ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS ~ DAILY PONDERABLES ~ Friday, 18 October 2013 ~ Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny
Daily Reflections
AN OPEN MIND
True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith . . . (Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 33)
My alcoholic thinking lead me to think I could control my drinking, but I couldn't. When I came to A.A., I realized that God was speaking to me through my group. My mind was open just enough to know that I needed his help. A real, honest acceptance of A.A. took more time, but with it came humility. I know how insane I was, and I am extremely grateful to have had my sanity restored to me and to be a sober alcoholic. The new sober me is a much better person than I could have ever been without A.A. (From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought for the Day
Have I got over most of my sensitiveness, my feelings which are too easily hurt, and my just plain laziness and self-satisfaction? Am I willing to go all out for A.A. at no matter what cost to my precious self? Is my own comfort more important to me than doing the things that need to be done? Have I got to the point where what happens to me is not so important? Can I face up to things that are embarrassing or uncomfortable if they are the right things to do for the good of A.A.? Have I given A.A. just a small piece of myself? Am I willing to give all of myself whenever necessary?
Meditation for the Day
Not until you have failed can you learn true humility. Humility arises from deep sense of gratitude to God for giving you the strength to rise above past failures. Humility is not inconsistent with self-respect. The true person has self-respect and the respect of others and yet is humble. The humble person is tolerant of others' failings, and does not have a critical attitude toward the foibles of others. Humble people are hard on themselves and easy on others.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may be truly humble and yet have self-respect. I pray that I may see the good in myself as well as the bad.(From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day © Copyright 1975 by Hazelden Foundation)
NA - Just for Today
We All Belong
"Although 'politics makes strange bedfellows,' as the old saying goes, addiction makes us one of a kind."(Basic Text, p.84)
What a mixture of folks we have in Narcotics Anonymous! In any given meeting on any given night, we'll find a variety of people that probably never would have sat down in a room together if it weren't for the disease of addiction.
A member who is a physician described his unwillingness to identify at his first meeting by refusing to go into "that room full of junkies." Another member with an extensive background in jails and institutions shared a similar story, except that her shock and surprise stemmed from the realization that "there were nice people there - wearing suits, yet!" These two friends recently celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary.
The most unlikely people form friendships, sponsor each other, and do service work together. We meet in the rooms of recovery together, sharing the bonds of past suffering and hope for the future. We meet on mutual ground with our focus on the two things we all have in common - addiction and recovery.
Just for today: No matter what my personal circumstances, I belong.(page 304)
From the book Just for Today © Copyright 1991-2013 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
Thought for Today
"You don't have to show up for every fight you are invited to!"(Rev. Edward J. Mills)
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to
pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain"
Buddha/Zen Thoughts
When we realize that we are forced to change positions because of pain, we should question further to find out if there are other reasons. If the answer is that we change because we want to be comfortable, this is incorrect. It is incorrect because it is a distortion of happiness. The correct answer is that we change in order to "cure" the pain. We do not change to acquire happiness. The wrong answer comes from misunderstanding, and if we do not have the right comprehension when we change positions, defilements can and will spring up.
Changing positions to "cure" pain indicates that we have to remedy the situation at all times. We should not misjudge and think that the reason is to attain happiness, since the curing of pain all the time is the same as having to take medicines constantly. It is like nursing a continuous sickness. Thus, we should not look upon nursing sickness and curing pain as being happiness at all. (Achaan Naeb, in Jack Kornfield's Living Dharma)
Native American
"But we have to stick by the wisdom of our ancestors..."(Paula Weasel Head, BLOOD)
A long time ago the Elders and our ancestors learned to walk on the Earth and to live in harmony. They were taught the Laws which govern everything, and they were taught traditional values. This wisdom should be made available to the younger generations. We need to speak to the Elders and learn from them. We need to do this so we can pass the knowledge on to our children.
My Creator, help me learn the wisdom of my ancestors.
Walk In Dry Places
Those who want it, Not those who need it.
Honest Desire
In the first bloom of sobriety, many recovering people confront drinking companions who also "need" the program. They're often surprised and disillusion when efforts to help their friends are rejected... sometimes curtly.
We're truly limited to helping those who desire recovery, not those who we think need it. Though intervention methods can be effective, we're still largely helpless to assist those who don't desire recovery.
We regret that we really have no answers for the millions who perish from alcoholism, unaware of their problem. We also can hold out little hope that any future recovery attempts will succeed without the individual alcoholic's cooperation.
Desire..... a personal determination and decision.... is necessary for almost any kind of change. We have the freedom to choose in many areas of our lives, and alcoholics must eventually choose recovery in order to find and maintain it.
Though I'd love to see others recover, I must accept the fact that their personal desire and choice is necessary. I'll remember this if any opportunities arise today to carry the message.
Big Book
"Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people. Here are some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums--we could increase the list ad infinitum."(AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, More About Alcoholism, p. 31.)
_________________________________
If you're not enjoying your sobriety it's your own damn fault!
~~~~~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment