Thoughtfood for Friday, May 1, 2009

The Journey

Words cannot begin to describe the feelings in my heart

as I sometimes ponder how much my life has changed,

how far I've come,

and how much there is yet to discover.

And though I'm not sure where my journey may take me next,

I know I'll owe it to the grace of God

and to three words of the Twelve Steps:

continue, improve, and practice.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 511

From the Big Book:

"When father takes this tack, the family may react unfavorably.  They may be jealous of a God who has stolen dad's affections.  While grateful that he drinks no more, they may not like the idea that God has accomplished the miracle where they failed.  They often forget father was beyond human aid."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 128.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may be a true expression of Eternal Thought.  I pray that God's thoughts may work through my thoughts."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 1.

Quote for the day:

"Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us."  __Samuel Smiles

My share:

I truly agree and identify with the opening statement today.  There are no words sufficient to express my gratitude for the progress I have made toward becoming a kinder, gentler me. And I'm no longer shaded by my burdens which now stretch out behind me, dragging along, scraping along the road of happy destiny, becoming lighter. Be Good To You, Dave.

Thoughtfood for Saturday, May 2, 2009

Emotional Turmoil

My evolution in the AA program has taught me

that I must experience the inner change, however painful,

that eventually guides me from selfishness to selflessness.

If I am to have serenity,

 I must STEP my way past emotional turmoil

and its subsequent hangover,

and be grateful for continuing spiritual progress.
- Daily Reflections, p. 285

From the Big Book:

"They may not see why their love and devotion did not straighten him out.  Dad is not so spiritual after all, they say.  If he means to right his past wrongs, why all this concern for everyone in the world but his family?  What about his talk that God will take  care of them?  They suspect that father is a bit balmy!"

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 128.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may constantly prepare myself for better things to come.  I pray that I may only have opportunities when I am ready for them."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours  A Day, May 2.

Quote for the day:

"There'll be a lot of turmoil; and we're not finished yet."

 __Tom Burnett

My share:

I don't know anyone who looks forward to turmoil.  Turmoil is a part of life, both before and after I the onset of sobriety. Getting sober doesn't make the world any better. Staying sober just makes me able to handle it better.  Be Good To You, Dave 

Thoughtfood for Sunday, May 3, 2009

Listening

For weeks I sat in the back of the rooms,

silent when others shared their

experience, strength, and hope.

I listened to their stories and found

so many areas where we overlapped --

not all of the deeds, but the feelings

of remorse and hopelessness.

I learned that alcoholism isn't a sin, it's a disease.

That lifted the guilt I had felt.

I learned that I didn't have to stop drinking forever,

but just not pick up that first drink one day,

one hour at a time.

I could manage that.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 344

From the Big Book:

"He is not so unbalanced as they might think.  Many of us have experienced dad's elation.  We have indulged in spiritual intoxication.   Like a gaunt prospector, belt drawn in over the last ounce of food, our pick struck gold.  Joy at our release from a lifetime of frustration knew no bounds."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, pp128-129.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may hold no resentments.  I pray that my mind may be washed clean of all past hates and fears."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 3.

Quote for the day:

"If we have listening ears, God speaks to us in our own language, whatever that language be." 

 __Mahatma Gandhi, (Indian Philosopher, father of nonviolent protest, 1869-1948)

My share:

Listening is not a natural habit for this alcoholic. What did I need to listen for?  I "knew it all" at an early age. Yeah, right. Fortunately, alcohol not only brought me to my knees to pray for help, it brought me to the twelve steps, which taught me how to listen.  Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Monday, May 4, 2009

Promises

No matter how far down the scale we have gone,

we will see how our experience can benefit others.

That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. . .

 We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us

what we could not do for ourselves.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 84

From the Big Book:

"Father feels he has struck something better than gold.  For a time he may try to hug the new treasure to himself,  He may not see at once that he has barely scratched a limitless lode which will pay dividends only if he mines it for the rest of his life and insists on giving away the entire product."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 129.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may think God's thoughts after Him.  I pray that I may live as He wants me to live."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 4.

Quote for the day:

"Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by the way one thinks and acts, thought by thought, action by action. If one lets fear or hate or anger take possession of the mind, they become self-forged chains." -- Helen Douglas

My share:

In the process of building character,  I can pick and choose those traits experience has shown to most benefit others; traits like selflessness and compassion, generosity and insight.  But picking the traits doesn't develop them.  That takes time and effort. 

