your legitimate guilt, and your guilt is still haunting your every move, try this: First thing in the morning and last thing in the evening, look in your mirror. Look yourself in the eye. Then say out loud seven times, “I now release all my guilt, earned and unearned.” Try this for a week. See if your guilt doesn’t disappear.
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Meeting of the Minds
Fragments of the Self by Madisyn Taylor
We all have many fragments of self which need attention to help make our whole selves better.
Sometimes it feels as if we have many different people living inside of us, expressing themselves in voices that seem distinct from one another. There is the inner child with its wants and needs, the angry voice that expresses its opinion and probably several more as well. With all these different parts of ourselves express differing desires and needs and opinions, we may begin to feel as if we have no clarity. It is difficult to know which voices to pay attention to and which ones to ignore or dismiss. Even if we manage to move forward amidst the confusion, doubts and concerns may linger in our psyches simply because they have not been fully expressed and examined. As a result, we may have trouble being at peace with the decisions we do make.
One way to handle this dilemma is to consciously make time for a meeting of the minds within our psyche. This can be done as a guided meditation or as a journaling exercise. In both we can summon the many fragments that make up the whole of who we are and give them each a chance to speak. This can be a helpful tool in the face of a decision we need to make, and it can also be a fruitful path to take in the interest of self-exploration and self-care. When we gather the many fragments of our psyche together, the health and power of the whole is greatly increased.
We can imagine a roundtable in which we gather all the various representatives of our being, allowing them to name themselves and giving them a chance to speak. We allow each one to weigh in, fully expressing the perspective they represent, and we listen without comment. As we listen, we may be amazed at the wisdom and energy stored in these fragments of our self. This gathering brings the fragmented pieces of our psyche into a closer relationship, enabling us to move forward as a unified whole. Published with permission from Daily OM
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A Day At A Time
Reflection For The Day
When I least expect it, my keen addictive mind will try to divert me back toward my old ideas and old ways. My mind is expert, in fact, at planting and nourishing negative feelings within me — feeling such as envy, fear, anxiety, or guilt. The minute I spot any of these poisonous feelings rising up, I have to deal with them. If not, the more I think about them, the stronger they’ll get; the stronger they get, the more I’ll think about them — to the point of obsession. When negative feelings arise, do I “name the, claim them, an dump them…”?
Today I Pray
I should know — and may I please never forget — that a sure way to let my feelings get the best of me is to pretend they aren’t there. Like spoiled offspring, they act up when they are ignored. But also like when they are ignored. But also like offspring’s, they are here, they are mine and I am responsible for them. May I learn to pay attention to my feelings, even if sometimes I would rather make-believe they didn’t belong to me.
Today I Will Remember
Name them, claim them, dump them.
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One More Day
Pain is hard to bear….
But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away.
– Theodore Tilton
When emotional or physical pain becomes unbearable, the duration of each day seems longer than twenty-four hours. Any movement is intolerable; any attempt to begin the day is met with the shrilling objections of the voice of pain.
It is at this exact moment, each time it occurs, that we are tempted to give up the fight and become invalids. Then something prods us to try just one more time — just one more day. And so we struggle, and we are amazed to discover that we have successfully met and conquered another sunrise and another sunset. The strength to go on was there all the time, deep within us.
When my pain becomes greater than i can ever remember, I must draw on my inner resources to keep going.
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Food For Thought
Procrastination
This is a particularly dangerous habit for compulsive overeaters, since when we put off unpleasant or difficult tasks, we may revert back to our old escape route - eating. The result is that the unpleasant situation is still with us, and we are less able to deal with it. The longer we procrastinate, the larger the difficulty looms. Even small responsibilities left undone weaken our self-respect.
Often we procrastinate because of fear that we are inadequate for the job to be done. Sometimes we are simply rebelling against doing something we do not want to do. If we are taking a daily inventory, we will examine our motives and use the subsequent self-knowledge for constructive action.
Whatever it is that we are putting off, it will rarely become easier to do later. This is especially true if we are procrastinating about our abstinence! The time is now.
Since today is all I have, may I use it wisely.
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One Day At A Time
GROWTH
"You will either step forward into growth,
or you will step back into safety."
Abraham Maslow
In my early years in program, one of my sponsors told me, "You're in a very well-decorated rut. You even have wall-to-wall carpeting and curtains in it." As I continued trudging my road to happy destiny, her words would crop up in my head any time I got "stuck." I could see how far I had come each time, so I persevered and kept turning my fear into faith. As I continued to work the steps, I was led to new levels of recovery.
One day at a time...
I put one foot in front of the other, keep taking the next right action and continue working the steps. I live the promises of the program. Safety or growth? My choice is clear.
