Daily Reflections, April 5th

TRUE BROTHERHOOD

We have not once sought to be one in a family, to be a friend among friends, to be a worker among workers, to be a useful member of society. Always we tried to struggle to the top of the heap, or to hide underneath it. This self-centered behavior blocked a partnership relation with any one of those about us. Of true brotherhood we had small comprehension.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 53

This message contained in Step Four was the first one I heard loud and clear; I hadn't seen myself in print before! Prior to my coming into A.A., I knew of no place that could teach me how to become a person among persons. From my very first meeting, I saw people doing just that and I wanted what they had. One of the reasons that I'm a happy, sober alcoholic today is that I'm learning this most important lesson.

Twenty-Four Hours A Day, April 5th

A.A. Thought for the Day

People often ask what makes the A.A. program work. One of the answers is that A.A. works because it gets a person away from himself as the center of the universe. And it teaches him to rely more on the fellow ship of others and on strength from God. Forgetting ourselves in fellowship, prayer, and working with others is what makes the A.A. program work. Are these things keeping me sober?\

Meditation for the Day

God is the great interpreter of one human personality to another. Even personalities who are the nearest together have much in their natures that re mains a sealed book to each other. And only as God enters and controls their lives are the mysteries of each revealed to the other. Each personality is so different. God alone understands perfectly the language of each and can interpret between the two. Here we find the miracles of change and the true interpretation of life.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be in the right relationship to God. I pray that God will interpret to me the personalities of other people, so that I can understand them and help them.

NA - Just for Today, April 5th

Identification

Page 99

"Someone finally knew the crazy thoughts that I had and the crazy things I'd done."

Addicts often feel terminally unique. We're sure that no one used drugs like we did or had to do the things that we did to get them. Feeling that no one really understands us can keep us from recovery for many years.

But once we come to the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous, we begin to lose that feeling of being "the worst" or "the craziest." We listen as members share their experiences. We discover that others have walked the same twisted path that we've walked and still have been able to find recovery. We begin to believe that recovery is available to us, too.

As we progress in our own recovery, sometimes our thinking is still insane. However, we find that when we share the hard time we may be having, others identify, sharing how they have dealt with such difficulties. No matter how troubled our thinking seems, we find hope when others relate to us, passing along the solutions they've found. We begin to believe that we can survive whatever we're going through to continue on in our recovery.

The gift of Narcotics Anonymous is that we learn we are not alone. We can get dean and stay clean by sharing our experience, our strength, and even our crazy thinking with other members. When we do, we open ourselves to the solutions others have found to the challenges we face.

Just for Today: I am grateful that I can identify with others. Today, I will listen as they share their experience, and I'll share mine with them.

Night Light, April 5th

For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe.

-Larry Eisenberg

How much did we try to control today?  Perhaps on our way to work we shouted in frustration at how other people drove.  Later we may have attempted to control our boss, co-workers, bank teller, children, or spouse, telling them to do what we wanted.  Perhaps now we're ready to collapse in exhaustion from a day of trying to be director of everyone else's play.  

Instead of managing everyone else, we should be managing only ourselves.  First we have to catch ourselves when we feel the urge to control others.  We have to discover what is best for us, instead of someone else, and do it.  We have to stop focusing on peoples problems, even if they want us to.  We have to look in the mirror and see ourselves for who we are.

Tonight we need to realize our director is our Higher Power, who gives us the play we're in and the ability to act.  Although many other people may share the stage with us, it's not up to us to direct them.  They have their own direction.

I will ask my Higher Power for direction, and I will not control others.

Thought for Today, April 5th

The Follower

I follow in the footprints

of those who blazed the way,

in hopes that others yet to come

will  follow me one day.

I have found the path of least resistance,

on the road to thinking straight.

No miles mark this journeys distance,

but by steps and actions that I take.

I follow faithfully,

In all its splendor and its luster,

into the Spirit of the Universe.

…This road is mine to roam.

I follow gratefully,

With all the strength one man can muster,

on solid ground I now traverse.

…This road is mine to own.

A spiritual traveler on the Broad Highway,

upon a course of vigorous action.

Through dark of night or light of day,

devoid of all distraction.

Far and wide as the eye can see,

this road that I now travel,

as more shall be revealed to me,

whilst the mysteries unravel.

This path that lies before me

I shall follow heretofore,

thoroughly and honestly,

I shall follow evermore.

I follow in the footprints

of those who trudged before,

for I am just a follower,

...nothing less and nothing more.

Gordon R

Buddha/Zen Thoughts, April 5th

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting."

-Buddha

"A picture of a fire looks like a fire, but it can't burn. Theory and practice are two different things."

-Babaji

You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.

Native American, April 5th

"As we plunge ahead to build empires and race for supremacy we should stop and listen to [the female] song of life. For without the female there is no life."

-Oren R. Lyons, Spokesman, Traditional Circle of Elders

Women are created with the ability to produce life. Women have a special tie to the Earth Mother. They have something in common. They are the source of life. The Earth Mother gives songs to the Woman to sing. These songs are about life, about beauty, about children, about love, about family, about strength, about caring, about nurturing, about forgiveness, about God. The World needs to pay attention and listen to Her. She knows.

Great Spirit, let me listen to Her songs.

Keep It Simple, April 5th

Go outside, to the fields, enjoy nature and the sunshine, go out and try to recapture happiness in yourself and in God.  

- Anne Frank

Many of us look at the joy and beauty of the program with caution. It was different from our addictive joy. Was it to be trusted? When we started working the Steps, we found inner joy and beauty. As we let go and gave in to the program, we found more happiness. We found joy in ourselves, our friends, our Higher Power, and those around us. Our self-pity changed to self-respect. We were truly out in the sunshine. We were no longer lost in misery. We know how to walk through misery to find joy.

Prayer for the Day

May I become better friends with myself. Higher Power, let me see the world through Your innocent, yet wise and loving eyes.

Action for the Day 

Today I'll work to make my life and the lives of others more joyful. I'll greet myself and others with much joy.

Big Book, April 5th

Chapter 2 THERE IS A SOLUTION (pg 24 & top 25)

The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.

The almost certain consequences that follow taking even a glass of beer do not crowd into the mind to deter us. If these thoughts occur, they are hazy and readily supplanted with the old threadbare idea that this time we shall handle ourselves like other people. There is a complete failure of the kind of defense that keeps one from putting his hand on a hot stove.

The alcoholic may say to himself in the most casual way, "It won't burn me this time, so here's how!" Or perhaps he doesn't think at all. How often have some of us begun to drink in this nonchalant way, and after the third or fourth, pounded on the bar and said to ourselves, "For God's sake, how did I ever get started again?" Only to have that thought supplanted by "Well, I'll stop with the sixth drink." Or "What's the use anyhow?"

When this sort of thinking is fully established in an individual with alcoholic tendencies, he has probably placed himself beyond human aid, and unless locked up, may die or to permanently insane. These stark and ugly facts have been confirmed by legions of alcoholics throughout history. But for the grace of God, there would have been thousands more convincing demonstrations. So many want to stop but cannot.