AA Thoughts For Today - September

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 16

Rationalization
Maybe I can postpone dealing with some of my problems indefinitely. Of course, this will not do.
Such a bluffing of oneself will have to go the way of many another pleasant rationalization.
At the very least, we shall have to come to grips with some of our worst character defects
and take action toward their removal as quickly as we can.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 69

Thought to Ponder . . .
Procrastination is really sloth in five syllables.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A B C = Action, Belief, Continue.

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

Miracles
"How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute
and hopelessness?
The practical answer is that since these things
have happened among us,
they can happen with you.
Should you wish them above all else,
and be willing to make use of our experience,
we are sure they will come.
The age of miracles is still with us.
Our own recovery proves that!"
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 153

Thought to Consider . . .
Don't give up before the miracle happens.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H E A R T = Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering, Together

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

Sole Authority
Tradition Two: For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.
Where does AA get its direction? Who runs it? This, too, is a puzzler for every friend and newcomer. When told that our Society has no president having authority to govern it, no treasurer who can compel the payment of any dues, no board of directors who can cast an erring member into outer darkness, when indeed no AA can give another a directive and enforce obedience, our friends gasp and exclaim, "This simply can't be. There must be an angle somewhere." These practical folk then read Tradition Two, and learn that the sole authority in AA is a loving God as He may express Himself in the group conscience. They dubiously ask an experienced AA member if this really works. The member, sane to all appearances, immediately answers, "Yes! It definitely does." The friends mutter that his looks vague, nebulous, pretty naive to them. Then they commence to watch us with speculative eyes, pick up a fragment of AA history, and soon have the solid facts
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 132

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

"Am I strong enough? Am I willing to commit my life and my heart at an even deeper level to doing whatever it takes to keep moving forward?"
North Hollywood, Calif., September 2005
"Where's My Reward?"
Spiritual Awakenings II

*~*~*~*~*^ 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

As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and
ask for the right thought or action.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 87~

We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day "Thy will be done.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 88

It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities; that we are actually to practice a genuine humility.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 192

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

In A.A., we found that it did not matter too much what our material condition was, but it mattered greatly what our spiritual condition was. As we improved our spiritual outlook, money gradually became our servant and not our master. It became a means of exchanging love and service with those about us.
One of A.A.'s Loners is an Australian sheepman who lives two thousand miles from the nearest town, where yearly he sells his wool. In order to be paid the best prices he has to get to town during a certain month. But when he heard that a big regional A.A. meeting was to be held at a later date when wool prices would have fallen, he gladly took a heavy financial loss in order to make his journey then. That's how much an A.A. meeting means to him.

Prayer for the Day: God of My Understanding - This is the dawn of a new day in the Program. I shall thank you, my Higher Power, for last night's rest, a blessed gift from you. Yesterday is gone, except for what I have learned from it, good or bad. Today, I have the same choice, a divine privilege which swells in my heart with hope and purpose. This is my day, the purity of a new beginning. I will receive from this day exactly what I give to it. As I do good things, good will be done to me. It is my gift to mold into something everlasting and do those things which will affect the people around me in an ever-widening circle. The worthiness of this effort rest entirely with me. This is my day for love, because I know that as I love, I will be loved. Hate and jealously cannot exist in the presence of love. I will be sustained by this miracle of your creation and this day will be lightened by my love for others and especially love for my fellow travelers in the journey of recovery. Today I will do my best without thought of failures of the past or anxieties for the future. When this day is ended, I will have no regrets nor remorse. Upon ending my day I shall thank you, my Higher Power, for this wonderful day.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 17

Awakening
Very few of us experience a sudden, startling spiritual experience of any kind. Usually, the change is gradual.
Yet it is no less a spiritual awakening.
Whether we awaken with a bound or after much stretching, we awaken.
When there is a spiritual awakening, self-centeredness, fear, and frustration
are supplanted by helpful friendliness, happiness (perhaps even a touch of serenity), and fulfillment.
- The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], p. 178

Thought to Ponder . . .
A spiritual awakening is our greatest gift.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alive.

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

Restraint
"Our first objective will be the development of self-restraint.
This carries a top priority rating.
When we speak or act hastily or rashly,
the ability to be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot.
One unkind tirade or one willful snap judgment
can ruin or relation with another person for a whole day,
or maybe a whole year.
Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 91

Thought to Consider . . .
The tongue must be heavy indeed,
because so few people can hold it.

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

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

Found the Door
From: "Twice-Gifted"
My physical being has certainly undergone a transformation, but the major transformation has been spiritual. The hopelessness has been replaced by abundant hope and sincere faith. The people of Alcoholics Anonymous have provided a haven where, if I remain aware and keep my mind quiet long enough, my Higher Power leads me to amazing realizations. I find joy in my daily life, in being of service, in simply being. I have found rooms full of wonderful people, and for me each and every one of the Big Book's promises have come true. The things that I have learned from my own experience, from the Big Book, and from my friends in AA - patience, acceptance, honesty, humility, and true faith in a Power greater than myself - are the tools I use today to live my life, this precious life.
Today my life is filled with miracles big and small, not one of which would ever have come to pass had I not found the door of Alcoholics Anonymous.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 475

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

"Though all alone out there, an AA from the Marshall Islands still claimed his group had three members, to wit: 'God, the book Alcoholics Anonymous, and me.'"
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., September 1950
"We Came of Age"
The Language of the Heart

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

"If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the
brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal
men, but for alcoholics these things are poison."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~

Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum
helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you
can be helpful. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot
on earth on such an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with
these motives and God will keep you unharmed.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 102~

Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling of our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the process requires for its successful consummation.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 25

Calm, thoughtful reflection upon personal relations can deepen our insight.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 80

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

It is being constantly revealed, as mankind studies the material world, that its outward appearance is not inward reality at all. The prosaic steel girder is a mass of electrons whirling around each other at incredible speed, and these tiny bodies are governed by precise laws. Science tells us so. We have no reason to doubt it.
When, however, the perfectly logical assumption is suggested that, infinitely beyond the material world as we see it, there is an all powerful, guiding, creative Intelligence, our perverse streak comes to the surface and we set out to convince ourselves that this isn't so. Were our contention true, it would follow that life originated out of nothing, means nothing, and proceeds nowhere.

Prayer for the Day: The Acceptance Prayer - God grant me the serenity to accept my addiction gracefully and humbly. Grant me also the ability to absorb the teachings of the Program which by it's past experience is trying to help me. Teach me to be grateful for the help I receive. Guide me, Higher Power, in the path of tolerance and understanding of my fellow members and fellow man, guide me away from the path of criticism, intolerance, jealousy and envy of my friends. Let me not prejudge, let me not become a moralist, keep my tongue and thoughts from malicious idle gossip. Help me to grow in stature spiritually, mentally, and morally. Grant me that greatest of all rewards, that of being able to help my fellow sufferers in their search out of the addiction that has encompassed them. Above all, help me to be less critical and impatient with myself.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 18

Right Action
One of the most important things AA has given me, in addition to freedom from booze, is the ability to take "right action."
It says the promises will always materialize if I work for them.
Fantasizing about them, debating them, preaching about them, and faking them just won't work.
I'll remain a miserable, rationalizing dry drunk.
By taking action and working the Twelve Steps in all my affairs, I'll have a life beyond my wildest dreams
- Daily Reflections, p. 54

Thought to Ponder . . .
Right action promotes right thinking quicker than right thinking promotes right action.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A B C = Action, Belief, Continue.

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

Fellowship
"Today, I'm counting my blessings instead of my troubles.
When I walked into the friendly atmosphere
of my first AA meeting, I knew I was where I belonged.
Here were people who had thought and felt as I had.
Here was the understanding I'd been searching for all my life.
These people were my friends,
and I felt their sincere interest in me.
With these new and enlightening doors opening up to me,
I was able to make the eventual decision to stop drinking,
a day at a time -- because I, too, was an alcoholic.
And with this came the only real freedom,
the freedom of truth."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 355

Thought to Consider . . .
If you love someone, tell them now.
Eternity is time enough for silence.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R E = Comforting And Reassuring Each other

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

Camel Metaphor
From: "As Dr. Bob said"
According to Ed, Dr. Bob would explain prayer by telling how the camels in a caravan would kneel down in the evening, and the men would unload their burdens. In the morning, they would kneel down again, and the men would put the burdens back on. It's the same with prayer, Dr. Bob said. We get on our knees to unload at night. And in the morning when we get on our knees again, God gives us just the load we are able to carry for that day.
1980, AAWS, Inc., DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, page 229

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

"The inner energy that is love connects all the parts of us - our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual selves."
Calif., March 1984
"Powerful Simplicity"
Emotional Sobriety II

*~*~*~*~*^ 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~

...we then look at Step Six. We have emphasized willingness as
being indispensable. Are we now ready to let God remove from us
all the things which we have admitted are objectionable? Can He now
take them all-every one? If we still cling to something we will not
let go, we ask God to help us be willing.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 76~

We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 87

Having opened our channel as best we can, we try to ask for those right things of which we and others are in the greatest need.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 102

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

My self-analysis has frequently been faulty. Sometimes I've failed to share my defects with the right people; at other times, I've confessed their defects, rather than my own; and at still other times, my confession of defects has been more in the nature of loud complaints about my circumstances and my problems.
When A.A. suggests a fearless moral inventory, it must seem to every newcomer that more is being asked of him than he can do. Every time he tries to look within himself, Pride says, 'You need not pass this way,' and Fear says, 'You dare not look!'
But pride and fear of this sort turn out to be bogymen, nothing else. Once we have a complete willingness to take inventory, and exert ourselves to do the job thoroughly, a wonderful light falls upon this foggy scene. As we persist, a brand-new kind of confidence is born, and the sense of relief at finally facing ourselves is indescribable.

Prayer for the Day: The Twelve Steps Prayer - Power, greater than myself, as I understand You, I willingly admit that without Your help I am powerless over my addiction and my life has become unmanageable. I believe You can restore me to sanity. I turn my life and my will over to You. I have made a searching and fearless moral inventory of myself and I admit to You, to myself, and to another the exact nature of my wrongs. I am entirely ready to have You remove these defects of character. I humbly ask You to remove my shortcomings. I have made direct amends to all persons I have harmed, except when to do so would injure them or others. I will continue to take personal inventory and when I am wrong I will promptly admit it. I seek through prayer and meditation to improve my conscious contact with You and pray only for knowledge of Your will for me and the power to carry it out. Grant me the grace to carry the message of Your help unto others and to practice the principles of the Twelve Steps in all my affairs.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 19

Making Amends
Above all, we should try to be absolutely sure that we are not delaying because we are afraid.
For the readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts,
and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at the same time,
is the very spirit of Step Nine.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 87

Thought to Ponder . . .
Don't mess up an amend with an excuse.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O W = Honest, Open-minded, Willing.