~ Rory
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AA 'Big Book' - Quote
I earnestly advise every alcoholic to read this book through, and though perhaps he came to scoff, he may remain to pray.
William D. Silkworth, M.D. - Pg. xxxii - 4th. Edition - The Doctor's Opinion
Hour To Hour - Book - Quote
Many times we thought we used chemicals because we were unhappy, but coming to this program, we discovered that using too many chemicals is what made us unhappy. Now is the time to break the old unhappy pattern.
This hour, I am beginning the new clean and sober pattern of my life.
Suffering
Today, I will not hide my pain and suffering from myself or from my Higher Power. When I bring my most honest and pure self to the fore and understand my essential powerlessness over situations, when I am truly willing to turn over this angst to a power greater than myself, something changes. I let go and create space for a shift in perception. I experience a quiet awakening in my life, and forces that did not have room to enter are coming in to heal me. It is in letting go that I have a chance of achieving what I desire in my life. Holding on pushes away what I want, while releasing lets it all have enough breathing room so it can stay alive.
I open my heart to my Higher Power.
- Tian Dayton PhD
' Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody... I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.... We must find each other. '
- Mother Teresa
Pocket Sponsor - Book - Quote
Many problems will be averted with a very simple code for behavior. This is called 'kindness.' Kindness is more then politeness; it means a warm concern for the other person's feelings.
I let my kindness be a gift to another and the tag reads, 'Please handle with tender loving care.'
"Walk Softly and Carry a Big Book" - Book
Live today as you want to remember your life.
Time for Joy - Book - Quote
Today my heart brings me to new places of giving and sharing that I have not yet experienced. I am a friend today and get great satisfaction when I put the needs of others first because I want to, not because I think I have to do so.
Alkiespeak - Book - Quote
We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated There is but one course to pursue; We must accept the situation. - Robert E Lee.
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AA Thought for the Day
June 10
Action
In shame and despair, I went to my first AA meeting.
By some minor miracle, I was able to suspend opinion, analysis, judgment, and criticism,
and instead to listen and hear.
I heard someone say that AA works for those who work for it,
those who put action into the program. . .
I heard that I should forget about yesterday and instead concentrate on today
and staying away from the first drink today -- now. I tried it and it worked.
- Came To Believe. . ., p. 42
Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.
~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
Anger
"Then the miracle happened - to me!
It isn't always so sudden with everyone,
but I ran into a personal crisis which filled me
with a raging and righteous anger.
And as I fumed helplessly and planned
to get good and drunk and show them,
my eye caught a sentence to
the book lying open on my bed.
'We cannot live with anger.'
The walls crumpled - and the light streamed in.
I wasn't trapped. I wasn't helpless.
I was free, and I didn't have to drink to 'show them.'
This wasn't 'religion' - this was freedom!
Freedom from anger and fear,
freedom to know happiness and love."
1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 228
Thought to Consider ...
Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes
the light of reason.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
NUTS Not Using The Steps?
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Beginning
from: "Two alcoholics meet"
"'I have placed both operation and myself in God's hands. I'm going to do what it takes to get sober and stay that way.'
"Just before they stopped [at the hospital, where Dr. Bob was to perform surgery], Bill, who also had his practical side,
gave him a bottle of beer...The bottle of beer Bill gave him that morning was the last drink he [Dr. Bob] ever had.
"Although arguments have been and will be made for other significant occasions in A.A. history, it is generally agreed
that Alcoholics Anonymous began there, in Akron, on that date: June 10, 1935."
1980, Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers, pages 74-75
*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Alone in the town, I was scared to death of getting drunk. I was no longer a teacher or a preacher, I was an alcoholic
who knew that he needed another alcoholic, as much as that one could possibly need me. Driven by that urge, I was
soon face to face with Dr. Bob."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., July 1965
"A Fragment of History: Origin of the Twelve Steps"
The Language of the Heart
~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*
"We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from
it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will
find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new
attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or
effort on our part. It just comes!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84~
"Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get
well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in
God and clean house."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 98~
During this process of learning more about humility, the most profound result of all was the change in our attitude toward God.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 75
Misc. AA Literature - Quote
We do not relate intimate experiences of another member unless we are sure he would approve. We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule aimed at someone else produces the contrary effect.
A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by this means are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way. More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism.
Prayer For The Day: Lord, lead me to look for the positive in all people and in all situations. May I help bring light to those in darkness, and encouragement to those who feel unhappy. May I show as much care for others as I would like them to show for me. Amen.
Ask and you shall receive,
Seek and ye shall find,
Knock and it shall be opened unto you.
Matthew 7:7