AA Thoughts For Today - October

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 16

Thoroughness and Honesty

We went back through our lives. Nothing counted but thoroughness and
honesty. When we were finished we considered it carefully. The first thing
apparent was that this world and its people were often quite wrong. To
conclude that others were wrong was as far as most of us ever got.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 65 - 66

Thought to Ponder . . .
It takes strength and courage to admit the truth.

AA-related 'Alconym'
H O W = Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Great Reality
"Deep down in every man, woman, and child,
is the fundamental idea of God.
It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp,
by worship of other things,
but in some form or other it is there.
For faith in a Power greater than ourselves,
and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives,
are facts as old as man himself.
We finally saw that faith in some kind of God
was a part of our make-up,
just as much as the feeling we have for a friend.
Sometimes we had to search fearlessly,
but He was there.
He was as much a fact as we were.
We found the Great Reality deep down within us.
In the last analysis it is only there that He may be found.
It was so with us."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 55

Thought to Consider . . .
God seldom becomes a reality until God becomes a necessity.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relay A Message

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Services
From: "AA's Legacy of Service"
Our Twelfth Step - carrying the message - is the basic service that the A.A. Fellowship gives; this is our principal aim and the main reason for our existence. Therefore, A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a society of alcoholics in action. We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither and those who haven't been given the truth may die.

Hence, an A.A. service is anything whatever that helps us to reach a fellow sufferer - ranging all the way from the Twelfth Step itself to a ten-cent phone call and a cup of coffee, and to A.A.'s General Service Office for national and international action. The sum total of all these services is our Third Legacy of Service.
Services include meeting places, hospital cooperation, and intergroup offices; they mean pamphlets, books, and good publicity of almost every description. They call for committees, delegates, trustees, and conferences. And, not to be forgotten, they need voluntary money contributions from within the Fellowship.

[Bill W., 1951]
2007, AAWS, Inc., AA Service Manual, page S1

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"As I continue to struggle, I think of the words of an old-timer in my area. No matter what the topic, he always finishes sharing with the words, 'and I haven't had a drink today.' Remembering his words never fails to bring to my mind the words 'experience, strength, and hope.'"
"Out of Work, But Not Hope," Anonymous, December 2000
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"We feel that elimination of our drinking is but a beginning. A much
more important demonstration of our principles lies before us in our
respective homes, occupations and affairs."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 19

Stress the spiritual feature freely. If the man be agnostic or atheist, make it emphatic that he does not have to agree with your conception of God.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous p. 93

In the face of collapse and despair, in the face of the total failure of their human resources, they found that a new power, peace, happiness, and sense of direction flowed into them.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.50

We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.21

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Sometimes I would be forced to look at situations where I was doing badly. Right away, the search for excuses would become frantic.
'These,' I would exclaim, 'are really a good man's faults.' When that pet gadget broke apart, I would think, 'Well, if those people would only treat me right, I wouldn't have to behave the way I do.' Next was this: 'God well knows that I do have awful compulsions. 1 just can't get over this one. So He will have to release me.' At last came the time when I would shout, 'This, I positively will not do! I won't even try.'
Of course, my conflicts went right on mounting, because I was simply loaded with excuses, refusals, and outright rebellion.
In self-appraisal, what comes to us alone may be garbled by our own rationalization and wishful thinking. The benefit of talking to another person is that we can get his direct comment and counsel on our situation.

Prayer for the Day: Sailor's Prayer - Dear God, be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 17

Off the Beam

Without necessarily taking that first drink, we often get quite far off the beam.
Our troubles sometimes begin with indifference. We are sober and happy in
our A.A. work. Things go well at home and office. We naturally congratulate
ourselves on what later proves to be a far too easy and superficial point of
view. We temporarily cease to grow because we feel satisfied that there is no
need for all of A.A.’s Twelve Steps for us. We are doing fine on a few of them.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) pp. 112 - 113

Thought to Ponder . . .
Don't believe everything you think.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A R T = Always Remain Teachable.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Debits
"As we glance down the debit side of the day's ledger,
we should carefully examine our motives
in each thought or act that appears to be wrong.
In most cases our motives won't be hard to see and understand.
When prideful, angry, jealous, anxious, or fearful,
we acted accordingly, and that was that.
Here we need only recognize that we did act or think badly,
try to visualize how we might have done better,
and resolve with God's help to carry these lessons over into tomorrow,
making, of course, any amends still neglected."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 94

Thought to Consider . . .
Life is too short to be small.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O W N O W = Honest, Open-minded, Willing. No Other Way!

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Forgive Myself
From: "Those Other People"

Just like you, I have often thought myself the victim of what other people say and do. Yet every time I confessed the sins of such people, especially those whose sins did not correspond exactly with my own, I found that I only increased the total damage. My own resentment, my self-pity would often render me well-nigh useless to anybody.
So, nowadays, if anyone talks of me so as to hurt, I first ask myself if there is any truth at all in what they say. If there is none, I try to remember that I too have had my periods of speaking bitterly of others; that hurtful gossip is but a symptom of our remaining emotional illness; and consequently that I must never be angry at the unreasonableness of sick people.
Under very trying conditions I have had, again and again, to forgive others - also myself. Have you recently tried this?
Letter, 1946
1967, AAWS, Inc., As Bill Sees It, page 268

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"A new spiritual awakening can come at every meeting."
Hartsdale-Ardsley, N.Y., January 1957
"Twelve Steps to a Meeting,"
Into Action

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death."
Alcoholics Anonymous 3rd Edition More About Alcoholism Page 30

If we have been thorough about our personal inventory, we have written down a lot.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.70

Step Four is our vigorous and painstaking effort to discover what these liabilities in each of us have been, and are.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.42

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Our attitude toward the giving of time when compared with our attitude toward giving money presents an interesting contrast. We give a lot of our time to A.A. activities for our own protection and growth, but also for the sake of our groups, our areas, A.A. as a whole, and, above all, the newcomer. Translated into terms of money, these collective sacrifices would add up to a huge sum.
But when it comes to the actual spending of cash, particularly for A.A. service overhead, many of us are apt to turn a bit reluctant. We think of the loss of all that earning power in our drinking years, of those sums we might have laid by for emergencies or for education of the kids.
In recent years, this attitude is everywhere on the decline; it quickly disappears when the real need for a given A.A. service becomes clear. Donors can seldom see what the exact result has been. They well know, however, that countless thousands of other alcoholics and their families are being helped.

