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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
 Posted - 05/24/2009 : 09:55:54 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 24, 2009
"If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy."
Gratitude lists have been an important tool in my spiritual tool kit for a long time. Whenever I feel the old self-pity creep back in, I get out a piece of paper, number it from one to ten, and start making a list of all the things I'm grateful for. While this always makes me feel better, there have been times when I've wished I had a newer car, or a bigger house, etc.. That is why today's quote means so much to me.
No matter how much money, property or prestige I have, there will always be those out there with more. What I am reminded of today is that real riches come from within, and that what gives me the feelings of peace and comfort I seek outside of myself comes from the things money can't buy.
Today I've learned to keep material things to a minimum on my gratitude list. The true riches in my life today start with the gifts of my recovery - the meaningful relationships I have, my connection with my Higher Power, and a true appreciation for all the opportunities I have to be useful to other people. This kind of gratitude list is endless, and, when I finish it, I feel alive and vital.
Today, the real riches in my life come from counting and appreciating the things I have that money can't buy.
wisdomoftherooms.com
"A grateful alcoholic is a sober alcoholic."
Today I am grateful for sobriety.
Grateful for soundness of mind and body.
Grateful to be able to help others and to learn from the newcomer.
Grateful that I'm not in jail, an institution and that I'm alive and feeling better every day.
Grateful for the ability to make amends to my family.
Grateful that my grand children have never seen me high.
Grateful for forgiveness.
Grateful for learning to sit still and listen.
Grateful for the feeling of acceptance and being a part of within the fellowships of AA and NA.
Grateful for not isolating myself anymore.
Grateful for the peace I feel inside.
Grateful for knowing in my gut when I'm wrong.
Grateful for having others to call when I'm not sure.
Grateful for my sponsor.
Grateful for the God of "My Understanding".
Grateful, so very grateful to be alive and sober! |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2009 : 08:25:29 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
Now is the Time
Now is the time, the only time there is.
And if we are not kind to ourselves right now,
we certainly cannot rightfully expect respect or consideration from others.
- Living Sober, p. 42
Thought to Ponder . . .
There is only one corner of the universe I can be certain of improving,
and that's my own self.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
No Othere Way.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2009 : 11:13:30 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 25, 2009
It occurred to me not long ago that whenever I am sitting in an A.A. meeting, I am never aware that I am sitting next to another white man, another Catholic, another American, or a Frenchman, Mexican, Jew, Moslem, or Hindu, black man or brown, I am aware only that I am sitting next to another alcoholic. And it seemed deeply significant to me that this feeling of common humanity had been purchased by me at the cost of considerable pain and suffering.
Should this hard-won understanding of, and feeling for, others be confined to the meeting halls and members of A.A.? Or does it remain for me to take what I have learned and what I have experienced, not only in A.A., but in every other area and endeavor of my life, to lift up my head, and to assume my rightful place in the family of man? Can I finally – at long last, please God – come home from all the wars and say in the very depths of my soul, “I am sitting next to another human being”?
From the pamphlet a Member’s eye view of Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 25 and 26.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
Have a Good Memorial Day!!!! |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2009 : 4:41:03 PM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 26, 2009
Online Meetings
I'm thrilled that at any hour I can find someone to talk to.
Twice this week I've had tormented thoughts at three A.M.
Do I have to phone and wake someone up for support?
No, because other sober insomniacs are online,
ready to help me through the night. I didn't want a drink,
I just needed the loving support of the Fellowship. . .
Online meetings are like any other -- if you get there, you are welcome there.
- Thank You For Sharing, p. 71
Thought to Ponder . . .
Modem-to-modem or face-to-face, AA's speak the language of the heart.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
T L C =
Tears, Laughter, Caring.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2009 : 10:04:09 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 27, 2009
The Solution
The tremendous fact for every one of us
is that we have discovered a common solution.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 17
Thought to Ponder . . .
