"ENTIRELY HONEST"

We must be entirely honest with somebody if we expect to live long or
happily in this world.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 73-74

Honesty, like all virtues, is to be shared. It began after I shared ". . .
[my] whole life's story with someone . . . " in order to find my place in
the Fellowship. Later I shared my life in order to help the newcomer
find his place with us. This sharing helps me to learn honesty in all my
dealings and to know that God's plan for me comes true through honest
openness and willingness.
***********************************************************

As Bill Sees It

Freedom to Choose, p. 124

Looking back, we see that our freedom to choose badly was not,
after all, a very real freedom.

When we chose because we "must," this was not a free choice,
either. But it got us started in the right direction.

When we chose because we "ought to," we were really doing better.
This time we were earning some freedom, making ourselves ready
for more.

But when, now and then, we could gladly make right choices without
rebellion, hold-out, or conflict, then we had our first view of what
perfect freedom under God's will could be like.

Grapevine, May 1960

***********************************************************

Walk in Dry Places
 
Secrets of the New Happiness____ Success in living.
Most of us know whether other people are truly happy. What's odd, however, is that we don't often try to practice the things that bring happiness to others.  Often, the happiness we're striving for is really  a form of excitement____  trying to be continuously stimulated so as not to be bored or depressed.
Excitement does not create happiness.  We find true happiness when we learn to serve others in right ways; that is, without demanding their gratitude or some other recognition. We also find true happiness in self-acceptance___  being generally satisfied with our lot in life and grateful for the self-improvement we've found. We find happiness, too, in keeping occupied with useful activities that place demands on our energies and abilities.
There is no such thing as a happy alcoholic who is still drinking. There are also recovering people who have not yet found happiness.  But the program unlocks the happiness, and we do have members whose happiness is an example to others.
I can be happy one day at a time. I will make the choice to be happy today, and to let tomorrow come in its own time.  Nothing can interfere with today's happiness.

***********************************************************

Keep It Simple

I am the greatest.---Muhammad Ali
We need to believe in ourselves. we're sober. We're honest. We're trustworthy. We're not making so many problems for other people anymore We do our share. We can even help others sometimes.
We're glad that others help us. We thank our Higher Power every day. But we also give ourselves credit. We're working  our program. We can handle life as best we can. And as long as we ask our Higher Power to work through us, we are the greatest.
Prayer for the Day:  Higher Power, help me feel proud of the changes in my life.
Action for the Day:  Today, I'll talk with my sponsor about pride. What is good pride? What should I watch out for?

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Each Day a New Beginning

The rare and beautiful experiences of divine revelation are moments of special gifts. Each of us, however, lives each day with special gifts which are a part of our very being, and life is a process of discovering and developing these God-given gifts within each one of us.  --Jeane Dixon
Have we discovered what our gifts are? We assuredly have them, and now that we are abstinent we have opportunities, daily, to share them with others. Sharing them knowingly will bring joy to us, but more than that, we will grow in appreciation of ourselves. And we do need to realize how very important we are to others.
Many of us came into this program nearly feet first. Most of us were filled with rage, shame, or both. Life had dumped on us. We had survived only minimally. The knowledge that we had something to offer the human race was not ours, then. It may still be knowledge that escapes us, from time to time. But we can learn to acknowledge it.
We have many talents that are ours alone to offer the world. Perhaps we express ourselves adroitly; maybe we write particularly well. Listening when it's most needed by a friend may be our finest talent today. We might have gifts as a musician or a manager. Our inner self knows our strengths. We can listen for that voice.
God is trying to get my attention today, to direct my energies to make the most of my special talents. I will be aware.

***********************************************************

Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Chapter 5 - HOW IT WORKS

Resentment is the “number one” offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. In dealing with resentments, we set them on paper. We listed people, institutions or principle with who we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry. In most cases it was found that our self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal relationships (including sex) were hurt or threatened. So we were sore. We were “burned up.”

p. 64-65

***********************************************************

Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Stories

ME AN ALCOHOLIC? - Alcohol's wringer squeezed this author--but he escaped quite whole.

Of course I drank.  Everybody did in the set which I regarded as the apex of civilization.  My wife loved to drink, and we tied on many a hooter in the name of marital bliss.  My associates, and all the wits and literary lights I so much admired, also drank.  Evening cocktails were as standard as morning coffee, and I suppose my average daily consumption ran a little more or less than a pint.  Even on my rare (at first) binge nights, it never ran over a quart.

p. 383

***********************************************************

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Step Eleven - "Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out."