Prayer for the Day: An Irish Blessing -
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 18

Facts of Life

The A.A. answer to these questions about living is “Yes, all of these things
are possible.” We know this because we see monotony, pain, and even
calamity turned to good use by those who keep on trying to practice A.A.'s
Twelve Steps. And if these are facts of life for the many alcoholics who
have recovered in A.A., they can become the facts of life for many more.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 112

Thought to Ponder . . .
The Twelve Steps -- a manuscript for rational living.

AA-related 'Alconym'
S T O P = Solution To Our Problems.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Touchy
"Many of us have been so touchy
that even casual reference to spiritual things
make us bristle with antagonism.
This sort of thinking had to be abandoned.
Though some of us resisted,
we found no great difficulty in casting aside such feelings.
Faced with alcoholic destruction,
we soon became as open minded on spiritual matters
as we had tried to be on other questions.
In this respect alcohol was a great persuader.
It finally beat us into a state of reasonableness.
Sometimes this was a tedious process;
we hope no one else will prejudiced for as long as
some of us were."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 48

Thought to Consider . . .
The solution is simple.
The solution is spiritual.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A = Altered Attitudes

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Inspiration
From "When A.A. Came of Age":
"There came next to the lectern [at the 1955 Convention] a figure that not many A.A.'s had seen before, the Episcopal clergyman Sam Shoemaker. It was from him that Dr. Bob and I [Bill W.] in the beginning had absorbed most of the principles that were afterward embodied in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, steps that express the heart of A.A.'s way of life. Dr. Silkworth gave us the needed knowledge of our illness, but Sam Shoemaker had given us the concrete knowledge of what we could do about it. One showed us the mysteries of the lock that held us in prison; the other passed on the spiritual keys by which we were liberated."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 38-39

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"One day leads to the next, no matter how unhappy I choose to be."
Sioux Rapids, IA, January 2004
"Adult Love,"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Doubtless you are curious to discover how and why, in the face of
expert opinion to the contrary, we have recovered from a hopeless
condition of mind and body. If you are an alcoholic who wants to get
over it, you may already be asking What do I have to do?"
It is the purpose of this book to answer such questions specifically.
We shall tell you what we have done.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, Page 20~

' I realize that all I'm guaranteed in life is today. The poorest person has no less and the wealthiest has no more--each of us has but one day. What we do with it is our own business; how we use it is up to us individually.
I feel that I have been restored to health and sanity these past years not through my own efforts nor as a result of anything I may have done, but because I've come to believe--to really believe--that alone I can do nothing. That my own innate selfishness and stubbornness are the evils which which, if left unguarded, can drive me to alcohol.'
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.473

Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.58

Already a willingness has been achieved to cast out one's own will and one's own ideas about the alcohol problem in favor of those suggested by A.A.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.35

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

I believe that when we were active alcoholics we drank mostly to kill pain of one kind or another - physical or emotional or psychic. Of course, everybody has a cracking point, and I suppose you reached yours - hence, the resort once more to the bottle.
'If I were you, I wouldn't heap devastating blame on myself for this; on the other hand, the experience should redouble your conviction that alcohol has no permanent value as a pain-killer?'
In every A.A. story, pain has been the price of admission into a new life. But this admission price purchased more than we expected. It led us to a measure of humility, which we soon discovered to be a healer of pain. We began to fear pain less, and desire humility more than ever.

Prayer for the Day: First Things First - Dear Higher Power, remind me: To tidy up my own mind, To keep my sense of values straight, To sort out the possible and the impossible, To turn the impossible over to you, And get busy on the possible.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 19

The Chilling Vapor

The less people tolerated us, the more we withdrew from society,
from life itself. As we became subjects of King Alcohol, shivering
denizens of his mad realm, the chilling vapor that is loneliness
settled down. It thickened, ever becoming blacker.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (A Vision for You) p. 151

Thought to Ponder . . .
Alcoholic drinking's three stages: Impulsive, Compulsive, Repulsive.

AA-related 'Alconym'
C H A O S = Can't Handle Another Overwhelming Situation.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Solution
"The tremendous fact for every one of us
is that we have discovered a common solution.
We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree,
and upon which we can join in brotherly
and harmonious action.
This is the great news this book carries
to those who suffer from alcoholism."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 17

Thought to Consider . . .
The joy is in the journey, so enjoy the ride.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S T E P S = Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Healing
From "A Lifetime Process":
"I have more problems than alcohol . . . alcohol is only a symptom of a more pervasive disease. When I stopped drinking I began a lifetime process of recovery from unruly emotions, painful relationships, and unmanageable situations. This process is too much for most of us without help from a Higher Power and our friends in the Fellowship. . . . One day at a time, almost imperceptibly, I healed."
1990 AAWS, Inc.; Daily Reflections, pg. 105

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"My greatest challenges are before me. But my experience with the Third Step, even in the smallest matters, gives me the courage to meet whatever lies ahead, twenty-four hours at a time."
Manhattan, N.Y., March 2001
"Wait for the Pitch,"
Emotional Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Much has already been said about receiving strength, inspiration,
and direction from Him who has all knowledge and power. If we have
carefully followed directions, we have begun to sense the flow of
His Spirit into us. To some extent we have become God-conscious. We
have begun to develop this vital sixth sense. But we must go further
and that means more action."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 85~