The solution is simple. The solution is spiritual.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Answer Available.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2009 : 07:57:52 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 28, 2009
Resentments
This business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal.
For when harboring such feelings
we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit.
The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again.
And with us, to drink is to die.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 66
Thought to Ponder . . .
Resentment is like acid, eating away at the vessel it is stored in.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Attitude Adjustment.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2009 : 06:17:15 AM
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Tragic Situation
At a certain point in the drinking of every alcoholic,
he passes into a state where the most powerful desire to stop drinking
is of absolutely no avail.
This tragic situation has already arrived in practically every case
long before it is suspected.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 24
Thought to Ponder . . .
Nothing is so bad that a drink won't make worse.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Absolute Abstinence.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2009 : 07:58:39 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 30, 2009
Our "Big Book"
Thus we grow. And so can you,
though you be but one man with this book in your hand. . .
We know what you are thinking. You are saying to yourself:
"I'm jittery and alone. I couldn't do that." But you can.
You forget that you have just now tapped into a source of power
much greater than yourself.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 162-3
Thought to Ponder . . .
The power within me is far greater than any fear before me.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Believing In God Beats Our Old Knowledge.*
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2009 : 05:55:44 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 31, 2009
Secrets
By revealing my secrets -- and thereby ridding myself of guilt --
I can actually change my thinking.
- Daily Reflections, p. 130
Thought to Ponder . . .
I cannot mend if I bend the truth.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2009 : 09:38:37 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
May 31, 2009
Keep it simple
“We live a day at a time but also from moment to moment. When we stop living in the here and now, our problems become magnified unreasonably.”
Basic Text, p. 96
Life often seems too complicated to understand, especially for those of us who’ve dodged it for so long. When we stopped using alcohol and drugs, many of us came face to face with a world that was confusing, even terrifying. Looking at life and all its details, all at once, may be overwhelming. We think that maybe we can’t handle life after all and that it’s useless to try. These thoughts feed themselves, and pretty soon we’re paralyzed by the imagined complexity of life.
Happily, we don’t have to fix everything at once. Solving a single problem seems possible, so we take them one at a time. We take care of each moment as it comes, and then take care of the next moment as it comes. We learn to stay clean and sober just for today, and we approach our problems the same way. When we live life in each moment, it’s not such a terrifying prospect. One breath at a time, we can stay clean and learn to live.
Just for today: I will keep it simple by living in this moment only. Today, I will tackle only today’s problems; I will leave tomorrow’s problems to tomorrow.
Just For Today, Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts, p. 157
One Day at a time, one hour at a time, one breath at a time.
Yesterday our fellowships, AA and NA, lost a 23 year member in a motorcycle accident. His girlfriend, who also attends both fellowships, was riding along side him on her own bike. She’s in a shock trauma center. I believe she has 3 or more years of sobriety. They were hit by a car. Unfortunately, this is the second death in her life in the past 6 months. When I read today’s quote, well, I just thought it was very appropriate. That happens to me a lot in the fellowships. I always get what I need, when I need it. Members in both fellowships here, are devastated by this tragedy. If you would, could you please say a little prayer for Theresa? |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2009 : 08:45:29 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
June 1, 2009
Balance
Balance is a difficult thing for everyone, certainly for alcoholics. . .
However, I know this:
With the program and my God, I have been given tools
which I never had while I was drinking, that give me a chance
to live a full and happy, balanced life.
Could I ask for more?
- The AA Grapevine, June 2009, p. 23
Thought to Ponder . . .
Take a walk with God. He will meet you at the Steps.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Happy, Joyous, Free.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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| Information in this forum is not monitored or provided by a medical professional. The information reflects member opinions only. Do not act on advice from these forums without first consulting a qualified medical professional. All content is copyrighted and protected by Aelius Group. |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2009 : 07:42:46 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
June 2, 2009
Challenges
There is no easier, softer way.