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

Working With Others
"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.
We know you will not want to miss it."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 89

Thought to Consider . . .
Sobriety is a choice and a treasure.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H E A R T = Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering, Together

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

Re-examination
From: "Educated Agnostic"
That was with me the beginning of a new life. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for me to put into words the change that has taken place in me. I have since learned that with many members the change has been almost instantaneous. This was not the case with me. I was tremendously inspired at first, but my basic thinking was not altered that evening nor did I expect any profound change. I felt that while the spiritual aspect of what these men had was not for me, I did believe strongly in the emphasis they put on the need to help others. I felt that if I could have the inspiration of these gatherings and if I could have an opportunity to try to help others that the two together would reinforce my own will power and thus be of tremendous assistance. But gradually, in a manner I cannot explain, I began to re-examine the beliefs I had thought beyond criticism. Almost imperceptibly my whole attitude toward life underwent a silent revolution. I lost many worries and gained confidence. I found myself saying and thinking things that a short time ago I would have condemned as platitudes! A belief in the basic spirituality of life has grown and with it belief in a supreme and guiding power for good.
2003, AAWS, Inc., Experience, Strength & Hope - Stories from the first three editions of Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 106-107

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

"One day, after sitting alone, soaked in tears and feeling empty, worthless, and crippled in the smallest task, I reached out and gave my phone number to someone else – they were hurting, too. In that simplest of acts, my world changed."
Salt Lake City, Utah, July 2007
"Life, Not Regrets"
Spiritual Awakenings II

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

"Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family
back. This just isn't so. In some cases the wife will never come
back for one reason or another. Remind the prospect that his
recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his
relationship with God. We have seen men get well whose families have
not returned at all. We have seen others slip when the family came
back too soon."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 99~

When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us
when
we put ourselves in Gods hands were better than anything we could
have planned.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others pg. 100~

We grow by our willingness to face and rectify errors and convert them into assets.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 124

Everywhere we saw failure and misery transformed by humility into priceless assets.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 75

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Let us emphasize that our reluctance to fight one another, or anybody else, is not counted as some special virtue which entitles us A.A.'s to feel superior to other people. Nor does this reluctance mean that the members of A.A. are going to back away from their individual responsibilities as citizens. Here they should feel free to act as they see the right upon the public issues of our times.
But when it comes to A.A. as a whole, that's quite a different matter. As a group we do not enter into public controversy, because we are sure that our Society will perish if we do.

Prayer for the Day: The Victims of Addiction - O blessed Lord, you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion upon all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears that beset them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 20

Dependence
Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: Job or no job -- wife or no wife --
we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place dependence upon other people
ahead of dependence on God.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 98

Thought to Ponder . . .
I cannot mend if I bend the truth.

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

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

Balance
"Most of us must admit that we have loved but a few;
that we have been indifferent to the many
so long as none of them gave us trouble;
and as for the remainder -- well, we have really
disliked or hated them.
Although these attitudes are common enough,
we AA's find we need something much better
in order to keep our balance.
We can't stand it if we hate deeply.
The idea that we can be possessively loving of a few,
and can continue to fear or hate anybody,
has to be abandoned, if only a little at a time."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 92-3

Thought to Consider . . .
Bigotry disfigures the heart.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Facing All In Trusting Him

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

Publicity
>From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"In September, 1939, the Liberty [magazine] piece hit the newsstands. It was a bit lurid, and we thought the title, 'Alcoholics and God,' would scare off plenty of prospects. Maybe it did, but several hundred alcoholics and their families were not scared. Liberty magazine received 800 urgent pleas for help, which were promptly turned over to [office manager] Ruth and me [Bill W.]. She wrote fine personal letters to every one of them, enclosing a leaflet which described the A.A. book. The response was wonderful [sic] Several hundred books sold at once at full retail price of $3.50. Even more importantly, we struck up a correspondence with alcoholics, their friends, and their families all over the country. Ruth could at last draw a few dollars a week for herself. And all those moving appeals for assistance had made us forget our own troubles. Looking after all those new people by mail and relating [sic] them in some cases to each other and in others to the groups in Akron, New York, and Cleveland became our chief occupation until early 1940. Shortly after the Liberty article came out, Cleveland's Plain Dealer ran its great series of pieces, as already described. This brought in new book orders and new problems by scores. Alcoholics Anonymous was on the march, out of its infancy into adolescence."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 178

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

"There has to be something to be grateful for if I am only willing to change my attitude and look for it."
Mesa, Ariz., March 2010
"Not On Fire"
Emotional Sobriety II

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

"Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that. It is a
fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous. There you will find release from
care, boredom and worry. Your imagination will be fired. Life will
mean something at last. The most satisfactory years of your
existence lie ahead."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 152~~

In some circumstances we have gone out deliberately to get drunk,
feeling ourselves justified by nervousness, anger, worry,
depression, jealousy or the like. But even in this type of
beginning we are obliged to admit that our justification for a spree was
insanely insufficient in the light of what always happened. We
now see that when we began to drink deliberately, instead or
casually, there was little serious or effective thought during the period
of premeditation of what the terrific consequences might be.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 37~

But he had found God -- and in finding God had found himself.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 158

They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 104

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The achievement of freedom from fear is a lifetime undertaking, one that can never be wholly completed.
When under heavy attack, acute illness, or in other conditions of serious insecurity, we shall all react to this emotion - well or badly, as the case may be. Only the self-deceived will claim perfect freedom from fear.
We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was a part of our make-up. Sometimes we had to search persistently, but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were. We found the Great Reality deep down within us.

Prayer for the Day: God's Answer - I asked God for strength that I might achieve. I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for help that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy. I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men. I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life that I might enjoy all things. No, dear Lord, I've gotten nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for. Despite myself, my prayers were answered. And I am the most richly blessed.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 21

Warning Bells
We have learned now not to panic when the thought of a drink comes to mind. . .
But the thought of a drink is not necessarily the same thing as the desire for one,
and neither need plunge us into gloom or fear.
Both can be viewed simply as warning bells to remind us of the perils of alcoholism.
The perils are forever, even when we feel so fine that we wonder whether it's really all right
for anyone to feel as good as we do, now.
- Living Sober, pp. 43-44

Thought to Ponder . . .
Just for today, I choose not to drink.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Aware.

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

Promises
"We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
No matter how far down the scale we have gone,
we will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
We will lose interest in selfish things
and gain interest in our fellows.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle
situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us
what we could not do for ourselves."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp 83-84

Thought to Consider . . .
The Promises are a result; not a right.

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

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

Basis
>From "A.A. Is a Philosophy":
"A religion, properly, is of divine origin; governs the person in his relationship with his Higher Power; and promises its rewards and punishments after death. A philosophy is of human origin; governs the person in his relationship with his fellowman; and promises its rewards and punishments during life. A.A., I submit, is a philosophy. If we alcoholics follow the philosophy of A.A., we can regain an understanding of our several religions. Maryland, USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 5

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

"Most of us do follow, in our personal lives, the Twelve suggested Steps to recovery ... We do this from choice. We prefer recovery to death. Then, little by little, we ... conform because we want to."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., January 1947
"Will AA Ever Have a Personal Government?"
The Language of the Heart

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

"The greatest enemies of us alcoholics are resentment, jealousy,
envy, frustration, and fear."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Employers, pg. 145~

Do not be discouraged if your prospect does not respond at once.
Search out another alcoholic and try again. You are sure to find
someone desperate enough to accept with eagerness what you offer.
We find it a waste of time to keep chasing a man who cannot or will
not work with you. If you leave such a person alone, he may soon
become convinced that he cannot recover by himself. To spend too much
time on any one situation is to deny some other alcoholic an
opportunity to live and be happy.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 96~

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

Pride says, "You need not pass this way," and Fear says, "You dare not look!
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 49

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Sometimes, when friends tell us how well we are doing, we know better inside. We know we aren't doing well enough. We still can't handle life, as life is. There must be a serious flaw somewhere in our spiritual practice and development.
What, then, is it?
The chances are better than even that we shall locate our trouble in our misunderstanding or neglect of A.A.'s Step Eleven - prayer, meditation, and the guidance of God.
The other Steps can keep most of us sober and somehow functioning. But Step Eleven can keep us growing, if we try hard and work at it continually.

Prayer for the Day: Fellow Travelers - Higher Power, Who fills our whole life, and Whose presence we find wherever we go, preserve us who travel the road of recovery, surround us with Your loving care, protect us from every danger, and bring us safely to our journey's end.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 22

A New Family
In the first few months, I didn't say much, but I listened. I listened to my sponsors,
to some guests from abroad who were old-timers, and to newcomers.
I learned mostly from the newcomers, with whom I could easily identify. It wasn't easy. I was in my late forties.
I had to reconstruct a life out of the ruins. It took time and it was extremely difficult and complicated.
It is a road that nobody can travel alone.
Finally I built up a new family and made up with what was left of the old one.
- AA Around the World, pp. 32-33

Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.

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

Faith
"While drinking, we were certain that our intelligence,
backed by will power, could rightly control our inner lives
and guarantee us success in the world around us.
This brave philosophy, wherein each man played God,
sounded good in the speaking,
but it still had to meet the acid test:
How well did it actually work?
one good look in the mirror was answer enough."
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 225

Thought to Consider . . .
Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
and the evidence of things not seen

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Finding Answers In The Heart

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

Another Difficulty
From: "To Wives"
Still another difficulty is that you may become jealous of the attention he bestows on other people, especially alcoholics. You have been starving for his companionship, yet he spends long hours helping other men and their families. You feel he should now be yours. The fact is that he should work with other people to maintain his own sobriety. Sometimes he will be so interested that he becomes really neglectful. Your house is filled with strangers. You may not like some of them. He gets stirred up about their troubles, but not at all about yours. It will do little good if you point that out and urge more attention for yourself. We find it a real mistake to dampen his enthusiasm for alcoholic work. You should join in his efforts as much as you possibly can. We suggest that you direct some of your thought to the wives of his new alcoholic friends. They need the counsel and love of a woman who has gone through what you have.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 119

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

"With the help of the Fellowship, the Twelve Steps, and a Higher Power ... I do not have to be a newcomer again."
Montpelier, Vt., March 2003
"Confessions of a Reluctant Newcomer"
Emotional Sobriety II

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

"Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family
back. This just isn't so. In some cases the wife will never come
back for one reason or another. Remind the prospect that his
recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his
relationship with God. We have seen men get well whose families have
not returned at all. We have seen others slip when the family came
back too soon."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 99~

One of the many doctors who had the opportunity of reading this
book in manuscript form told us that the use of sweets was often
helpful, of course depending upon a doctors advice. He thought
all alcoholics should constantly have chocolate available for its
quick energy value at times of fatigue. He added that occasionally in
the night a vague craving arose which would be satisfied by candy.
Many of us have noticed a tendency to eat sweets and have found this
practice beneficial.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 133~

Though they knew they must help other alcoholics if they would remain sober, that motive became secondary.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 159

Most of us would declare that without a fearless admission of our defects to another human being we could not stay sober.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 57

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

When we insisted, like infants, that people protect and take care of us or that the world owed us a living, then the result was unfortunate. The people we most loved often pushed us aside or perhaps deserted us entirely. Our disillusionment was hard to bear.
We failed to see that, though adult in years, we were still behaving childishly, trying to turn everybody - friends, wives, husbands, even the world itself - into protective parents. We refused to learn that overdependence upon people is unsuccessful because all people are fallible, and even the best of them will sometimes let us down, especially when our demands for attention become unreasonable.
We are now on a different basis: the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us do, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.

Prayer for the Day: My First Prayer - I surrender to Thee my entire life, O God of my understanding. I have made a mess of it, trying to run it myself. You take it, the whole thing, and run it for me, according to Your will and plan.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 23

Cunning, Baffling, Powerful
Alcoholism is deadly, ugly, and rough. It is also cunning, baffling, and powerful.
It wants me to consider perfection attainable. . .
It wants me to believe that self-indulgence is fine, as long as I call it self-forgiveness. . .
It wants me to forget that it is a snake in the brain, hoping to catch my eye, watching, waiting.
The gritty pain of alcoholism is the traction of recovery.
I cannot afford to sell off the principles for an easier, softer way.
- The Best of the Grapevine pp. 32-33

Thought to Ponder . . .
Pain nourishes courage.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alive.

