Alcoholic Anonymous – Daily Ponderables –
Together We Trudge the Road of Happy Destiny – Friday, 29 November 2013
Daily Reflections
"ACTIVE GUARDIANS"
To us, however, it represents far more
than a sound public relations policy. It is more than a denial of self-seeking.
This tradition is a constant and practical reminder that personal ambition has
no place in A.A. In it, each member becomes an active guardian of our
Fellowship.(TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, page 183)
The basic concept of humility is
expressed in the Eleventh Tradition: It allows me to participate completely in
the program in such a simple, yet, profound manner; it fulfills my need to be
an integral part of a significant whole. Humility brings me closer to the
actual spirit of togetherness and oneness, without which I could not stay
sober. In remembering that every member is an example of sobriety, each one
living the Eleventh Tradition, I am able to experience freedom because each one
of us is anonymous.(From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by
Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought for the Day
The A.A. way is the way of sobriety, and
yet there are slips. Why do these slips occur? Why don't we all accept A.A. and
stay sober from then on? There are many reasons, but it has been proved without
exception that once we have become alcoholics we can never drink successfully
again. This has never been disproved by any case we know of. Many alcoholics
have tried drinking after a period of sobriety from a few days to a few years
and no one that we know of has been successful in becoming a normal drinker.
Could I be the only exception to this rule?
Meditation for the Day
"We are gathered together in Thy
name." First, we are gathered together, bound by a common loyalty to God
and to each other. Then, when this condition has been fulfilled, God is present
with us. Then, when God is there and one with us, we voice a common prayer.
Then it follows that our prayer will be answered according to God's will. Then,
when our prayer is answered, we are bound together in a lasting fellowship of
the spirit.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may be loyal to God and to
others. I pray that my life today may be lived close to His and to theirs.(From
the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day © Copyright 1975 by Hazelden Foundation)
NA - Just for Today
Our Higher Power's Care
"We believe that our Higher Power
will take care of us."(Basic Text page 55)
Our program is based on the idea that the
application of simple principles can produce profound effects in our lives. One
such principle is that, if we ask, our Higher Power will care for us. Because
this principle is so basic, we may tend to ignore it. Unless we learn to
consciously apply this spiritual truth, we may miss out on something as
essential to our recovery as breathing is to life itself.
What happens when we find ourselves
stressed or panicked? If we have consistently sought to improve our
relationship with our Higher Power, we'll have no problem. Rather than acting
rashly, we will stop for a moment and briefly remind ourselves of particular
instances in the past when our Higher Power has shown its care for us. This
will assure us that our Higher Power is still in charge of our lives. Then, we
will seek guidance and power for the situation at hand and proceed calmly,
confident that our lives are in God's hands.
"Our program is a set of
principles," our White Booklet tells us. The more consistently we seek to
improve our conscious appreciation of these principles, the more readily we
will be able to apply them.
Just for today: I will seek to improve my
conscious contact with the Higher Power that cares for me. When the need
arises, I know I will be able to trust in that care.((page 347)From the book
Just for Today © Copyright 1991-2013 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services,
Inc.)
Thought for Today
"Courage is the power to let go of
the familiar."(Raymond Lindquist)
Buddha/Zen Thoughts
Happy is he who lives contented in
solitude, is well-versed in the Doctrine and who has realized it. Happy is he
who lives in this world free from ill-will, and is benevolent towards all beings.
Happy is he who lives in this world free from passion, has overcome sensual
enjoyment, and who has attained mastership over the conceit of "I
am." This indeed is the highest happiness.(Udana 2.1)
Native American
"Life, the circle, a measurement with
no beginning and no end."(Phillip Deere, MUSKOGEE-CREEK)
The circle teaches us how the Creator
made things and how to live. It teaches us how we should look at creation. Life
travels in a circle. In the East is the baby, to the South is the youth, in the
West is the adult and in the North is the Elder. Then we return to the Earth
Mother to start the cycle again. We observe what is `around us' from the center
of the circle. This develops our point of view. We must be careful not to
become self-centered.
Great Spirit, let me observe life from
the circle's point of view.
Walk In Dry Places
Why do bad things happen?
Understanding life
No one has been able to explain why pain
and misfortune must be part of the human condition. Bad things can and do
happen to everybody, and sometimes there's no way to explain it.
Even in sobriety, AA members have
misfortunes---times when it appears that God is hiding. We even hear members
share such experiences at meetings.
Many of us have found ways to use
misfortunes constructively, however, by seeing how the program helps us deal
with it. In some cases---but not all---we even learn that a misfortune was a
disguised blessing.
Most important, by using the program, we
are eliminating the drinking that has been the cause of many misfortunes in our
lives. That alone makes our immediate world a much better place for everyone.
My life today can be both easy and hard.
It gives me great comfort to know that I am not making conditions worse for
myself and others.
Big Book
"...we have ceased fighting anything
or anyone—even alcohol."(Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action,
pg. 84)
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If you're not enjoying your sobriety it's
your own damn fault
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