To bring the great escape act into sobriety
is to travel with a companion that led me to despair long ago.
The teaching I receive in AA about courage and love helps me to grapple
with the challenges of life as they are given to me one day at a time.
- The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 3], p. 320
Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to change, change to learn.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
One Day At A Time.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2009 : 09:48:05 AM
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June 2, 2009
"You can't experience victory if you refuse to surrender."
Boy, that surrender thing was (and sometimes still is) a hard thing for me to accept. I mean, how could I possibly win or succeed at something if I'm told to give up and surrender? I've always been taught that the things worth having were worth fighting for, yet the program told me to surrender. What was up with that?
I remember trying to figure this out when, during a meeting, I heard someone define surrender this way: "Surrender means laying down your arms and joining the winning side." Suddenly it made sense. I looked around at all the winners who had surrendered and overcome their addiction, and I realized that if I stopped fighting, stopped resisting, and surrendered too, then I could recover as well.
Today I have come to see the wisdom in the saying, "We ceased fighting anything or anyone." I now understand that the majority of my pain and discomfort comes from fighting and resisting things as they are, and that immediate peace and serenity are mine the moment I surrender. Once surrendered, I can pray for the right thought or action, and the solution always comes if I remain open to it.
Today I understand the saying, "You can't experience victory if you refuse to surrender."
www.wisdomoftherooms.com
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought. |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2009 : 08:13:32 AM
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June 3, 2009
AA Thought for Today
“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.”
The tyrant alcohol wielded a double-edged sword over us: first we were smitten by an insane urge that condemned us to go on drinking, and then by an allergy of the body that insured we would ultimately destroy ourselves in the process. Few indeed were those who, so assailed, had ever won through singlehanded combat. It was a statistical fact that alcoholics almost never recovered on their own resources. And this had been true, apparently, ever since man had first crushed grapes.
In AA’s pioneering time, none but the most desperate cases could swallow and digest this unpalatable truth. Even these “last-gaspers” often had difficulty in realizing how hopeless they actually were. But a few did, and when these laid hold of AA principles with all the fervor with which the drowning seize life preservers, they almost invariably got well.
Many less desperate alcoholics tried AA, but did not succeed because they could not make the admission of hopelessness.
Alcoholics who still had their health, their families, their jobs, and even two cars in the garage, began to recognize their alcoholism. As this trend grew, they were joined by young people who were scarcely more than potential alcoholics. They were spared that last ten or fifteen years of literal hell the rest of us had gone through. Since Step One requires an admission that our lives have become unmanageable, how could people such as these take this Step?
By going back into our own drinking histories, we could show that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression. To the doubters we could say, “Perhaps you’re not an alcoholic after all. Why don’t you try some more controlled drinking, bearing in mind meanwhile what we have told you about alcoholism?” This attitude brought immediate and practical results. It was then discovered that when one alcoholic had planted in the mind of another the true nature of his malady, that person could never be the same again. Following every spree, he would say to himself, “Maybe those AA’s were right…” After a few such experiences, often years before the onset of extreme difficulties, he would return to us convinced. He had hit bottom as truly as any of us. John Barleycorn himself had become our best advocate.
Few people will sincerely try to practice the AA program unless they have hit bottom. For practicing AA’s remaining eleven Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking. The average alcoholic, self-centered in the extreme, doesn’t care for this prospect – unless he has to do these things in order to stay alive himself.
We are driven to AA and there we discover the fatal nature of our situation. The, and only the, do we become as open-minded to conviction and as willing to listen as the dying can be. We stand ready to do anything which will lift the merciless obsession from us.
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 21-24
Surrender To Win! |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2009 : 10:04:33 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
June 3, 2009
Communication
Our channels of contact have always been charged with
the language of the heart.
- The Language of the Heart, p. 243
Thought to Ponder . . .
Sharing is sometimes more demanding than giving.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Experience, Strength and Hope.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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