“If our testimony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to think honestly, encourages you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish, you can join us on the Broad Highway. With this attitude you cannot fail. the consciousness of your belief is sure to come to you.” ~Alcoholics Anonymous page 55

We commenced to make many fast friends and a fellowship has grown up among us of which it is a wonderful thing to feel a part.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.15

I explained what a wonderful Fellowship we had, how well we understood each other.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.152

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

When the distortion of family life through alcohol has been great, a long period of patient striving may be necessary. After the husband joins A.A., the wife may become discontented, even highly resentful that A.A. has done the very thing that all her years of devotion had failed to do. Her husband may become so wrapped up in A.A. and his new friends that he is inconsiderately away from home more than when he drank. Each then blames the other.
But eventually the alcoholic, now fully understanding how much he did to hurt his wife and children, nearly always takes up his marriage responsibilities with a willingness to repair what he can and accept what he can't. He persistently tries all of A.A.'s Twelve Steps in his home, often with fine results. He firmly but lovingly commences to behave like a partner instead of like a bad boy.

Prayer for the Day: Open Mind - Higher Power, may I understand: To be alert to my own needs, not to the faults of others; To remain teachable; To listen; To keep an open mind; and To learn not who's right but what's right.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 20

Change

Change is the characteristic of all growth. From drinking to sobriety,
from dishonesty to honesty, from conflict to serenity, from hate to
love, from childish dependence to adult responsibility -- all this and
infinitely more represent change for the better.
- As Bill Sees It, (Only God is Unchanging) No. 76

Thought to Ponder
Change is inevitable, growth is optional.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A B C = Acceptance, Belief, Change.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Change
"Let us never fear needed change.
Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse
and changes for better.
But once a need becomes clearly apparent
in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole,
it has long been found out that we cannot stand still
and look the other way.
The essence of all growth is a willingness
to change for the better
and then an unremitting willingness
to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails."
Bill W., July 1965
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 115

Thought to Consider . . .
Not to change is not to adapt;
not to adapt is to become extinct.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A N G E = Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Everyday

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

We Hope
From: "Foreword to First Edition" [1939]
We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary. We think this account of our experiences will help everyone to better understand the alcoholic. Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic is a very sick person. And besides, we are sure that our way of living has its advantages for all.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page xiii

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"First Things First. That's a real gem."
New York, N.Y., November 1958
"Using the Slogans,"
Into Action

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and
our personal adventure before and after make clear three pertinent
ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our
own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved
our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Page 60

"Most of us sense that real tolerance of other people's shortcomings and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which make us more useful to others."
Alcoholics Anonymous p.19

In spite of the great increase in the size and the span of this Fellowship, at its core it remains simple and personal.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.xxii

The answer, now seen in Tradition Three, was simplicity itself.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.141

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

All of us pass through times when we can pray only with the greatest exertion. Occasionally we go even further than this. We are seized with a rebellion so sickening that we simply won't pray. When these things happen, we should not think too ill of ourselves. We should simply resume prayer as soon as we can, doing what we know to be good for us.
A man who persists in prayer finds himself in possession of great gifts. When he has to deal with hard circumstances, he finds he can face them. He can accept himself and the world around him.
He can do this because he now accepts a God who is All - and who loves all. When he says, 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name,' he deeply and humbly means it. When in good meditation and thus freed from the clamors of the world, he knows that he is in God's hands, that his own ultimate destiny is really secure, here and hereafter, come what may.

Prayer for the Day: Do The Right Thing - Help me, Higher Power, to get out of myself, to stop always thinking what I need. Show me the way I can be helpful to others and supply me with the strength to do the right thing.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 21

Firm Bedrock

But upon entering A.A. we soon take quite another view of this
absolute humiliation. We perceive that only through utter defeat
are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength.
Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be
firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 21

Thought to Ponder . . .
The Three A's .. Awareness, Acceptance, Action.

AA-related 'Alconym'
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, Trust.

*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Amends
"This is a very large order.
It is a task which we may perform with increasing skill,
but we never really finish.
Learning how to live in the greatest peace, partnership,
and brotherhood with all men and women,
of whatever description,
is a moving and fascinating adventure.
Every AA has found that he can make little headway
in this new adventure of living until he first backtracks
and really makes an accurate and unsparing survey
of the human wreckage he has left in his wake."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 77

Thought to Consider . . .
It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T I M E = Things I Must Earn

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Message that Transcends
From: "Window of Opportunity"
I was fortunate to have an opportunity to spend time abroad during law school. That was something I had dreamed of doing while drinking, but when push came to shove, I drank. Now sober, I have been in meetings in probably a dozen countries and have always been amazed at the message that transcends all linguistic and cultural differences. There is a solution. Together, we can live soberly, joyously, and freely.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 430

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"The simplicity of this program never changes -- what works is constant: trust in God, clean house, and work with others."
Concord, Calif., May 1997
"Take My Advice -- I'm Not Using It,"
Emotional Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: 'Once an
alcoholic, always an alcoholic.' Commencing to drink after a period
of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33

Many a man, yet dazed from his hospital experience, has stepped over
the threshold of that home into freedom. Many an alcoholic who
entered there came away with an answer. He succumbed to that gay
crowd inside, who laughed at their own misfortunes and understood
his. Impressed by those who visited him at the hospital, he
capitulated entirely when, later, in an upper room of this house, he
heard the story of some man whose experience closely tallied with his
own. The expression on the faces of the women, that indefinable
something in the eyes of the men, the stimulating and electric
atmosphere of the place, conspired to let him know that here was
haven at last.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 160

He may be an example of the truth that faith alone is insufficient.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.93

Faith, to be sure, is necessary, but faith alone can avail nothing.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.34

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We thought we had been deeply serious about religious practices. However, upon honest appraisal we found that we had been most superficial. Or sometimes, going to extremes, we had wallowed in emotionalism and had also mistaken this for true religious feeling. In both cases, we had been asking something for nothing.
We had not prayed rightly. We had always said, 'Grant me my wishes,' instead of 'Thy will be done.' The love of God and man we understood not at all. Therefore we remained self-deceived, and so incapable of receiving enough grace to restore us to sanity.