As the day goes on, we can pause where situations must be met and decisions made, and renew the simple request: "Thy will, not mine, be done." If at these points our emotional disturbance happens to be great, we will more surely keep our balance, provided we remember, and repeat to ourselves, a particular prayer or phrase that has appealed to us in our reading or meditation. Just saying it over and over will often enable us to clear a channel choked up with anger, fear, frustration, or misunderstanding, and permit us to return to the surest help of all--our search for God's will, not our own, in the moment of stress. At these critical moments, if we remind ourselves that "it is better to comfort than to be comforted, to understand than to be understood, to love than to be loved," we will be following the intent of Step Eleven.

pp. 102-103

***********************************************************

It's easy to feel grateful when we receive a raise, meet the love of our life
or watch our children succeed, but spiritual gratitude is not
circumstantial. It arises from a true knowing that God is our Source.
We can feel thankful for every day, even in the middle of life's
challenges.
--Mary Manin Morrissey

"Life Is A Challenge - Meet it!
Life Is A Song - Sing It!
Life Is A Dream - Realize It!
Life Is A Game - Play It!
Life Is Love - Enjoy It!" --
--Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

God's love freely gives me, blessings, wonders, joys.
--SweetyZee

Money is not required to buy one necessity of the soul.
--Henry David Thoreau

Praise the young and they will flourish.
--Irish Proverb

"Action eradicates fear. No matter what you fear, positive,
self-affirming action can diminish or completely cancel that which you
are fearful of."
--Mark Victor Hansen

"All of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical
rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are
blooming outside our windows today."
--Dale Carnegie

"You had better live your best and act your best and think your best
today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other
tomorrows that follow."
--Harriet Martineau

My drunkalog can be summed up very simply . . . "Nothing went the way
I planned."
--unknown

***********************************************************

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

WAR

"War is only a cowardly escape
from the problems of peace."
--Thomas Mann

Sometimes it is easier to attack than it is to discuss and seek harmony. It
is easier to lash out, hurt, maim or destroy than it is to listen, forgive,
understand and reconcile. Violence is so often the cowardly way out.

The sadness for our society is that war and violence are often presented
as manly or heroic. Our modern heroes so often carry weapons rather
than the olive branch. Surrender is seen as cowardice. Gentleness is
seen as weakness. The diplomat is seen as the schemer.

My recovery teaches me that nothing is gained by acts of violence,
whereas in the atmosphere of peace, God and man can be reconciled.

Give me the courage to surrender on a daily basis and bring harmony
into my world.

***********************************************************

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD
require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with
your God."
Micah 6:8

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

"This is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in
it."
Psalms, 118:24

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
Ephesians 6:12 -13

The steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting.
Psalm 103:17

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Daily Inspiration

It takes far less effort to concentrate on one thought at a time and usually eliminates the confusion we often create for ourselves. Lord, I pray for clarity of thought and the wisdom that it brings.

When we become aware that we possess all the spiritual treasures necessary for a productive and happy life, we will never want for anything. Lord, You are a limitless source of abundance and love.

***********************************************************

NA Just For Today

"What About The Newcomer?"

"Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry the message to the addict who still suffers."
Tradition Five

Our home group means a lot to us. After all, where would we be without our favorite NA meeting? Our group sometimes sponsors picnics or other activities. Often, home group members get together to see a movie or go bowling. We have all made good friendships through our home group, and we wouldn't trade that warmth for the world.

But sometimes we must take inventory of what our group is doing to fulfill its primary purpose—to carry the message to the still-suffering addict. Sometimes when we go to our meetings, we know almost everyone and get caught up in the laughter and fun. But what about the newcomer? Have we remembered to reach out to the new people who may be sitting by themselves, lonely and frightened? Do we remember to welcome those visiting our group?

The love found in the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous helps us recover from addiction. But once we have gotten clean, we must remember to give to others what was so freely given to us. We need to reach out to the addict who still suffers. After all, "the newcomer is the most important person at any meeting."

Just for today: I'm grateful for the warm fellowship I've found in my home group. I will reach out my hand to the still-suffering addict, offering that same fellowship to others.

***********************************************************

You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
A person can grow only as much as his horizon allows. --John Powell
Should you be a doctor or perhaps an astronaut? Maybe being a writer or an athlete appeals to you. