We Do Recover

[MajestyJo]

As Bill Sees It

Move Ahead, p. 105

To spend too much time on any one alcoholic is to deny some other an opportunity to live and be happy. One of our Fellowship failed entirely with his first half-dozen prospects. He often says that if he had continued to work on them, he might have deprived many others, who have since recovered, of their chance.

<< << << >> >> >>

"Our chief responsibility to the newcomer is an adequate presentation of the program. If he does nothing or argues, we do nothing but maintain our own sobriety. If he starts to move ahead, even a little, with an open mind, we then break our necks to help in every way we can."

1. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 96
2. Letter, 1942

How ironic, this was written the year I was born.

Don't pick up, go to meetings, get a home group, get a sponsor {get a temporary sponsor if you can't find someone you can trust or identify with or doesn't have anything in common with you), work the Steps and the Traditions (you need to live long enough to work the Steps, they are the program).

[MajestyJo]

Just had a thought. Love is not having to say you are sorry. An old advertising saying that I can apply my program to. I need to change my thoughts and actions, so I no longer have to apologize for them, because I no longer do them.

A good picture of what Step 9 is all about. We know right from wrong for our recovery, it is about putting it into practice that can be difficult. Practice these principles in all our affairs. I no longer have to say, "Sorry I wasn't honest with you, Sorry I took that, I should have asked first, Sorry I couldn't be here, I had to go someone where else that day (don't tell them it was to the picture show).

So grateful that this program is one day at a time and I get to practice my program daily. Some days, I need to practice all 12 Steps to the best of my ability. I might have worked them, but there is no reason why I can't try to apply them to my life when I become aware of them.

[MajestyJo]

You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning

We're only as sick as the secrets we keep.
—Sue Atchley Ebaugh

Harboring parts of our inner selves, fearing what others would think if they knew, creates the barriers that keep us separate, feeling different, certain of our inadequacies.

Secrets are burdens, and they weigh heavily on us, so heavily. Carrying secrets makes impossible the attainment of serenity - that which we strive for daily. Abstinence alone is not enough. It must come first, but it's not enough by itself. It can't guarantee that we'll find the serenity we seek.

This program of recovery offers self-assurance, happiness, spiritual well-being, but there's work to be done. Many steps to be taken. And one of these is total self-disclosure. It's risky, it's humbling, and it's necessary.

When we tell others who we really are, it opens the door for them to share likewise. And when they do, we become bonded. We accept their imperfections and love them for them. And they love us for ours. Our struggles to be perfect, our self-denigration because we aren't, only exaggerates even more the secrets that keep us sick.

Our tarnished selves are lovable; secrets are great equalizers when shared. We need to feel our oneness, our sameness with other women.

Opportunities to share my secrets will present themselves today. I will be courageous.

For the most part, the reading says it all. It sure mirrored what I thought in early recovery.

My sponsor use to say, a burden shared is a burden lessoned. If you share it with one person, you only have to take half of it home. If you share it with ten people, you only have to take 1/10th of it home.

Many times I have shared a portion of my story only to have someone say, I am so glad you shared that I thought I was the only one. I needed that identification. For so long I compared and felt like I didn't fit in.

I was very lost, fragmented and bankrupt on all levels when I came into recovery. I found myself reflected in the women in my home group and in the men and women in other groups.

As I heard a man share one time, I had trouble getting in touch with my feelings until I heard a woman share. It is much easier for us. For men, it isn't considered the macho thing. By sharing, they too learn to identify. We all have a masculine and feminine side. I once got a medication card that told me that me feminine side was languishing. I was acting out in my survivor mode. Recovery for me is about balance.

[MajestyJo]

Walk In Dry Places

Garbage in, Garbage Out

Releasing the Past

One thing we don't need in our lives is garbage from the past. Yet many of us say that old thoughts and bitter memories often sneak devilishly back to spoil what should have been a pleasant day. Why do we let garbage from the past befoul our lives a second time?

Computer programmers use a certain expression when their systems turn up errors: "GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT." If you feed erroneous, useless information into a computer, that's what you get back.

We seem to have built-in computers that work the same way. If we waste time and energy talking about past injustices or old mistakes, we are unwittingly calling them back into our lives. We are bringing back garbage that should have been discarded permanently to make room for better things.

There is no benefit in bringing back old garbage. We can't change the past. We can't change our mistakes by brooding about them, and we can't obtain justice by remembering how badly we were treated or by plotting revenge. When we bring back garbage, we allow it to occupy space that should be devoted to constructive and positive things.

If we don't want garbage in our lives, let's not put it there by bringing up matters that should have been released, forgiven, and forgotten.

I will keep my mind on the present, knowing that a positive attitude will help me make the best of the opportunities that come to me.