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

Awakening
"Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening?
Again, the voice of AA speaks up.
No, sobriety is only a bare beginning,
it is only the first gift of the first awakening.
If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on.
And if it does go on, we find that bit by bit
we can discard the old life
-- the one that did not work --
for a new life that can and does work
under any conditions whatever.
Regardless of worldly success or failure,
regardless of pain or joy,
regardless of sickness or health or even of death itself,
a new life of endless possibilities can be lived
if we are willing to continue our awakening."
Bill W., December 1957
c. 1988AAWS, The Language of the Heart, p. 234

Thought to Consider . . .
The task ahead of us is never as great
as the Power behind us.

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

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

Anvils of Experience
Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA Unity
So at the outset, how best to live and work together as groups became the prime question. In the world about us we saw personalities destroying whole peoples. The struggle for wealth, power, and prestige was tearing humanity apart as never before. If strong people were stalemated in the search for peace and harmony, what was to become of our erratic band of alcoholics? As we had once struggled and prayed for individual recovery, just so earnestly did we commence to quest for the principles through which AA itself might survive. On anvils of experience, the structure of our Society was hammered out.
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 130-131

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

"I have made a determined effort to focus more on seeing myself as God sees me."
Reston, Va., December 2009
"I'm Not Broken"
Spiritual Awakenings II

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

"'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~

We usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 87

And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 97

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Though I still find it difficult to accept today's pain and anxiety with any great degree of serenity - as those more advanced in the spiritual life seem able to do - I can give thanks for present pain nevertheless.
I find the willingness to do this by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering - lessons which have led to the blessings I now enjoy. I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom.

Prayer for the Day: Possibilities Prayer - I know, Dear God, that my part in this Program is going to be a thrilling and endless adventure. Despite all that has happened to me already, I know that I have just begun to grow. I have just begun to open to Your love. I have just begun to touch the varied lives You are using me to change. I have just begun to sense the possibilities ahead. And these possibilities, I am convinced, will continue to unfold into ever new and richer adventures, not only for the rest of my reborn days but also through eternity.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 24

The Opportunity
It finally became obvious to me that the God I thought had judged and damned me had done nothing of the sort.
He had been listening, and in His own good time His answer came. His answer was threefold:
the opportunity for a life of sobriety; Twelve Steps to practice, in order to attain and maintain that life of sobriety;
fellowship within the program, ever ready to sustain and help me each twenty-four-hour day. . .
In the use of this opportunity, the onus is on me.
- Came To Believe . . ., p. 11

Thought to Ponder . . .
We will suffer a great poverty until we know that God lives in us and we can see Him there.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relaying A Message.

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

Willingness
"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.
It was only a matter of being willing to believe
in a Power greater than myself.
Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 12

Thought to Consider . . .
The peaks and valleys of my life
have become gentle rolling hills.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
W H O = Willingness, Honesty, Openmindedness

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

Like a Crowbar
From: "Listening to the Wind"
The Twelve Steps worked like a crowbar, prying into my dishonesty and fear. I didn't like the things I learned about myself, but I didn't want to go back where I had come from. I found out that there was no substance on the planet that could help me get honest. I would do just about anything to avoid working on myself.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 467-468

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

"While we readily share our views, perhaps one of the nicest things about the AA program is that we don't always have to agree with each other."
Brooklyn, N.Y., June 1975
"Self-Acceptance"
Emotional Sobriety II

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

"We usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we
be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be
given whatever we need to take care of such problems. We ask
especially for freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no
request for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves, however, if
others will be helped. We are careful never to pray for our own
selfish ends. Many of us have wasted a lot of time doing that and it
doesn't work."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 87~

"Now we need more action, without which we find
that “Faith without works is dead.’’ Let’s look at
Steps Eight and Nine. We have a list of all persons we have
harmed and to whom we are willing to make amends.
We made it when we took inventory. We subjected
ourselves to a drastic self-appraisal. Now we go out to
our fellows and repair the damage done in the past.
We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accu*
mulated out of our effort to live on self-will and run
the show ourselves. If we haven’t the will to do this,
we ask until it comes. Remember it was agreed at the
beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over
alcohol."~Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 76, Into Action, 4th Edition~

Modem-to-modem or face-to-face, A.A.'s speak the language of the heart in all its power and simplicity.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. xxiv (Foreword to the Fourth Edition)

The unity of Alcoholics Anonymous is the most cherished quality our Society has.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 129

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

As excuse-makers and rationalizers, we drunks are champions. It is the business of the psychiatrist to find the deeper causes for our conduct. Though uninstructed in psychiatry, we can, after a little time in A.A., see that our motives have not been what we thought they were, and that we have been motivated by forces previously unknown to us. Therefore we ought to look, with the deepest respect, interest, and profit, upon the example set us by psychiatry.
'Spiritual growth through the practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps, plus the aid of a good sponsor, can usually reveal most of the deeper reasons for our character defects, at least to a degree that meets our practical needs. Nevertheless, we should be grateful that our friends in psychiatry have so strongly emphasized the necessity to search for false and often unconscious motivations.

Prayer for the Day: For Those Who Have Relapsed - O God of all mercies and comfort, Who helps us in time of need, we humbly ask You to behold, visit, and relieve those who have relapsed for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon them with the eyes of Your mercy; comfort them with a sense of Your goodness; preserve them from the temptations of their addiction; and give them patience under their affliction. In Your time, restore them to the Program and physical, mental, and spiritual health. And help them, we pray, to listen, believe and do Your will.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 25

A Thankful Heart
I am grateful not only for sobriety, but for the quality of life my sobriety has brought.
God has been gracious enough to give me sober days and a life blessed with peace and contentment,
as well as the ability to give and receive love . . . For all of this, I have "a full and thankful heart."
- Daily Reflections, p. 93

Thought to Ponder . . .
A full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
F A I T H = Finding Answers In The Heart.

