DAILY PONDERABLES
Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny
Daily Reflections
THE HAZARDS OF PUBLICITY
People who symbolize causes and ideas fill a deep human need. We of A.A. do not question that. But we do have to soberly face the fact that being in the public eye is hazardous, especially for us.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 181
As a recovered alcoholic I must make an effort to put into practice the principles of the A.A. program, which are founded on honesty, truth and humility. While I was drinking I was constantly trying to be in the limelight. Now that I am conscious of my mistakes and of my former lack of integrity, it would not be honest to seek prestige, even for the justifiable purpose of promoting the A.A. message of recovery. Is the publicity that centers around the A.A. Fellowship and the miracles it produces not worth much more? Why not let the people around us appreciate by themselves the changes that A.A. has brought in us, for that will be a far better recommendation for the Fellowship than any I could make.
From the book Daily Reflections
© Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought for the Day
Continuing our thoughts about the rewards that have come to us as a result of our new way of living, we have found that we have gotten rid of many of our fears, resentments, inferiority complexes, negative points of view, self-centeredness, criticism of others, over sensitiveness, inner conflicts, the habits of procrastination, undisciplined sex, wasting money, boredom, false perfectionism, jealousy, and envy of others. We are glad to be rid of our drinking, and we are also very glad to be rid of these other things. We can now go forward in the new way of life, as shown us by A.A. Am I ready to go forward in the new life?
Meditation for the Day
"He that has eyes to see, let him see." To the Seeing Eye, the world is good. Pray for a Seeing Eye, to see the purpose of God in everything good. Pray for enough faith to see God's care in His dealings with you. Try to see how He has brought you safely through your past life so that now you can be of use in the world. With the eyes of faith you can see God's care and purpose everywhere.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may have a Seeing Eye. I pray that with the eye of faith I may see God's purpose everywhere.
From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day
© Copyright 1975 by Hazelden Foundation
NA - Just for Today
Responsibility
"A lot happens in one day, both negative and positive. If we do not take the time to appreciate both, perhaps we will miss something that will help us grow."
IP No. 8, "Just For Today"
Responsibility, responsibility - the responsibility of life are everywhere. We're "supposed to" wear seat belts. We're "supposed to "clean our homes. We're "supposed to" do certain things for our spouse, our children, the people we sponsor. On top of all of this we're "supposed to" go to meetings and practice our program as best we can. It's no wonder that, sometimes, we want to run from all these tasks and escape to some far-off island where we're not "supposed to" do anything.
At times like these, when we become overwhelmed with our responsibilities, we have forgotten that responsibility need not be burdensome. When we have the desire to run away from our responsibilities we need to slow down, remember why we have chosen them, and pay attention to the gifts they bring. Whether it's a job we normally find challenging and interesting, or a partner whose personality we are usually excited by, or a child whom we naturally like to play with and care for, there is joy to be found in all the responsibilities of our lives.
Just for today: Each moment is special. I will pay attention, grateful for my responsibilities and the special joys they bring.
pg. 344
From the book Just for Today
© Copyright 1991-2013 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought for Today
"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow." --Melody Beattie
"Nothing is wonderful after you are used to it." Clancy I.
Twist on The Pickle Story:
You can turn a cucumber into a pickle
You can't turn a pickle back into a cucumber
But you can turn a pickle into a Newcomer
Buddha/Zen Thoughts
Monks, there are these three elements of escape. What three?
This escape from lusts which is renunciation; this escape from forms which is the formless existence; and this escape from whatsoever has become, is compounded, has arisen by the law of causation, which is making to cease. These are the three elements of escape.
-Itivuttaka
Native American
"In our traditional ways, the woman is the foundation of the family."
--Haida Gwaii Traditional Circle of Elders
We must pay attention to the role of the woman in the family. She is the heartbeat of the family. She should be respected and treated in a sacred manner. We should listen to her guidance. We should help make her role easier by helping with chores or just telling her how much we appreciate her.
Great Spirit, I ask you to bless all the moms.
Walk In Dry Places
What ought to work-- but doesn't
Understanding Alcoholism
One of the old theories about alcoholism was that we drink because we had deep psychological problems. It followed that if we could clear up these problems, we would no longer need to drink excessively.
Another theory was that staying dry for a long period of time would dislodge one's alcoholic tendencies. After a certain length of sobriety, we would be able to return to normal drinking. (NOT)
Both theories sound plausible, but in practice neither has worked. Many of us came to grief trying to make these ideas work.
What we eventually learn about psychological problems is that they may intensify our troubles, but they are not the real cause of our alcoholism. The cause may be rooted in some physical problem that enables us to achieve unusual highs from drinking. We also know that one drink acts as a trigger for more drinking--- at least for us.
Our answer has been, first and foremost, to eliminate the first drink. Even if it doesn't square with theories, it works.
No matter how long I've been sober, one drink would be deadly to me. Accepting that fact enabled me to get sober after finding that theories about my problem weren't working.
Big Book
"Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going
to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception
and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to
the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If anyone who is showing inability
to control his drinking can do the right-about-face and drink like a
gentleman, our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard
enough and long enough to drink like other people!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 31~
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The Survivor's Prayer for Strength
Dear God, give me the strength to get through the day.
Give me the words to know what to say.
Your love sustains me along the way.
Just give me wisdom for all my days.
In times of sorrow, times of distress, give me a word for those depressed.
In times of pain, or serious illness, God, let me minister to those who are weakest.
God, if THY WILL for me, if my life is required for what I can't see,
I pray YOUR will, NOT MINE to be, in times of trouble no matter how big it may be.
God, help me your will to discern, so I can trust your love govern.
And when I complain while going through the storm
make my will to your will conform.
The Road to Humility
The word ego is actually the Latin word for I
That makes a lot of sense when you decide to wonder why
Our ego makes us do things that we may come to regret
Like boasting of our exploits when we use the internet
When kept under control it’s very healthy to posses
It’s what makes us unique, it helps our talents to progress
A measure of self-confidence we need to venture out
When starting a new venture where success may be in doubt
But once out of control, the ego takes another path
It leads us to become someone who soon will feel its wrath
It cons us into thinking we are always in the right
When challenged we lash out and become ready for a fight
When told we’re drinking way too much, we say it isn’t true
We say “you are mistaken and you haven’t got a clue “
Our egotells us they are wrong, we’re strong enough to quit
We just don’t want to at this time, we’ll slow down just a bit
But slowing down don’t seem to work, in fact it’s gotten worse
We start to hide it from our friends, and then we start to curse
Those people passing judgement, make us start to feel ashamed
It’s then we finally realize that our ego is to blame
To us the word humility is not our egos friend
It tears apart what we’ve believed, it wants us to pretend
That all is well, ignore the fact that we’ve lost all control
Until we hear that desperation bell begin to toll
For some of us we had to lose the things we held most dear
The spouse, the job, the car we wrecked, our life consumed with fear
Yet other still have reached this point without those other things
We’ve hit a bottom, none the less, the misery it brings
It’s called humiliation, so ashamed what we’ve become
Inside we feel no different than the lowly sidewalk bum
It’s at those final moments that the ego must be smashed
If we will have a chance to live, before all hope is dashed
For most of us humility was not an easy task
Potholes filled the road we took, we stumbled to get past
Our ego keeps us off that road till we admit defeat
Put it aside and ask for help, acknowledge we’ve been beat
Humility’s a virtue, humiliation a disease
One brings us back our self-respect, the other to our knees
Us alcoholics need to go through one to reach the other
The road to reach humility and help us to recover
Larry R.
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