Prayer for the Day: True Power - Take from me, High Power, my false pride and grandiosity, all my phoniness and self-importance, and help me find the courage that shows itself in gentleness, the wisdom that shows itself in simplicity, and the true power that shows itself in modesty and humility.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 22

The Old Game

Inwardly he would give anything to take half a dozen drinks and get away
with them. He will presently try the old game again, for he isn’t happy about
his sobriety. He cannot picture life without alcohol. Some day he will be unable
to imagine life either with alcohol or without it. Then he will know loneliness
such as few do. He will be at the jumping-off place. He will wish for the end.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (A Vision For You) p. 152

Thought to Ponder . . .
If you want to drink, that's your business. If you want to stop AA can help.

AA-related 'Alconym'
P A I D = Pitiful And Incomprehensible Demoralization.

*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Amends
"This is a very large order.
It is a task which we may perform with increasing skill,
but we never really finish.
Learning how to live in the greatest peace, partnership,
and brotherhood with all men and women,
of whatever description,
is a moving and fascinating adventure.
Every AA has found that he can make little headway
in this new adventure of living until he first backtracks
and really makes an accurate and unsparing survey
of the human wreckage he has left in his wake."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 77

Thought to Consider . . .
It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T I M E = Things I Must Earn

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Message that Transcends
From: "Window of Opportunity"
I was fortunate to have an opportunity to spend time abroad during law school. That was something I had dreamed of doing while drinking, but when push came to shove, I drank. Now sober, I have been in meetings in probably a dozen countries and have always been amazed at the message that transcends all linguistic and cultural differences. There is a solution. Together, we can live soberly, joyously, and freely.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 430

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"The simplicity of this program never changes -- what works is constant: trust in God, clean house, and work with others."
Concord, Calif., May 1997
"Take My Advice -- I'm Not Using It,"
Emotional Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: 'Once an
alcoholic, always an alcoholic.' Commencing to drink after a period
of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33

Many a man, yet dazed from his hospital experience, has stepped over
the threshold of that home into freedom. Many an alcoholic who
entered there came away with an answer. He succumbed to that gay
crowd inside, who laughed at their own misfortunes and understood
his. Impressed by those who visited him at the hospital, he
capitulated entirely when, later, in an upper room of this house, he
heard the story of some man whose experience closely tallied with his
own. The expression on the faces of the women, that indefinable
something in the eyes of the men, the stimulating and electric
atmosphere of the place, conspired to let him know that here was
haven at last.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 160

He may be an example of the truth that faith alone is insufficient.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.93

Faith, to be sure, is necessary, but faith alone can avail nothing.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.34

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We thought we had been deeply serious about religious practices. However, upon honest appraisal we found that we had been most superficial. Or sometimes, going to extremes, we had wallowed in emotionalism and had also mistaken this for true religious feeling. In both cases, we had been asking something for nothing.
We had not prayed rightly. We had always said, 'Grant me my wishes,' instead of 'Thy will be done.' The love of God and man we understood not at all. Therefore we remained self-deceived, and so incapable of receiving enough grace to restore us to sanity.

Prayer for the Day: True Power - Take from me, High Power, my false pride and grandiosity, all my phoniness and self-importance, and help me find the courage that shows itself in gentleness, the wisdom that shows itself in simplicity, and the true power that shows itself in modesty and humility.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 23

More Spiritual Development

Like most people, we have found that we can take our big lumps
as they come. But also like others, we often discover a greater
challenge in the lesser and more continuous problems of life. Our
answer is in still more spiritual development. Only by this means
can we improve our chances for really happy and useful living.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 114

Thought to Ponder . . .
Faith is like a muscle, the more we use it, the more it grows.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F A I T H = Facing All, Intuitively Trusting Him.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Discipline
"Unless each AA member follows to the best of his ability
our suggested Twelve Steps to recovery,
he almost certainly signs his own death warrant.
His drunkenness and dissolution
are not penalties inflicted by people in authority;
they result from his personal disobedience
to spiritual principles. . .
Great suffering and great love are AA's disciplinarians;
we need no others."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 174

Thought to Consider . . .
"We alcoholics are undisciplined.
So we let God discipline us . . ."

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R D S =
Call your sponsor,
. Ask for help from your Higher Power,
. Read the Big Book,
. Do the Twelve Steps,
. Stay active in your group.

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

No Spiritual Angle
From: "AA and St. Thomas Hospital"
In later years, the AA ward opened into the gallery of the chapel, which patients could visit at any time in hospital attire. What could be more conducive to the regeneration of the whole person spiritually, mentally, and morally than five to seven days spent in an institution where the spiritual atmosphere prevails? Sister Ignatia said.
She naturally put more emphasis on the spiritual than many others. However, she felt that Dr. Bob shared her views on this emphasis. There was one thing that always irritated Doctor, she said. Some people who were on the program for a length of time would come up to him and say, I don't get the spiritual angle. I heard him say time and again, There is no spiritual angle. It's a spiritual program.
1980, AAWS, Inc., DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, page 194

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"One old-timer explained it this way to me: 'Don't let your mind rattle on at meetings. Then all you'll hear from someone else is something that gets you thinking about what you have to say. Listen to everything the person talking has to say, as if your life depended on it -- because it might one day. Listen to everyone this way, especially the ones you want to ignore,' this old-timer said. 'God won't deprive you of the answer you need, if you've come to an AA meeting needing an answer. He may, however, have your answer come out of the mouth of the person you least expect to have your answer. God has a sense of humor.'"
May 1990
"Quiet Guidance,"
Sober and Out

