Reflections For Every Day - September

[yukonm]

September 16

Today's Thought:

The most important thing for me is that I work my program and let him work his. I don't keep track of his attendance at meetings or anything, and if he needs to go to a meeting and I need to watch our child, then I get on the the online meetings or do some reading.

Submitted By:

Mel

[yukonm]

September 17

Today's Thought:

I really didn't have any personal values to build any life on, much less a sober one. When I was told that I could condense my life down to a single day of being sober or even an hour if necessary, I could embrace that.
I had taken all my cues for living up till then from others around me. I still did that through the steps until I realized I had to begin building my own values and setting my own limits.

Submitted By:

Neal

[yukonm]

September 18

Today's Thought:

I made a list of everything I wanted from life at that moment. Once I could see them on paper, I knew which ones I could work on right now. Others had to be curtailed until I had more money, more time, more...
I didn't realize until later that I was setting goals for myself, but once this list was complete, I had to dream up new goals - and they do have a way of getting done.

Submitted By:

Neal

[yukonm]

September 19

Today's Thought:

I have to put my higher power, whom I choose to call God, in the driver's seat. It is his will, not my will. I am frequently reminded by my sponsor that it is attraction, not promotion. The only thing I can do for my husband and daughter is to be an example of how the 12 steps can help me live a more happy and joyous life.
Submitted By:

Clock41

[yukonm]

September 20

Today's Thought:

My alcoholism is the best thing that ever happened to me, by far I've met the finest people I know. It doesn't matter where you are, who you are, there are people out there who know you and can relate to you, and have been there themselves.

Submitted By:

Ruby E.

[yukonm]

September 21

Today's Thought:

I'd say that the program consists of thought and action, one following the other in an endless cycle of realization, action, and growth. If I allow the cycle to fail, or don't allow it to take hold in the first place, then I'm just killing time until I drink again.

Submitted By:

Bryan

[yukonm]

September 22

Today's Thought:

It doesn't matter if the other person is in the program or not as long as they are moving in a healthy direction and feel comfortable with who they are. If your looking to be saved from loneliness through a relationship then check your motives for entering into the relationship.

Submitted By:

Preparing

[yukonm]

September 23

Today's Thought:

I really don't enjoy being judgmental anymore. I don't enjoy self-righteous nor controlling attitudes anymore either. Somehow, they're just not as much fun as they once were. The feeling I get way down deep inside is not pleasant. At one time, it was a lifestyle choice of mine to put people 'in their place' as often as possible. Today I choose not to do that.

Submitted By:

Rose R.

[yukonm]

September 24

Today's Thought:

My "action" of going to Al-Anon sent up red flags to my spouse, that I believed he had a drinking problem, even if he didn't believe it. That I was not going to let my life slip away in misery. He soon got the message. I was no longer the doormat that I used to be.

Submitted By:

Sharon

[yukonm]

September 25

Today's Thought:

At this point, my sponsor is more of a sounding board than a guide for me. He knows me very well, and is familiar with my thinking patterns. Sometimes he can see a fallacy in my thinking that I am not seeing. Of course, I have a much more extended support system now than I did in the beginning.

Submitted By:

Lorin

[yukonm]

September 26

Today's Thought:

My experience was that my 5th Step helped to free me from a lot of guilt and shame. What was dramatic was that, over the next few months following my 5th Step, I realized that I was no longer haunted by painful memories of the past. They had lost their power over me.

Submitted By:

Larry

[yukonm]

September 27

Today's Thought:

Then Al-Anon members shared their stories with me and I realized I'm not a bad wife for leaving him to his own devices. He always managed somehow to get home -- sometimes with new stitches on his body, sometimes in perfect, albeit hungover, shape.

Submitted By:

Rose R.

[yukonm]

September 28

Today's Thought:

My life was truly unmanageable. I had no control over when or how much I drank. I walked into the rooms of AA, scared confused and miserable. It took about 23 years for this to happen. Twenty-three crappy years.
Today I live a happy, joyous and free life. Sometimes the world doesn't cooperate with me, but I don't get drunk over it anymore. Through AA I've learned to cope with this in a sane, rational manner

Submitted By:

Libby

[yukonm]

September 29

Today's Thought:

It held me back for a while and finally my old cranky sponsor just told me, "Hell, just do it! What have you got to lose? It is not like you are going in for cancer surgery and may not live through it!"
I have 23 years of sobriety now.

Submitted By:

Joyce

[yukonm]

September 30

Today's Thought:

Working the steps is hard enough without having to contend with uncomfortable meetings and sponsor situations. I changed both my sponsor and meetings this year, which was very uncomfortable even after some time in the program, but I have settled into the new meetings quite nicely and have again found a comfort level.

Submitted By:

Bryan