July 2nd

DAILY PONDERABLES

Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny

Daily Reflections

THE HEART OF TRUE SOBRIETY

We find that no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. Willingness, honesty, and open-mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 570

Am I honest enough to accept myself as I am and let this be the "me" that I let others see? Do I have the willingness to go to any length, to do whatever is necessary to stay sober? Do I have the open-mindedness to hear what I have to hear, to think what I have to think, and to feel what I have to feel?

If my answer to the questions is "Yes" I know enough about the spirituality of the program to stay sober. As I continue to work the Twelve Steps, I move on to the heart of true sobriety: serenity with myself, with others, and with God as I understand Him.

From the book Daily Reflections

Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought for the Day

In the association with members of the A.A. group to which we belong, we have the advantage of sincere friendship and understanding of the other members who, through social and personal contact, take us away from our old haunts and environments and help to remove in large measure the occasions of alcoholic suggestion. We find in this association a sympathy and a willingness on the part of most members to do everything in their power to help us. Do I appreciate the wonderful fellowship of A.A.?

Meditation for the Day

"Except ye become as little children, ye cannot enter die kingdom of heaven." In this saying it is urged that all who seek heaven on earth or in the hereafter' should become like little children. In seeking things of the spirit and in our faith, we should try to become childlike. Even as we grow older, the years of seeking can give us the attitude of the trusting child. Not only for its simple trust should we have the childlike spirit, but also for its joy in life, its ready laughter, its lack of criticism, and its desire to share. In Charles Dickens's story, A Christmas Carol, even old Scrooge changed when he got the child-spirit.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may become like a child in faith and hope. I pray that I may, like a child, be friendly and trusting.

From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day

NA - Just for Today

Comparing

Page 192

"Our personal stories may vary in individual pattern, but in the end we all have the same thing in common."

Basic Text, p. 87

We addicts are a varied bunch, coming from different backgrounds, having used different drugs, and recalling different experiences. Our differences don't disappear in recovery; for some, those differences become even more pronounced. Freedom from active addiction gives us the freedom to be ourselves, as we truly are. The fact that we are all recovering doesn't mean that we all necessarily have the same needs or goals. Each of us has our own lessons to learn in recovery.

With so many differences from one addict to the next, how do we help one another in recovery and how do we use each other's experience? We come together to share our lives in light of the principles of recovery. Though our lives are different, the spiritual principles we apply are the same. It is by the light of these principles, shining through our differences, that we illuminate one another's way on our individual paths.

We all have two things in common: addiction and recovery. When we listen carefully, we hear others tell of suffering from the same disease we have suffered from, regardless of their specific backgrounds. When we open our ears, we hear other addicts talk of applying spiritual principles that promise hope to us as well, regardless of our personal goals.

Just for Today: I will have my own path to follow, yet I'm grateful for the fellowship of others who've suffered from addiction and who are learning to apply the principles of recovery, just like me.

From the book Just for Today

Thought for Today

The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.

Helen Keller

There comes a time when the blind man takes your hand and says don't you see. -- Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia

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Not Regret the Past

We’re taught we won’t resent the past in promise number nine

It’s what we did, it can’t be changed, it’s better left behind

And yet, we’re told, to not forget about what brought us here

The misery we’d caused ourselves, the sorrow, pain and fear

When active with our drinking we would often have regret

For things we’d done the night before, unable to forget

Humiliation followed us, ashamed to face the day

We’d swear this time will be the last, must put the booze away

And for a time that just might work, abstention was our code

Some weeks had past and soon those awful memories had slowed

Perhaps we were not all that bad, we’d just made some mistakes

We’re only human after all, lets give ourselves a break

And once those thought about our past had finally disappeared

The time was right, we’d found control, so why not have a beer

But as before we found that we could not have only one

A dozen empty bottles and our relapse had begun

We often hear this story as we sit inside the rooms

How members lied unto themselves and let old ways resume

They’d closed the door on what they’d done, dismissed painful events

And when they did, they’d lost the will, recurrence to prevent

The Ninth Step prayer holds promises of how our lives will change

A life of freedom, happiness; serenity obtained

But part of what we need to do to hold on to these gifts

Is not forget what it was like before we called it quits

Not regretting nor forgetting are two sided of the same coin

Each side is an ingredient we need as they conjoin

Regrets combat serenity, they impact on our healing

Yet, it’s important to recall how drinking left us reeling

When walking down a food store aisle, we see a brand-new beer

We wonder what it tastes like, old desires reappear

It’s then we must remember just how bad that last time ended

For when we do, we find those thought have quickly been suspended

Regretting does more harm than good, remembering helps resist

As alcoholic thoughts appear, it tightens up our fist

It gives us the resolve we need to cast those thoughts asunder

Before that demon, alcohol, attempts to pull us under

So, don’t regret, but don’t forget, what brought you to AA

The past is done, the future waits, we have to live each day

And when you do, the Big Book says, good things start to accrue

Happy, joyous, free at last, the promises have come true.

Larry R.

Buddha/Zen Thoughts

The point of the teachings is to control your own mind. Restrain your mind from greed, and you will keep your body right, your mind pure and your words faithful. Always thinking of the transiency of your life, you will be able to desist from greed and anger and will be able to avoid all evils.

Native American

"If I destroy you, I destroy myself. If I honor you, I honor myself."

--Hunbatz Men, MAYAN

It is said, when we need love the most is when we deserve it the least. Whenever I have secret thoughts about someone else, it will put bad feelings inside myself. I will hurt myself. If I secretly hold a grudge or resentment against my brother or sister, I will be a slave to that person until I let them go. Let me remember to look at my brother in a sacred manner. Today, let me think like a Warrior. Let my thoughts toward my brothers and sisters be good thoughts. Let me remember that You are in charge. If I get upset at another person today, let me remember that the most important thing I can do is to first talk to You because, when I am right with You, it is impossible to be out of harmony with my brothers and sisters.

My Creator, take my hand and guide me through today.

Keep It Simple

I never think of the future. It comes soon enough. --- Albert Einstein

None of us know anything for sure about the future. We don't know if we'll be sober tomorrow.

But we can be sure of this moment. We get sober by moments. Our sober moments then stretch into hours, day, and years.

Our program tell us to live in the present moment. This is because we can control this moment

We can't control the past or the future. We need to have a sense of control in our life. In our illness, we were out of control. This was because we wouldn't live from moment to moment.

Each moment is filled with as much life as we can handle. Each moment is filled with enough to keep us alive, interested, and growing.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me find You in each moment.

Action for the Day: Today, I'll stop and focus on the present moment. I will work to see how much control I can have if I stay with the moment at hand.

Big Book

Chapter 8 To Wives (pg 117)

If you and your husband find a solution for the pressing problem of drink you are, of course, going to very happy. But all problems will not be solved at once. Seed has started to sprout in a new soil, but growth has only begun. In spite of your new-found happiness, there will be ups and downs. Many of the old problems will still be with you. This is as it should be.

The faith and sincerity of both you and your husband will be put to the test. These work-outs should be regarded as part of your education, for thus you will be learning to live. You will make mistakes, but if you are in earnest they will not drag you down. Instead, you will capitalize them. A better way of life will emerge when they are overcome.

Some of the snags you will encounter are irritation, hurt feelings and resentments. Your husband will sometimes be unreasonable and you will want to criticize. Starting from a speck on the domestic horizon, great thunderclouds of dispute may gather. These family dissensions are very dangerous, especially to your husband. Often you must carry the burden of avoiding them or keeping them under control. Never forget that resentment is a deadly hazard to an alcoholic. We do not mean that you have to agree with you husband whenever there is an honest difference of opinion. Just be careful not to disagree in a resentful or critical spirit.