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"...the actual or potential alcoholic, with hardly an exception,
will be absolutely unable to stop drinking on the basis of self
knowledge. This is a point we wish to emphasize and re-emphasize, to
smash home upon our alcoholic readers as it has been revealed to us
out of bitter experience."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 39~

"We have concluded to publish an anonymous vol*
ume setting forth the problem as we see it. We shall
bring to the task our combined experience and knowl*
edge. This should suggest a useful program for any*
one concerned with a drinking problem."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.19

For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.55

We saw that we were powerless over alcohol, but we also perceived that faith of some kind, if only in A.A. itself, is possible to anyone.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.34

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

'Often, as we review each day, only the closest scrutiny will reveal what our true motives were. There are cases where our ancient enemy rationalization has stepped in and has justified conduct which was really wrong. The temptation here is to imagine that we had good motives and reasons when we really hadn't.
We 'constructively criticized' someone who needed it, when our real motive was to win a useless argument. Or, the person concerned not being present, we thought we were helping others to understand him, when in actuality our true motive was to feel superior by pulling him down.
We hurt those we loved because they needed to be 'taught a lesson,' but we really wanted to punish. We were depressed and complained we felt bad, when in fact we were mainly asking for sympathy and attention.'

Prayer for the Day: Prayer for Protection - The Light of God surrounds me; The Love of God enfolds me; The Power of God protects me; The Presence of God watches over me; Wherever I am, God is, And all is well.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 24

Self-Pity

"Self-pity is one of the most unhappy and consuming defects that we know.
It is a bar to all spiritual progress and can cut off all effective communication
with our fellows because of its inordinate demands for attention and sympathy.
It is a maudlin form of martyrdom, which we can ill afford."
- As Bill Sees It, (Maudlin Martyrdom) No. 238

Thought to Ponder . . .
Self-pity is followed by isolation is followed by a drink.

AA-related 'Alconym'
W I S D O M = When Into Self, Discover Our Motives.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Traditions
"The Twelve Traditions point straight at many of our
individual defects.
By implication they ask each of us to lay aside
pride and resentment.
They ask for personal as well as group sacrifice.
They ask us never to use the AA name in any quest
for personal power or distinction or money.
The Traditions guarantee the equality of all members
and the independence of all groups.
They show how we may best relate to each other
and to the world outside.
They indicate how we can best function in harmony
as a great whole."
c.1957AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 96

Thought to Consider . . .
AA is not something you join, it's a way of life.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A B C = Acceptance, Belief, Change

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

How to Live
From: "Stars Don't Fall"
AA taught me how not to drink. And also, on the twenty-four hour plan, it taught me how to live. I know I do not have to be queen of them all to salve a frightened ego. Through going to meetings and listening, and occasionally speaking, through doing Twelve Step work, whereby in helping others you are both the teacher and the student, by making many wonderful AA friends, I have been taught all the things in life that are worth having. I am no longer interested in living in a palace, because palace living was not the answer for me. Nor were those impossible dreams I used to have the things I really wanted.
2003, AAWS, Inc., Experience, Strength & Hope, pages 362-363

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"This process of identification and transmission has gone on and on. The skid rower said he was different. Even more loudly the socialite (or Park Avenue stumble bum) said the same -- so did the arts and the professions, the rich, the poor, the religious, the agnostics, the Indians and the Eskimos, the veterans and the prisoners.
"But nowadays all of these, and legions more, soberly talk about how very much alike all of us alcoholics are when we all admit that the chips are finally down; when we see that it is really a question of do or die in our world wide Fellowship of 'the common suffering and the common deliverance."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., July 1960
"AA Communication Can Cross All Barriers"
The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them
help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up
about you, to have a host of friends - this is an experience you
must not miss."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 89~

What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually
becomes a working part of the mind. Being still inexperienced and
having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that
we are going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for this
presumption in all sorts of absurd actions and ideas. Nevertheless,
we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on
the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 87~

I was to sit quietly when in doubt, asking only for direction and strength to meet my problems as He would have me.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.13

In all times of emotional disturbance or indecision, we can pause, ask for quiet, and in the stillness simply say: ‘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.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.41

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Though many of us have had to struggle for sobriety, never yet has this Fellowship had to struggle for lost unity. Consequently, we sometimes take this one great gift for granted. We forget that, should we lose our unity, the millions of alcoholics who still 'do not know' might never get their chance.'
'We used to be skeptical about large A.A. gatherings like conventions, thinking they might prove too exhibitionistic. But, on balance, their benefit is huge. While each A.A.'s interest should center principally in those about him and upon his own group, it is both necessary and desirable that we all get a larger vision of the whole.
'The General Service Conference in New York also produces this effect upon those who attend. It is a vision-stretching process.

Prayer for the Day: The Gratitude Prayer - O God, I want to thank you for bringing me this far along the road to recovery. It is good to be able to get my feet on the floor again. It is good to be able to do at least some things for myself again. Best of all is to have the joy of feeling well again. O God, keep me grateful; grateful to You for the way in which You have brought me through it all; grateful to all of the people who helped me back to health. O God, give me patience. Help me to not be in too big a hurry to do too much. Help me to keep on doing what I'm told to do. Help me to be so obedient to those who know what's best for me, that very soon I shall be on the top of the world and on the top of my job again. I can say what the psalmist said, "I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me & heard my cry. He took me from a fearful pit, and from the miry clay, and on a rock He set my feet, establishing my way." Amen

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 25

Great Reality

We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was a part of our make-up,
just as much as the feeling we have for a friend. Sometimes we had to
search fearlessly, but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were.
We found the Great Reality deep down within us.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 55

Thought to Ponder . . .
People of faith have a logical idea of what life is all about.

AA-related 'Alconym'
G I F T = God Is Forever There.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

The Group
"Over the years, every conceivable deviation
from our Twelve Steps and Traditions have been tried.
That was sure to be, since we are so largely a band
of ego-driven individuals.
Children of chaos, we have defiantly played with
every brand of fire,
only to emerge unharmed and, we think, wiser.
These very deviations created a vast process
of trial and error, which, under the grace of God,
has brought us to where we stand today. . .
We saw that the group, exactly like the individual,
must eventually conform to whatever
tested principles would guarantee survival."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 146

Thought to Consider . . .
Working with alcoholics in committees
is like trying to herd cats.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A O S = Can't Handle Another Overwhelming Situation

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Business
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"When they heard that the book was making money, some of the cash subscribers, including even Charlie Towns, began to get restless. They wanted to know why all of the profits of the book were being spent to finance a Headquarters for A.A. We replied that there was not any other way; would they like to see all those pleas for help thrown in the wastebasket? But a few still insisted on getting their money back, and something had to be done.
"Therefore Ruth and I set about making Works Publishing's first report to its stockholders. We outlined the history of the book project and painted a rosy picture for the future. From the mass of check stubs, old bills, and receipts we made an approximate accounting. As I remember, the publishing company had shown a profit of about $3,000, which had all been spent on A.A. work at the office."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 188

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"I made the decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God, and then I got out of the way."
Christchurch, New Zealand, March 2010
"Gimme Shelter,"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"We have begun to comprehend their futility and their fatality. We
have commenced to see their terrible destructiveness. We have begun
to learn tolerance, patience and good will toward all men, even our
enemies, for we look on them as sick people."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Pg. 70~

Thus we grow. And so can you, though you be but one man with this
book in your hand. We believe and hope it contains all you will need
to begin.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 162

And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.417

Can we accept poverty, sickness, loneliness, and bereavement with courage and serenity?
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.112

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Even the newest of newcomers finds undreamed rewards as he tries to help his brother alcoholic, the one who is even blinder than he. This is indeed the kind of giving that actually demands nothing. He does not expect his brother sufferer to pay him, or even to love him.
And then he discovers that through the divine paradox of this kind of giving he has found his own reward, whether or not his brother has yet received anything. His own character may still be gravely defective, but he somehow knows that God has enabled him to make a mighty beginning, and he senses that he stands at the edge of new mysteries, joys, and experiences of which he had never before dreamed.

Prayer for the Day: No Other - I have no other helper than You, no other father, no other redeemer, no other support. I pray to You. Only You can help me. My present misery is too great. Despair grips me, and I am at my wits' end. I am sunk in the depths, and I cannot pull myself up or out. If it is Your will, help me out of this misery. Let me know that You are stronger than all misery and all enemies. Oh Lord, if I come through this, please let the experience contribute to my and my brothers' blessing. You will not forsake me; this I know.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 26

Spot, Admit and Correct

Learning daily to spot, admit, and correct these flaws is the essence of
character-building and good living. An honest regret for harms done, a
genuine gratitude for blessings received, and a willingness to try for
better things tomorrow will be the permanent assets we shall seek.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 95

Thought to Ponder . . .
The first step in overcoming mistakes is to admit them.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Accountable Actions.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Concepts
"The word God still aroused a certain antipathy.
When the thought was expressed that there might be a God
personal to me this feeling was intensified.
I didn't like the idea. . .
My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea.
He said, 'Why don't you choose your own conception of God?'
That statement hit me hard.
It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow
I had lived and shivered many years.
I stood in the sunlight at last."
Bill W.,
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 12

Thought to Consider . . .
God seldom becomes a reality
until God becomes a necessity.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T = God Is Forever There

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Force
From "Faith in People":
"In the whole measure of my life, the benefits of the A.A. experience have far outweighed the damages of active alcoholism. What was it that overcame my pride (for the moment) and made me reachable? The best answer I can find is what my father used to call 'the life force.' It is in all of us, I believe; it animates all living things; it keeps the galaxies wheeling. New York, New York USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pgs. 84-85

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"The Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. No sanctions or punishments can be invoked for their infractions. Perhaps in no other area of society would these principles succeed. Yet in this Fellowship of alcoholics, the unenforceable Traditions carry a power greater than that of law."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., July 1960
The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"...we have ceased fighting anything or anyone even alcohol."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84~

We, who have recovered from serious drinking, are miracles of mental health.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 133~

Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worthwhile to us now.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.124

It brought a measure of humility, which we soon discovered to be a healer of pain.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.75

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

As the A.A. groups multiplied, so did anonymity problems. Enthusiastic over the spectacular recovery of a brother alcoholic, we'd sometimes discuss those intimate and harrowing aspects of his case meant for his sponsor's ear alone. The aggrieved victim would then rightly declare that his trust had been broken.
When such stories got into circulation outside of A.A., the loss of confidence in our anonymity promise was severe. It frequently turned people from us. Clearly, every A.A. member's name - and story, too - had to be confidential, if he wished.
We now fully realize that 100 per cent personal anonymity before the public is just as vital to the life of A.A. as 100 per cent sobriety is to the life of each and every member. This is not the counsel of fear; it is the prudent voice of long experience.