Be Good To You, Dave 

Thoughtfood for Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Hanging Together

To those now in its fold, Alcoholics Anonymous

has made the difference between misery and sobriety.

And often the difference between life and death.

AA can, of course, mean just as much

to uncounted alcoholics not yet reached,

Therefore, no society of men and women ever had a more urgent need for continuous effectiveness and permanent unity.

We alcoholics see that we must work together and hang together,

else most of us will finally die alone." 

 

 

From the Big Book:

If the family cooperates, dad will soon see that he is suffering from a distortion of values.  He will perceive that his spiritual growth is lopsided, that for an average man like himself, a spiritual life which does not include his family obligations may not be so perfect after all."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 129. 

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that whatever is good I may have.  I pray that I may leave to God the choice of what good will come to me."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 5.

Quote for the day:

"When a hundred men stand together, each of them loses his mind and gets another one."  __ Freidrich Neitzsche

My share:

The first one hundred AA's certainly proved Neitzsche right.  The process is the same today even if we don't all start at the same time.  We learn how to get that new "mind-set" by listening to those who have already succeeded in getting one and doing what they did to accomplish it.  Be Good To You, Dave 

Thoughtfood for Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Powerlessness

I did not know that it was physically impossible

for me to drink moderately.

I did not know that my body's drinking machinery had worn out,

and that the parts could not be replaced.

I did not know that just one drink made it impossible

for me to control my behavior and conduct and my future drinking.

I did not know, in short, that I was powerless over alcohol.

My family and my friends sensed or knew these things about me

long before I did.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 153

From the Big Book:

"If the family will appreciate that dad's current behavior is but a phase of his development, all will be well.  In the midst of an understanding and sympathetic family, these vagaries of dad's spiritual infancy will quickly disappear."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 129.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may be a help to discouraged people.   I pray that I may have the courage to help bring about what the weary world needs but does not know how to get."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 6.

Quote for the day:

"Though intelligence is powerless to modify character, it is a dab hand at finding euphemisms for its weaknesses." 

__Quentin Crisp

My share:

I believe, to the bottom of my heart, that I am powerless over alcohol IF I allow myself to take that first drink.  As long as I remain in constant vigil of that moment, and keep my higher power with me to avoid taking it, we hold power over alcohol. Be Good To You, Dave.

Thoughtfood for Thursday, May 7, 2009

Keeping Promises

We in AA know what it is like to be addicted to alcohol,

and to be unable to keep promises

made to others and ourselves

that we will stop drinking.

We are not professional therapists.

Our only qualification for helping others

to recover from alcoholism

is that we have stopped drinking ourselves,

but problem drinkers coming to us know that

recovery is possible because they see people who have done it. A Newcomer Asks..., AA pamphlet p-24

 

From the Big Book:

"The opposite may happen should the family condemn and criticize.  Dad may feel that for years his drinking has placed him on the wrong side of every argument, but that now he has become a superior person with God on his side.  If the family persists in criticism, this fallacy may take a still greater hold on father.  Instead of treating the family as he should, he may retreat farther into himself and feel he has spiritual justification for so doing."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 129.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may choose the right.   I pray that I may have God's blessing and direction in all my efforts for good."

c.  1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 7.

Quote for the day:

"Promises are the uniquely human way of ordering the future, making it predictable and reliable to the extent that this is humanly possible."  __Hannah Arendt 

(German born American Philosopher and Political scientist.  1906-1975)

My share:

When they said the promises would come true in my life I looked around the room and saw a  bunch of people for whom this was already true.  I said to myself, "ok, why not give this a try?"  I'm glad I did.  Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Friday, May 8, 2009 
 

Commitment and Service

Commitment and service were part of my recovery.

I was told that to keep it we have to give it away.

At first I made the coffee and later volunteered at the intergroup 

office answering telephones on the evening shift. 

I went on Twelfth Step calls, spoke at meetings,

served as group officer. 

Ever so gradually I began to open, Just a crack at first,

with my hand on the door

ready to slam it shut in a moment of fear.

But my fears subsided too.

I found that I could be there, open to all kinds of people

from this solid base that we shared.

Then I began to go back out into the world, 

carrying that strength with me.  

Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition, p 345.
 
 

 From the Big Book:
"Though the family does not fully agree with dad's spiritual activities, they should let him have his head.  Even if he displays a certain amount of neglect and irresponsibility toward the family, it is well to let him go as far as he likes in helping other alcoholics.  During those first days of convalescence, this will do more to insure his sobriety than anything else."
c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 129.  

Prayer for the day:
"I pray that I may not be in too much of a hurry. 
I pray that I may take time out often to rest with God."
c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 8.  

Quote for the day:
"Anyone can be an ACE:  Attitude + Commitment + Excellence." __Robert Inman  

My share:
I'm thankful that there are so many simple tools in this program to help me stay focused on the prize.  An attitude of gratitude, a commitment to live life on life's terms, and a willingness to always do the best I can has worked for me so far.  I think I'll try that again today.  Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Saturday, May 9, 2009

Making Amends

First, we take a look backward and try to

discover where we have been at fault;

next we make a vigorous attempt to

repair the damage we have done;

and third, having thus cleaned away

the debris of the past,

we consider how

with our new found knowledge of ourselves,

we may develop the best possible relations

with every human being we know.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 77

 

 

 

 

From the Big Book:

"Though some of his manifestations are alarming and disagreeable, we think dad will be on a firmer foundation that the man who is placing business or professional success ahead of spiritual development.  He will be less likely to drink again, and anything is preferable to that." 

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 130.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may rely on God in dealing with people's problems. 

I pray that I may try to follow His guidance in all personal relationships."

c. Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-four Hours A Day, May 9.

Quote for the day:

"When you realize you've made a mistake, make amends immediately.  It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm."

__Dan Heist

My share:

We do things in sobriety, also, that require amends.  I am still prepared and willing to make amends to people who could not or would not accept my first attempt.  I figure, if an amends is in order but it isn't interfering with my sobriety or my serenity, it isn't something I must pursue to the ends of the earth right now. My higher power will present me an opportunity  to follow through on my willingness. I agree with Mike (below).  Be Good To You, Dave

A Member Shares...

Hello, my name is Mike and I am an alcoholic.

I found out years ago that the word "amend" comes from a Latin word meaning to fix or to mend. In AA, I learned that I had harmed others during my drinking and that I needed to do my best to fix the damage I had done; not to apologize, not say I was sorry and would never do it again. They had heard that many times before. I had to fix it. If I owed money, I paid money -- like for like. Some amends I have not yet been able to make. Some I owe amends to are dead; some, I do not know where they are. I have done my best, but I know I have more to make. I will likely be making them as long as I live. I drank for 30 years. I may need to make amends for 30 years. If that is the price of sobriety, I will pay it gladly.

Thoughtfood for Sunday, May 10, 2009

Secrets

I must walk into darkness to find the light

and walk into fear to find peace.

By revealing my secrets -- and thereby ridding myself of guilt -- 

I can actually change my thinking;

by altering my thinking, I can change myself.

My thoughts create my future.

What I will be tomorrow is determined by what I think today.
- Daily Reflections, p. 130

From the Big Book:

"Those of us who have spent much time in the world of spiritual make-believe have eventually seen the childishness of it.  This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the of the power of God in our lives."

c.1939,  AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p 130.

Prayer for the day:

"Pray that I may learn how to have inner peace.  I pray that I may be calm, so that God can work through me."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 10.

Quote for the day:

"Know where to find the information and how to use it -- That's the secret of success."  __ Albert Einstein

My share:

During the first 100 days of my sobriety, I used the Serenity Prayer like a mantra.  I repeated those words so many times a day that I finally understood and embraced the courage to change the things I can.  I began to change the way I thought about everything.  Be Good To You, Dave.

Thoughtfood for Monday, May 11, 2009

Healing Ourselves

We realize now that we were excessively self-centered,

chiefly concerned about our feelings, our problems,

other people's reactions to us and our own past and future.

Therefore, trying to get into communication with

and to help other people is a recovery measure for us,

because it helps take us out of ourselves.

Trying to heal ourselves by helping others works,

even when it is an insincere gesture.

Try is sometime.

Living Sober, p 85

 

 

 

From the Big Book:

"We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth.  That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done.  These are the realities for us.  We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 130.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may be used as a channel by God's spirit.  I pray that I may feel that the Divine Third is always there to help me."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 11.

Quote for the day:

"The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love."

__Hubert H. Humphrey

My share:

There is a sense, at times, that I am just being redundant, a deja'vu (if you will) that I just keep saying the same old things.  Hmm. Even though perfection is highly unlikely in anything I do, practice makes perfect is more than a saying. 

I can't learn lines for a play, understand the formula of a parabola, or process the twelve steps of A.A. without repetition and practice.

So I will keep on loving you all without reservation, and assure you that I am here to listen anytime you need a friend. I practice giving by repeatedly doing, and saying, the same things again, and again, and again. This helps to keep me sober.

Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Gratitude

With the help of God, AA, the Twelve Steps and my sponsor,

I can carry on a conversation without ever mentioning myself.

I can hold a job without liking it. 

I can pause when agitated.

I can give hugs and receive them

without flinching from fear of being hit.

I can say "I love you" and mean it.

I can even walk down the street

with my nose at a friendly level,

eyes forward, knowing God paid me a visit.

It's up to me to do the most with it. 
 - The AA Grapevine, May 2009, p. 44

From the Big Book:

"One more suggestion:  Whether the family has spiritual convictions or not, they may do well to examine the principles by which the alcoholics member is trying to live.  They can hardly fail to approve these simple principles, though the head of the house still fails somewhat in practicing them.  Nothing will help the man who is off on a spiritual tangent so much as the wife who adopts a sane spiritual program, making a better practical use of it."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 130

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may feel protected and safe, but not only when I am in the harbor.  I pray that I may have protection and safety even in the midst of the storms of life."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 12.

Quote for the day:

"When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude." __G.K. Chesterton  (English born Gabonese Critic, Essayist, Novelist and Poet, 1874-1936)

My share:

I don't cringe when the topic of gratitude comes up in a meeting. I love the topic. I live with an attitude of gratitude, conscious every minute of my life that I live on bonus time.  Had I not surrendered as I did, I would likely be dead. For my freedom, for my breathing, I am most grateful.  Be Good To You, Dave.

Thoughtfood for Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Easy Does It  

We learn how to relax and to stop worrying

about the past or the future,
to give up our resentments and hates and tempers,

to stop being critical of people,
and to try to help them instead.

That's what "Easy Does It" means.

So in the time that's
left to me to live, I'm going to try to take it easy,

to relax and not to worry, to try to be
helpful to others, and to trust God.

For what's left of my life,
is my motto going to be "Easy Does It"?

From the Big Book:

"There will be other profound changes in the household. Liquor incapacitated father for so many years that mother became head of the house.  She met these responsibilities gallantly.  By force of circumstances, she was often obliged to treat father as a sick or wayward child. Even when he wanted to assert himself he could not, for his drinking placed him constantly in the wrong."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, pp. 130-131

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may not judge other people.  I pray that I may be certain that God can set right what is wrong in every personality.

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 13.

Quote for the day:

"Humor is a whisper from the soul, imploring mind and body to relax, let go and be at peace again." __Anonymous

My share:

I am most conscious of the need to "Take It Easy" when life is sending me trials, set-backs, and doubts.  I got the letter from the UA College of Fine Art yesterday informing me that I did not make the cut for the BFA Musical Theatre degree program.  I had a moment of deflation, but not a thought of drinking over it. Easy Does It Dave. On to plan B.

Be Good To You, Dave.

Thoughtfood for Thursday, May 14, 2009

Personal Defects

I think I've usually been able to make

a fairly thorough and searching job

of finding and admitting my personal defects.

So far as I know, there isn't a single defect

or current problem of mine

which hasn't been discussed with my close advisors.

Yet this pretty well-ventilated condition

is nothing for self-congratulation.

Long ago I was lucky enough to see

that I'd have to keep up my self-analysis

or else blow my top completely.

 - Bill W., June 1958

- The Language of the Heart, p. 239

From the Big Book:

"Mother made all the plans and gave the directions.  When sober, father usually obeyed.  Thus mother, through no fault of her own, became accustomed to wearing the family trousers.  Father, coming suddenly to life again, often begins to assert himself. This means trouble, unless the family watches for these tendencies in each other and comes to a friendly agreement about them."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 131.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may not expect complete understanding from others.  I pray that I may only expect this from God, as I try to grow more like them."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 14.