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

Defects
"What we must recognize now is that we exult
in some of our defects.
We really love them.
Who, for example, doesn't like to feel just a little superior
to the next fellow, or even quite a lot superior?
Isn't it true that we like to let greed
masquerade as ambition?
To think of liking lust seems impossible.
But how many men and women speak love with their lips,
and believe what they say,
so that they can hide lust in a dark corner of their minds?
And even while staying within conventional bounds,
many people admit that their imaginary sex excursions
are apt to be all dressed up as dreams of romance."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 66-7

Thought to Consider . . .
If I want God to remove my character defects,
I'll have to stop doing them.

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

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

Common Denominators
From: "On the bridge back to life"
As Bill read on [in: The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James], his own powers of reasoning helped him extract some important ideas from the weighty and intricate text. He saw that all the cases described by James had certain common denominators, despite the diverse ways in which they manifested themselves. These insights became important to Bill in his thinking about the plight of the alcoholic and his need for spiritual help. (He would later say that James, though long in his grave, had been a founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.) Of the three common denominators in the case histories, the first was calamity; each person James described had met utter defeat in some vital area of his life. All human resources had failed to solve his problems. Each person had been utterly desperate.
The next common point was admission of defeat; each of the individuals acknowledged his own defeat as utter and absolute.
The third common denominator was an appeal to a Higher Power. This cry for help could take many forms, and it might or might not be in religious terms.
1984, AAWS, Inc., 'PASS IT ON' - The story of Bill Wilson and how the AA message reached the world, pages 124-125

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

"Those little maxims 'Easy Does It' and 'Live and Let Live' have come to be deeply meaningful and significant."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., January 1947
"Will AA Ever Have a Personal Government?"
The Language of the Heart

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

"...with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a
spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely
grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings
we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity
of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to
die."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~

“When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands were better than anything we could have planned. Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances!”
Alcoholics Anonymous, P.100

We had to have God's help.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 62

Refusing to place God first, we had deprived ourselves of His help.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 75

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

'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?

Prayer for the Day: Thank You, God - Thank You, God, for all You have given me. Thank You for all You have taken from me. But, most of all, I thank You, God, for what You've left me: Recovery, along with peace of mind, faith, hope, and love.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 26

Anger
If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the brainstorm were not for us.
They may be the dubious luxury of normal men, but for alcoholics these things are poison.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 66

Thought to Ponder . . .
Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Avoid Anger.

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

Help
"If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were,
we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution.
We were in a position where life was becoming impossible,
and if we had passed into the region
from which there is no return through human aid,
we had but two alternatives:
One was to go on to the bitter end,
blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation
as best we could;
and the other, to accept spiritual help.
This we did because we honestly wanted to,
and were willing to make the effort."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 25-6

Thought to Consider . . .
The spiritual life is not a theory.
We have to live it.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H E L P = Hope, Encouragement, Love, Patience

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

Suspend Our Own Argument
From: "Being Grateful"
For some reason, we spent a lot of time thinking or noting or talking about how wrong or mistaken so many other people persistently were. (Whether they really were or not is irrelevant to the welcome change in our own feelings now.) For some, the change begins with a tentative willingness to wait and see, to accept for a moment the hypothesis that the other person just possibly might be right. Before rushing to judgment, we suspend our own argument, listen carefully, and watch for the outcome.

1998, AAWS, Inc., Living Sober, pages 48-49

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

"The beauty of sobriety is that sometimes I am the one supported, and other times the one supporting. One act helps destroy my ego, the other my self-centeredness. I need to practice both actions if I want to survive"
Los Angeles, Calif., July 2007
"Self-Support"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

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

"Perhaps there is a better way--we think so. For we are now on a
different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We
trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the
world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as
we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us
to match calamity with serenity."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 68~

Our behavior is as absurd and incomprehensible with respect to the first drink as that of an individual with a passion , say , for jay-walking . He gets a thrill out of skipping in front of fast-moving vehicles . He enjoys himself for a few years in spite of friendly warnings . Up to this point you would label him as a foolish chap having queer ideals of fun . Luck then deserts him and he is slightly injured several times in succession . You would expect him , if he were normal , to cut it out . Presently he is hit again and this time has a fractured skull . Within a week after leaving the hospital a fast-moving trolley car breaks his arm . He tells you he has decided to stop jay-walking for good , but in a few weeks he breaks both legs .
Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 37-38

...this book you read again and again that faith did for us what we could not do...
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 70

It is hoped that this volume will afford all who read it a close-up view of the principles and forces which have made Alcoholics Anonymous what it is.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 18

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

'You must remember that every A.A. group starts, as it should, through the efforts of a single man and his friends - a founder and his hierarchy. There is no other way.
'But when infancy is over, the original leaders always have to make way for that democracy which springs up through the grass roots and will eventually sweep aside the self-chosen leadership of the past.'
Letter to Dr. Bob: 'Everywhere the A.A. groups have taken their service affairs into their own hands. Local founders and their friends are now on the side lines. Why so many people forget that, when thinking of the future of our world services, I shall never understand.
'The groups will eventually take over, and maybe they will squander their inheritance when they get it. It is probable, however, that they won't. Anyhow, they really have grown up; A.A. is theirs; let's give it to them.

Prayer for the Day: Humility Prayer - Lord, I am far too much influenced by what people think of me; Which means that I am always pretending to be either richer or smarter than I am. Please prevent me from trying to attract attention. Don't let me gloat over praise on the one hand and be discouraged by criticism on the other, nor let me waste time weaving the most imaginary situations in which the heroic, charming, witty person present is myself. Show me how to be humble of heart.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 27

Pride
If God can solve the age-old riddle of alcoholism, He can solve your problems too.
We wives found that, like everybody else, we were afflicted with pride, self-pity, vanity
and all the things which go to make up the self-centered person;
and we were not above selfishness or dishonesty.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 116

Thought to Ponder . . .
False pride became the reverse side that ruinous coin marked "Fear."