This may be written for an alcoholic and/or an addict, but as an ACoA qualifier, there was a lot of garbage that I had to let go of. Let go of the darkness, so there was room for the light. Those old tapes were killers and had to be overhauled and replaced.

We often collect garbage and not aware of doing so. We attract things when we are down that don't serve us in today. We take on things that are good for us in the moment, but soon becomes redundant.

We take on things that are not ours to take on. Sometimes it is projected onto us and it isn't ours to take on, but often it is the caretaker in us, taking on too much.

Remember garbage collectors come once a week and we need to remember to put out the garbage.

[MajestyJo]

This reminds me of my rose coloured glasses I wore before recovery. Denial sure can give you tunnel and blurred vision.

Love the concept of a spiritual lens. It brings me to a quote I heard many years ago, "Though I see through a glass darkly..." It reminds me to bring things out of the darkness and into the light so I can have an honest appraisal of them.

When I take off the blinders, I can see God in all things.
Originally posted in 2014. So glad the message doesn't grow old.

[MajestyJo]

When I saw this, I was reminded of the words of my sponsor. "We don't do this forever, we do it just for today."

I was told not to think of it being forever, all I had to do was get up each day, ask for help, take my Higher Power with me, Step Ten and check in with Him through the day, go to a meeting, call my sponsor when I was having difficulty, and give thanks at night.

It is just for this 24 hours. It is a 24 hour a day program, not a 2-4 hour a day program. A day can start any time. All I have to do is stop, say the Serenity Prayer, and ask "For this 24 hours, please give me what I need to stay clean and sober." Sobriety means 'Soundness of Mind." My mind is not sound when I binge or when I deprive myself of the food and nurturing that it needs.

I no longer abuse myself by putting into my body what is not healthy. I don't do too well on this, because there have been some comfort foods that I still allow myself to indulge in. God and I are still working on it.

March 7, 2011

The difference in today, is that I lost that desire to not put anything but healthy foods into my body. Have found myself back in the willfullness, knowing better, but not caring that I am diabetic. Tonight I passed on some advice that I need to take for myself. I have to pray for the willingness to be willing to think healthy and what is good for me.

Tonight I bough two butter tarts before my group and I gave them away. After the group, I bought two butter tarts to replace them.

[MajestyJo]

Saw this title on a reading on another site. Thought it was a very powerful statement.

My God gives me what I need when I need it. Some days I need more than one step.

When I think of Light, I think of how each being on this earth - large and small gets the energy they need from the tiniest snail to the largest animal, the smalled seedling to the tallest tree.

My God gives me what I need, even some of my wants and desires.

I just have to read the title and I feel better.

Feel connected with your Higher Power.

[MajestyJo]

If carrots would do what alcohol did for me, I'd be a carrotolic.

- Al A.

From Alkiespeaks

Love this, It is one of my saying revised a little, "I am a bridgeaholic." Love playing bridge. Maybe I should say I am a gameaholic, but then I only play about 3 on the computer, and although bridge is a priority, I do like cribbage, scrabble, and Yahtzee.

I was sharing with my friend last night and said, "If I could drink safely, I would drink." Everyone once in a while, the old tape, "If you can't beat them join them" comes to mind and I tell myself I really didn't have a problem. I would tell myself that I could have one drink, many times only one or two. What I put to the back of my mind was the fact that I had some heavy duty drugs in my body and didn't really need the booze.

I was told that anything that I put between my and my God, became my new God, because I lost connection to mine.

If carrots would do what alcohol did for me, I'd be a carrotolic.

- Al A.

From Alkiespeaks

Love this, It is one of my saying revised a little, "I am a bridgeaholic." Love playing bridge. Maybe I should say I am a gameaholic, but then I only play about 3 on the computer, and although bridge is a priority, I do like cribbage, scrabble, and Yahtzee.

I was sharing with my friend last night and said, "If I could drink safely, I would drink." Everyone once in a while, the old tape, "If you can't beat them join them" comes to mind and I tell myself I really didn't have a problem. I would tell myself that I could have one drink, many times only one or two. What I put to the back of my mind was the fact that I had some heavy duty drugs in my body and didn't really need the booze.

I was told that anything that I put between my and my God, became my new God, because I lost connection to mine.

Love the quote, I have been a busy/workkaholic and a bridgeaholic, and a computerholic, why not a carrotolic. They have been a long time favourite vegetable of mine.

Anything that I become obsessive/compulsive about, all leads to the same soul sickness.

[MajestyJo]

My drug of choice in today is cottage roll. It is on sale for $2.99 regularly $8.99.k hi I am thinking two.

Just had 1/2 sandwich, couldn't get more down ???? My God does answer prayer.