Quote for the day:

"Nature has perfections, in order to show that she is the image of God; and defects to show that she is only his image."  __Blaise Pascal (French Mathematician, Philosopher and Physicist, 1623-1662)

My share:

Just today I discovered how I had inadvertently offended another.

That had not been my intention.  I consider wearing blinders a personal defect.  I pray that my higher power help me take them off.  Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Friday, May 15, 2009
  

Awareness

You get just a little sobriety, and you get just a little humility.

Not much, just a little.  Not the humility of sackcloth and ashes,

but the humility of a man who's glad he's alive and can serve.

You get just a little tolerance, not too much,

but just enough to sit and listen to the other guy. . .

And you realize that if you put all this together,

you get a little humility,a little tolerance,

a little honesty, a little sincerity,

a little prayer --

and a lot of AA.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, pp. 201-202  

From the Big Book:
 "Drinking isolates most homes from the outside world. Father may have laid aside for years all normal activities--clubs, civic duties, sports.  When he renews interest in such things, a feeling of jealousy may arise. The family may feel they hold a mortgage on dad, so big that no equity should be left for outsiders.  Instead of developing new channels of activity for themselves, mother and children demand that he stay home and make up the deficiency."
c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 131.  

Prayer for the day:
"I pray that I may put much effort into acquiring spiritual things. 
I pray that I may not expect good things until I am right spiritually."
c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 15.  

Quote for the day:
 "The fish only knows that it lives in the water after it is already on the river bank.  Without our awareness of another world out there, it would never occur to us to change." __anonymous  

My share:
Had I not been forced to sober up (for a month in jail), I wonder if I would have recognized the moment when I had truly had enough to drink. I am grateful that I had learned about AA while I was drinking.  At least that way I knew of another world out there. Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Saturday, May 16, 2009  

Strength
We perceive that only through utter defeat
are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength.
Our admissions of powerlessness finally turn out to be
firm bedrock upon which happy and successful lives may be built.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 21  

Thoughtfood for Sunday, May 17, 2009

Keep It Simple

After years of sobriety, I occasionally ask myself:

"Can it be this simple?"

Then, at meetings, I see former cynics and skeptics

who have walked the AA path out of hell by packaging their lives,

without alcohol, into twenty-four hour segments,

during which they practice a few principles

to the best of their individual abilities.

And then I know again that, while it isn't always easy,

if I keep it simple, it works.
- Daily Reflections, p. 30

From the Big Book:

"The problems of the community might engage attention.  Though the family has no religious connections, they may wish to make contact with or take membership in a religious body."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 131.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that when life is over, I will return to an eternal, spaceless life with God.  I pray that I may make this life a preparation for a better life to come."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 17.

Quote for the day:

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." 
__Dr. Seuss

My share:

I'm always amazed at how complicated and complex some people make this program out to be.  For me, it's the simplest thing in the world.  Don't drink, clean house, go to meetings, make amends, repeat. Simple.  Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Monday, May 18, 2009

Step Five

If we're willing to expose the pages of our lives

to the love and understanding of our Higher Power

and a fellow alcoholic,

we'll surely know a new freedom and a new happiness.

We'll discover that love is never having to feel alone again;

that God's presence in our lives has become profound;

and that the unity of the Fellowship of the spirit can be ours

so long as we are willing to pass it on.
- The Best of the Grapevine [Vol .3], pp. 200-201

From the Big Book:

" Alcoholics who have derided religious people will be helped by such contacts.  Being possessed of a spiritual experience, the alcoholic will find he has much in common with these people, though he may differ with them in many matters.  If he does not argue about religion, he will make neew friends and is sure to find new avenues of usefulness and pleasure." 

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, pp. 131-132.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may have faith's look.  I pray that by faith I may look beyond the now to eternal life."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 18.

Quote for the day:

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."  __Morrie Schwartz

My share:

I didn't expect it.  I couldn't have known.  Having just finished my fifth step with my sponsor, the door closed behind me; I walked back to my truck.  My sense of relief was overwhelming. 

The whole process was cathartic.  I was free, free at last.   And then the real work began.  Be Good To You, Dave 

Thoughtfood for Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Rejecting Fantasy

Above all, we reject fantasizing and accept reality.

The more I drank, the more I fantasized everything. . .

AA led me gently from this fantasizing

to embrace reality with open arms.

And I found it beautiful!

For, at last, I was at peace with myself.  