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
P R I D E = Personal Recovery Involves Deflating Ego.

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

Right Living
"Service, gladly rendered, obligations squarely met,
troubles well accepted or solved with God's help,
the knowledge that at home or in the world outside
we are partners in a common effort,
the well-understood fact that in God's sight
all human beings are important,
the proof that love freely given surely brings a full return,
the certainty that we are no longer isolated and alone
in self-constructed prisons,
the surety that we need no longer be
square pegs in round holes but can fit and belong
in God's scheme of things --
these are the permanent and legitimate satisfactions
of right living for which no amount of pomp and circumstance,
no heap of material possessions,
could possibly be substitutes."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 124

Thought to Consider . . .
We are not living just to be sober;
we are living to learn, to serve, and to love.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
L O V E = Living Our Valuable Experiences

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

Clubs
>From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"But like most A.A. clubs this first one did us far more good than harm, especially after we learned that the club had to be on the side lines and could not be managed by the A.A. groups as such. The Old Twenty-Fourth Street Club witnessed much of A.A.'s early history. Still in busy operation [as of 1957], it is now a landmark visited by members from all over the world. Similar and far larger clubs were started in Philadelphia and Minneapolis later in 1940. Scores and scores of clubrooms and clubhouses now dot our landscape. Some of the more elegant ones, especially those in Texas, have to be seen to be believed."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 181

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

"I can say no to a lot of things I'm not interested in. All the people-pleasing activities I used to engage in, I can cut out now. That gives me time to do the truly helpful, gut-warming little things, just because they need doing and I truly care. I have time to work my program."
Houston, Texas, June 1976
"Growth,"
Emotional Sobriety: The Next Frontier

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

"Some day we hope that Alcoholics Anonymous will help the public to
a better realization of the gravity of the alcoholic problem, but we
shall be of little use if our attitude is one of bitterness or
hostility. Drinkers will not stand for it.
After all, our problems were of our own making. Bottles were only a
symbol. Besides, we have stopped fighting anybody or anything. We
have to!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 103~

"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.
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."
Alcoholics Anonymous, page 30

When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 51

I must quickly assure you that A.A.'s tread innumerable paths in their quest for faith.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 27

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

In taking an inventory, a member might consider questions such as these:
How did my selfish pursuit of the sex relation damage other people and me? What people were hurt, and how badly? Just how did I react at the time? Did 1 burn with guilt? Or did I insist that I was the pursued and not the pursuer, and thus absolve myself?
How have I reacted to frustration in sexual matters? When denied, did I become vengeful or depressed? Did I take it out on other people? If there was rejection or coldness at home, did I use this as a reason for promiscuity?
Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family back. His recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his relationship with God, however he may define Him.

Prayer for the Day: My Daily Prayer - God, I will turn my will and my life over to You this day for Your keeping. Your will, Lord, not mine. I ask for Your guidance and direction. I will walk humbly with You and Your fellowman. You are giving me a grateful heart for my many blessings. You are removing the defects of character that stand in my way. You are giving me freedom from self-will.
Let love, compassion, and understanding be in my every thought, word, and deed this day. I release those to You who have mistreated me. I truly desire Your abundance of truth, love, harmony, and peace. As I go out today to do Your bidding, let me help anyone I can who is less fortunate than I.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 28

Prayer
I have had to discard all the thoughts and beliefs that were once there. I gave them up reluctantly.
I didn't want to believe in God, but through AA I got to a point where I had to.
Now I believe it to be the strongest force on earth -- if the quietest. You don't have to be aware of power.
It doesn't have to be loud, like a hurricane. . .
Before AA, I wanted more than anything else to get sober.
That was a positive thought, and it was a prayer that was answered.
- The Best of the Grapevine [Vol.2], p. 175

Thought to Ponder . . .
Trying to pray is praying.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A S A P = Always Say A Prayer.

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

Meetings
"Sobriety and a plan for living that produces
a personality change and a spiritual awakening
are imperative.
Through AA, many receive the needed change and awakening
just by trying to live by AA principles
and associating with AA people.
We do this by going to many AA meetings with an open mind
and a desire to live the good-feeling life without chemicals --
liquid or otherwise."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 459

Thought to Consider . . .
The ankle-biters of everyday struggles will eat away at me
unless I go to meetings and share.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Hearing Other Peoples' Experience

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

All-Encompassing
>From "The Whole Company of ...."
"I was born an Anglican (Church of England), and the following crops up in one of our services (perhaps in the services of other denominations also): 'Therefore with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven, we laud and glorify Thy name.' Since I have no knowledge of heaven or the company kept there, whenever I repeat this passage of praise, I substitute the word 'and the whole company of Alcoholics Anonymous.'
"Being an A.A. Loner, I have felt very out of things and on my own. But I do believe in the power of collective thought, whether for good or evil. Thus, I believe that the collective thought of the body of Alcoholics Anonymous throughout the world must have some effect on alcoholics, whether they are aware of it or not. - Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 87

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

"In early sobriety, I remember moaning to another member about how I didn't have a relationship, I didn't have a new car, and I didn't have a flashy job. He replied: 'It takes a steady hand to hold a full cup.'"
Canberra, Australia, February 2003
"The Cup of Life,"
In Our Own Words

*~*~*~*~*^ 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~

"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 p.33

When resentful thoughts come, try to pause and count your blessings.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.119

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 p. 95

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

'All A.A. 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 to 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.