Prayer for the Day: All That We Ought - All that we ought to have thought and have not thought,
All that we ought to have said, and have not said,
All that we ought to have done, and have not done,
All that we ought not to have thought and yet have thought,
All that we ought not to have said, and yet have said,
All that we ought not to have done, and yet have done,
For thoughts, words, and works, pray we, O God, for your forgiveness,
And repent with penance.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 27

Absolute Certainty

The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that
our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which
is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those
things for us which we could never do by ourselves.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 25

Thought to Ponder
Nobody ever found recovery as a
result of an intellectual awakening.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Amazing Awakening.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Humility
"Moved by the spirit of anonymity,
we try to give up our natural desires
for personal distinction as AA members
both among fellow alcoholics and before
the general public.
As we lay aside these very human aspirations,
we believe that each of us takes part
in the weaving of a protective mantle
which covers our whole Society
and under which we may grow and work in unity.
We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity,
is the greatest safeguard
Alcoholics Anonymous can ever have."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 187

Thought to Consider . . .
Humility is not thinking less of yourself,
but thinking of yourself less.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, Trust

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Grave Nature
From: "Foreword to Second Edition"
The spark that was to flare into the first AA group was struck at Akron, Ohio in June 1935, during a talk between a New York stockbroker and an Akron physician. Six months earlier, the broker had been relieved of his drink obsession by a sudden spiritual experience, following a meeting with an alcoholic friend who had been in contact with the Oxford Groups of that day. He had also been greatly helped by the late Dr. William D. Silkworth, a New York specialist in alcoholism who is now accounted no less than a medical saint by AA members, and whose story of the early days of our Society appears in the next pages. >From this doctor, the broker had learned the grave nature of alcoholism. Though he could not accept all the tenets of the Oxford Groups, he was convinced of the need for moral inventory, confession of personality defects, restitution to those harmed, helpfulness to others, and the necessity of belief in and dependence upon God.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, pages xv-xvi

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"It's funny how life is lived forward -- and understood backward."
Vail, Ariz., October 2005
"Living Life Forward,"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could
not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that
either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He
isn't."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 53~

There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which
is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in
everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to
investigation.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Appendice II, Spiritual Experience, pg. 568~

If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.76

But when I became willing to clean house and then asked a Higher Power, God as I understood Him, to give me release, my obsession to drink vanished.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.63

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We who have traveled a path through agnosticism or atheism beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized religion. We have learned that, whatever the human frailties of various faiths may be, those faiths have given purpose and direction to millions. People of faith have a rational idea of what life is all about.
Actually, we used to have no reasonable conception whatever. We used to amuse ourselves by cynically dissecting spiritual beliefs and practices, when we might have seen that many spiritually minded persons of all races, colors, and creeds were demonstrating a degree of stability, happiness, and usefulness that we should have sought for ourselves.

Prayer for the Day: Love - Higher Power, Remind me that: Love is patient, Love is kind. Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish. Love is never ruse, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger, neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong, but rejoices with the truth.There is no limit to love's forbearance, its truth, its hope, its power to endure.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 28

Personal Relationships

Steps Eight and Nine are concerned with personal relationships.
First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have
been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we
have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past,
we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may
develop the best possible relations with every human being we know.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eight) p. 77

Thought to Ponder . . .
It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A G O = Another Growth Opportunity.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Loneliness
"Almost without exception,
alcoholics are tortured by loneliness.
Even before our drinking got bad
and people began to cut us off,
nearly all of us suffered the feeling we didn't quite belong.
Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others,
or we were apt to be noisy good fellows
craving attention and companionship,
but never getting it -- at least to our way of thinking.
There was always that mysterious barrier
we could neither surmount nor understand. . .
That's one reason we loved alcohol too well.
It did let us act extemporaneously.
But even Bacchus boomeranged on us;
we were finally struck down and left
in terrified loneliness."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 57

Thought to Consider . . .
Isolation is a darkroom where we develop negatives.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Forgiveness
Step Eight: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
These obstacles, however, are very real. The first, and one of the most difficult has to do with forgiveness. The moment we ponder a twisted or broken relationship with another person, our emotions go on the defensive. To escape looking at the wrongs we have done another, we resentfully focus on the wrong that he has done us. This is especially true if he has, in fact, behaved badly at all. Triumphantly we seize upon his misbehavior as the perfect excuse for minimizing or forgetting our own.
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 78

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"In this life we shall attain nothing like perfect humility and love. So we shall have to settle, respecting most of our problems, for a very gradual progress, punctuated sometimes by heavy setbacks. Our old-time attitudes of 'all or nothing' will have to be abandoned."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., March 1962
"What Is Acceptance?"
The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to
find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and
direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal
consequences may be."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 79~

This painful past may be of infinite value to other families still
struggling with their problem. We think each family which has been
relieved owes something to those who have not, and when the occasion
requires, each member of it should be only too willing to bring
former mistakes, no matter how grievous, out of their hiding places.
Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing
which makes life seem so worth while to us now.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 124~ a message...

He finally realizes that he has undergone a profound alteration in his reaction to life; that such a change could hardly have been brought about by himself alone.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.569

Our Twelfth Step also says that as a result of practicing all the Steps, we have each found something called a spiritual awakening.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.106

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

'In our behavior respecting financial and emotional security, fear, greed, possessiveness, and pride have too often done their worst. Surveying his business or employment record, almost any alcoholic can ask questions like these: In addition to my drinking problem, what character defects contributed to my financial instability? Did fear and inferiority about my fitness for my job destroy my confidence and fill me with conflict? Or did I overvalue myself and play the big shot?
Businesswomen in A.A. will find that these questions often apply to them, too, and the alcoholic housewife can also make the family financially insecure. Indeed, all alcoholics need to cross-examine themselves ruthlessly to determine how their own personality defects have demolished their security.