And with others.  And with God.
- Alcoholics Anonymous,  p. 559

From the Big Book:

"He and his family can be a bright spot in such congregations.  He may bring new hope and new courage to many a priest, minister, or rabbi, who gives his all to minister to our troubled world.  We intend the foregoing as a helpful suggestion only.  So fat as we are concerned, there is nothing obligatory about it.  As non-denominational people, we cannot make up others' minds for them.  Each individual should consult his own conscience."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 132.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that my feet may be set upon a rock.  I pray that I may rely on God to guide my comings and goings."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hour Hours A Day,  May 19.

Quote for the day:

"The supreme object of life is to live.  Few people live.  It is true life only to realize one's own perfection, to make one's every dream a reality."  __ Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

My share:

I can only come close to Mr. Wilde's notion.  But, it is only because I am in A.A. that I can even do that. Few people live making their dreams reality. As long as I stay sober, I can stay focused on that potential. Be Good To You, Dave.

Thoughtfood for Wednesday, May 20, 2009  

Tornado

The alcoholic is like a tornado roaring his way

through the lives of others.

Hearts are broken. 

Sweet relationships are dead.

Selfish and inconsiderate habits have kept the home in turmoil.

We feel a man is unthinking when he says sobriety is enough.

He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar

to find his house ruined.  To his wife, he remarked,

"Don't see anything the matter here, Ma.

Ain't it grand the wind stopped blowin'?"
- Alcoholics Anonymous,  p. 82

Thoughtfood for Thursday, May 21, 2009

Serenity

Serenity to me, therefore, is the absence of insoluble conflict.  And it is up to me first to determine whether, after an honest look at myself, I can cope with the problem; then decide whether it is to be tackled, passed over to another day, or dismissed forever.

Came To Believe...p. 111.

From the Big Book:

"When we see a man sinking into the mire that is alcoholism, we give him first aid and place what we have at his disposal.  For his sake, we do recount and almost relive the horrors of our past.  But those of us who have tried to shoulder the entire burden and trouble of others find we are soon overcome by them."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 132.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may be obedient to the heavenly vision. 

 I pray if I fall, I will pick myself up and go on."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 21.

Quote for the day:

"Boredom is the feeling that everything is a waste of time; serenity, that nothing is."  __Thomas S. Szasz  (Hungarian psychiatrist and Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, b. 1920.)

My share:

Serenity has become my drug of choice.  I'm addicted to serenity.

Seriously, the main difference in my life today is the serenity I have found as a result of working the twelve steps and practicing these principles in all my affairs. I refuse to give that up.  Be Good To You, Dave

Thoughtfood for Friday, May 22, 2009  

Seeking a Higher Power
Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms
deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.
At the start, this was all we needed to commence spiritual growth.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 47.  

Thoughtfood for Saturday, May 23

Discovery

AA has accomplished so many things in my life today.

It has given me my sanity and an all-around sense of balance.

I have found that the process of discovering who I really am

begins with knowing who I really don't want to be.
- Alcoholics Anonymous,  pp. 456-7

From the Big Book:

"Everybody knows that those in bad health, and those who seldom play, do not laugh much.  So let each family play together or separately, so much as their circumstances warrant.  We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free.  We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us.  But it is clear that we made our own misery.  God didn't do it.  Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence."

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, pp.132-133.

Prayer for the day:

"I pray that I may seek no credit for the results of what I do.  I pray that I may leave the outcome of my actions to God."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 23.

Quote for the day:

"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."  __Elizabeth Foley

My share:

I have grown to realize that I truly do not want to become like some of the people I find in sobriety.  Others inspire me to continue to improve my conscious contact with God as I understand Him, to reach out to those who are suffering, and to seek balance with the world. Be Good To You, Dave.

Thoughtfood for Sunday, May 24, 2009 
 

Face-To-Face

We came together because we were in trouble.

We leave our references and credentials at the door.

We learn that we can recover from this trouble through

the most powerful remedy in the world for sick souls--

the face-to-face relation,

respect for one another as human beings,

and the right to live well as complete persons.

We come together in the downright simple faith

that every human being has a right

to health in body, mind and soul.

-Thank You For Sharing p. 58  

 

Thoughtfood for Monday, Memorial Day, May 25, 2009  

Anonymity

The entire future of our fellowship hangs upon this vital principle.

If we continue to be filled with the spirit and practice of anonymity,

no shoal or reef can wreck us.