Prayer for the Day: Lord, I'm Hurting
Yes, Lord I hurt. The pain is deep,
And I feel the mountains are so steep.
I cannot seem to stand.
Please, dear Lord, take my hand.
I cannot seem to find my way.
For me the sun is not shining today.
I know You're there; I've felt Your presence near,
But now, my Lord, my heart is gripped with fear.
Lord, help the sun to shine and to know that You are mine.
Heal this pain I feel; make Your presence very real.
Today, Lord, I give You all.
Help me, dear Lord, not to fall.
And if I fall, hold me tight,
So I can feel Your strength and might.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 29

A New Dimension
Now I was to plunge into the dark, joining that endless procession of sots who had gone before.
I thought of my poor wife. There had been much happiness after all.
What would I give to make amends. But that was over now.
No words can tell of the loneliness and despair I found in that bitter morass of self-pity.
Quicksand stretched around me in all directions. I had been overwhelmed. Alcohol was my master. . .
How dark it is before the dawn! In reality, I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 8

Thought to Ponder . . .
Happiness and peace of mind are always here, open and free to anyone.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Achieve Anything.

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

Booby Traps
"We must avoid quick-tempered criticism
and furious, power-driven argument.
The same goes for sulking and silent scorn.
These are emotional booby traps baited with pride
and vengefulness.
Our first job is to sidestep the traps.
When we are tempted by the bait,
we should train ourselves to step back and think.
For we can neither think nor act to good purpose
until the habit of self-restraint has become automatic."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 91

Thought to Consider . . .
Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B A T H = Behavior, Attitude, Thinking, Habits

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

Greatest Possession
From: "The Family Afterward"
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. Cling to the thought that, in God's hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have - the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death and misery for them.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 124

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

"I've never taken my sobriety for granted because I know I'm only one drink away from ruining my life."
Jamaica Plain, Mass., May 1997
"The Littlest Things"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

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

"If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to
let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and
will have learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct
continues to harm others, we are quite sure to drink. We are not
theorizing. These are facts out of our experience."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 70~

"Remember that we deal with alcohol- cunning, baffling, powerful!
Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all
power- that One is God. May you find Him now!"
Alcoholics Anonymous p.58-59

We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.17

Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of meditation and prayer is the sense of belonging that comes to us.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 105

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Selfishness - self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.
So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us!

Prayer for the Day: The Right Road - Dear God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself...and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe this: I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. I hope I have that desire in everything I do. I hope I never persist in anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it at the time. Therefore I will trust You always, for though I may be lost - and in the shadow of death - I will not be afraid, because I know You will never leave me to face my troubles all alone. --Thomas Merton

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

September 30

Attitudes
After we come into AA, if we go on growing, our attitudes toward security -- emotional security and financial security --
commence to change profoundly. Our demand for emotional security, for our own way,
had constantly thrown us into unworkable relations with other people.
Though were sometimes quite unconscious of this, the result always had been the same.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 115

Thought to Ponder . . .
Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Attitude Adjustment.

September 30

Perfection
I have never been and never can be perfect. As that realization became a part of me -- and it took time --
it brought me one of the greatest of the many blessings that have come to me from AA.
I learned to accept myself as a fallible human being. I do not have to strive for perfection. Mistakes are permissible.
I have the right to be wrong. And what a comfort that thought is to me,
as I make my bemused way through life, one foot in a bucket, pushing on doors marked "Pull."
- The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], pp. 167-168

Thought to Ponder . . .
The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.

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

Consequences
"In some circumstances we have gone out deliberately
to get drunk, feeling ourselves justified
by nervousness, anger, worry, depression,
jealousy or the like.
But even in this type of beginning we are obliged to admit
that our justification for a spree
was insanely insufficient in the light of what always happened.
We now see that when we began to drink deliberately,
instead of casually,
there was little serious or effective thought
during the period of premeditation
of what the terrific consequences might be."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 37

Thought to Consider . . .
Think it over, not drink over it.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
D E A D = Drinking Ends All Dreams

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

Traits in Common
Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
But not so with alcoholics. When AA was quite young, a number of eminent psychologists and doctors made an exhaustive study of a good-sized group of so-called problem drinkers. The doctors weren't trying to find how different we were from one another; they sought to find whatever personality traits, if any, this group of alcoholics had in common. They finally came up with a conclusion that shocked the AA members of that time. These distinguished men had the nerve to say that most of the alcoholics under investigation were still childish, emotionally sensitive, and grandiose.
How we alcoholics did resent that verdict! We would not believe that our adult dreams were often truly childish. And considering the rough deal life had given us, we felt it perfectly natural that we were sensitive. As to our grandiose behavior, we insisted that we had been possessed of nothing but a high and legitimate ambition to win the battle of life.
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 122-123

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

"Since today marks not only the last day of my life to this date, but also the first day of the rest of my life, and since I have come to believe that the best is yet to come, I think today has been my best day sober."
Lubbock, Texas, December 2000
"My Best Day Sober"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

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

"In this book you read again and again that faith did for us what we
could not do for ourselves. We hope you are convinced now that God can remove whatever self-will has blocked you off from Him. If you have
already made a decision, and an inventory of your grosser handicaps,
you have made a good beginning. That being so you have swallowed and
digested some big chunks of truth about yourself."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 70~

"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.19-20

We can be alone at perfect peace and ease.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.75

We'll listen politely to those who would advise us, but all the decisions are to be ours alone.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 37

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The life of each A.A. and of each group is built around our Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. We know that the penalty for extensive disobedience to these principles is death for the individual and dissolution for the group. But an even greater force for A.A.'s unity is our compelling love for our fellow members and for our principles.
You might think the people at A.A.'s headquarters in New York would surely have to have some personal authority. But, long ago, trustees and secretaries alike found they could do no more than make very mild suggestions to the A.A. groups.
They even had to coin a couple of sentences which still go into half the letters they write: 'Of course you are at perfect liberty to handle this matter any way you please. But the majority experience in A.A. does seem to suggest...'
A.A. world headquarters is not a giver of orders. It is, instead, our largest transmitter of the lessons of experience.

Prayer for the Day: Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me. I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength, not to be superior to my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy - myself. Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit will come to you without shame. american indian - lakota - chief yellow lark - 1887