Prayer for the Day: Help Me Remember - Lord, Help me remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I together can't handle.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 29

Control

We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost
selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery.
The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be,
has to be smashed. We alcoholics are men and women who
have lost the ability to control our drinking. We know that
no real alcoholic ever recovers control.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 30

Thought to Ponder . . .
When we try to control our drinking,
we have already lost control.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F R E E = Fortunately, Recovery Enhances Everything.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Touchstones
"All AA progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words:
humility and responsibility.
Our whole spiritual development can be accurately
measured by our degree of adherence to these
magnificent standards.
Ever deepening humility,
accompanied by an ever greater willingness
to accept and act upon clear-cut obligations --
these are truly our touchstones
for all growth in the life of the spirit.
They hold up to us the very essence
of right being and right doing.
It is by them that we are enabled to find and to do God's will."
Bill W., Talk, 1965
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 271

Thought to Consider . . .
The solution is simple.
The solution is spiritual.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S O B E R = Simply Observe Bill's Exemplary Recovery

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Focus
From: "Acceptance Was the Answer"
I can do the same thing with an AA meeting. The more I focus my mind on its defects - late start, long drunkalogs, cigarette smoke - the worse the meeting becomes. But when I try to see what I can add to the meeting, rather than what I can get out of it, and when I focus my mind on what's good about it, rather than what's wrong with it, the meeting keeps getting better and better. When I focus on what's good today, I have a good day, and when I focus on what's bad, I have a bad day. If I focus on a problem, the problem increases; if I focus on the answer, the answer increases.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 419

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"No one at the gym, at work, in my neighborhood, or even in church had ever put their hand out to me. In AA, it happened every day."
Trenton, N.J., April 2005
"Falling Apart on the Inside,"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to
Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give
freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the
Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you
trudge the Road of Happy Destiny."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 164~

There is action and more action. Faith without works is dead.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 88~

Whatever our protestations, are not most of us concerned with ourselves, our resentments, or our self-pity?
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.62

The most common symptoms of emotional insecurity are worry, anger, self-pity, and depression.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.52

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We A.A.'s are like the passengers of a great liner the moment after rescue from shipwreck, when camaraderie, joyousness, and democracy pervade the vessel from steerage to captain's table.
Unlike the feelings of the ship's passengers, however, our joy in escape from disaster does not subside as we go our individual ways. The feeling of sharing in a common peril - relapse into alcoholism - continues to be an important element in the powerful cement which binds us of A.A. together.
Our first woman alcoholic had been a patient of Dr. Harry Tiebout's, and he had handed her a prepublication manuscript copy of the Big Book. The first reading made her rebellious, but the second convinced her. Presently she came to a meeting held in our living room, and from there she returned to the sanitarium carrying this classic message to a fellow patient: 'We aren't alone any more.'

Prayer for the Day: The Twelve Rewards -
Spirit of the Universe, I humbly ask for Your help so I may continue to realize the rewards of recovery:
1. Hope instead of desperation.
2. Faith instead of despair.
3. Courage instead of fear.
4. Peace of mind instead of confusion.
5. Self-respect instead of self-contempt.
6. Self-confidence instead of helplessness.
7. The respect of others instead of pity and contempt.
8. A clean conscience instead of a sense of guilt.
9. Real friendship instead of loneliness.
10. A clean pattern of life instead of a purposeless existence.
11. The love and understanding of my family instead of their doubts and fears.
12. The freedom of a happy life instead of the bondage of addiction.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 30

Resentments

In dealing with resentments, we set them on paper. We listed people,
institutions or principles with whom we were angry. We asked ourselves
why we were angry. In most cases it was found that our self-esteem,
our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal relationships (including
sex) were hurt or threatened. So we were sore. We were "burned up."
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 64 - 65

Thought to Ponder . . .
The road to resentment is paved with expectations.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F E A R = Frustration, Ego, Anxiety, Resentment.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Principles
"Experience shows that few alcoholics
will long stay away from a group
just because they don't like the way it is run.
Most return and adjust themselves
to whatever conditions they must.
Some go to a different group, or form a new one.
In other words, once an alcoholic fully realizes
that he cannot get well alone,
he will somehow find a way to get well and stay well
in the company of others."
Bill W., Letter, 1943
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 312

Thought to Consider . . .
It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill
- just add a little dirt.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Honestly, Actively, Lovingly, Tolerant.

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Grim Routine
From: "Chapter 7: Make it snappy"
During this 17-year period [1918-1935], Dr. Bob had worked out a grim routine that permitted him to drink and somehow still maintain his medical practice. Careful never to go near the hospital while he was drinking, he would stay sober until four o'clock in the afternoon. It was really a horrible nightmare, this earning money, getting liquor, smuggling it home, getting drunk, morning jitters, taking large doses of sedatives to make it possible for me to earn more money, and so on ad nauseum, he wrote. I used to promise my wife, my friends, and my children that I would drink no more - promises which seldom kept me sober through the day, though I was very sincere when I made them.
1984, AAWS, Inc., "PASS IT ON", page 140

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"My perception of any situation is in my control -- I have a choice about which way my mind will react. I try my best to look for positive solutions; I take my problems to my sponsor or I let my friends at a meeting know what is going on inside me."
Pinellas Park, Fla, November 2006
"How the Universe Works,"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost
the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes
practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring
into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the
suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are
without defense against the first drink."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 24~

Since the home has suffered more than anything else, it is well that
a man exert himself there. He is not likely to get far in any
direction if he fails to show unselfishness and love under his own
roof. We know there are difficult wives and families, but the man
who is getting over alcoholism must remember he did much to make them so.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 127~

Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.68

We found that freedom from fear was more important than freedom from want.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.122

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Had I not been blessed with wise and loving advisers, I might have cracked up long ago. A doctor once saved me from death by alcoholism because he obliged me to face up to the deadliness of that malady. Another doctor, a psychiatrist, later on helped me save my sanity because he led me to ferret out some of my deep-lying defects. From a clergyman I acquired the truthful principles by which we A.A.'s now try to live.
But these precious friends did far more than supply me with their professional skills. I learned that I could go to them with any problem whatever. Their wisdom and their integrity were mine for the asking.
Many of my dearest A.A. friends have stood with me in exactly this same relation. Oftentimes they could help where others could not, simply because they were A.A.'s.

Prayer for the Day: New Day - Thank You, God, for today. This is the beginning of a new day. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever- leaving in it's place something I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for today.