If we forget this principle, the lid to Pandora's box will be off

and the spirits of Money, Power, and Prestige will be loosed among us.
- Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 131

From the Big Book:
"But this does not mean that we disregard human health measures.  God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, Psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds.  Do not hesitate to take your health problems to such persons.  Most of them give freely of themselves, that their fellows may enjoy sound minds and bodies. Try to remember that though God has wrought miracles among us, we should never belittle a good doctor or psychiatrist. Their services are often indispensable in treating a newcomer and in following his case afterward."
c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 133.  

Prayer for the day:
"I pray that I may never become discouraged in helping others. 
I pray that I may always rely on the power of God to help me."
c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 25.  

Quote for the day:
 "I was born out of due time in the sense that by temperament and talent I should have been more suited for the life of a small Back, living in anonymity and composing regularly for an established service and for God." __Igor Stravinsky (Russian Composer, 1882-1971  

My share:
Igor reminds me that even Bach's quiet, systematic, and seemingly anonymous approach toward sharing his faith with others through music, ultimately resulted in great fame.  Such fame, not sought or expected, is not a bad thing.  
Be Good To You, Dave

 Thoughtfood for Tuesday, May 26. 2009

---

 

Life on Life's Terms

 

Unless I accept life completely on life's terms,

 I cannot be happy.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 417.
 

Thoughtfood for Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Sponsorship

My sponsor was a living damper on my intolerance.

But even more, he told me that it would be all right

for me to doubt God,

that AA was not a religious program and, to belong,

I did not have to adhere to any set of beliefs.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 366

From the Big Book:

"A word about sex relations.  Alcohol is so sexually stimulating to some men that they have over-indulged.  Couples are occasionally dismayed to find that when drinking is stopped the man tends to be impotent.  Unless the reason is understood, there may be an emotional upset.  Some of us had this experience, only to enjoy, in a few months, a finer intimacy than ever.  There should be no hesitancy in consulting a doctor or psychologist if the condition persists.  We do not know of many cases where this difficulty lasted long." 

c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p 134.

Prayer for the day:

'I pray that my life may be deeply rooted in faith. 

 I pray that I may feel deeply secure."

c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 27.

Quote for the day:

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .

S P O N S O R =

Sober, Practical, Optimistic, Noble, Spiritual, Open-minded, Respectful.

My share:

On the topic of sponsorship, I can only relate how grateful I am for mine.  I am still, after more than a decade,  in awe of the level of comittment to these principles that my sponsor consistently proves.  I sometimes wonder if I would still be sober today without his serenity and example.  We are both named Dave, and this is what he always says whenever we part company: "Be good to you." With it I remember him daily.  Be Good To You,  Dave

Thoughtfood for Thursday, May 28, 2009
  

A Joyful Way of Life

One beautiful man -- without funds or financial aid,

without benefit of publicity

and great advertising campaigns --

quietly, anonymously

  spread a message from one man in one room in one city

to reach millions of persons in thousands

of rooms clear around the world.

Today, more than a million of us who

suffer from the disease of alcoholism

have found not just the ability to live with

or survive this insidious disease,

but a joyful way of life as new

as this morning and as old as mankind.

- The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], p. 255

Thoughtfood for Friday, May 29, 2009
  

Serenity

Moments of perception can build into a lifetime of serenity.
- As Bill Sees It,  p. 173  

Thoughtfood for Saturday, May 30, 2009





From the Big Book:
"Whether the family goes on a spiritual basis or not, the alcoholic member has to if he would recover. The others must be convinced of his new status beyond the shadow of a doubt. Seeing is believing to most families who have lived with a drinker."
c. 1939, AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Family Afterward, p. 135.


Prayer for the day:
"I pray that I may be grateful for all my blessings. I pray that I may be humble because I know that I do not deserve them."
c. 1975, Hazelden Foundation, Twenty-Four Hours A Day, May 30.


Quote for the day:
The more A.A. sticks to its primary purpose, the greater will be its influence everywhere."
- A.A. Comes of Age, p, 109

My share:
As for bookkeeping, my debts and my assets; making amends turned out to be unwelcome among my family members. They didn't want to hear any more "I'm sorry's." I was told repeatedly that my actions and what I was no longer doing held more sway in their minds that I truly meant business about changing my life for the better. Be Good To You, Dave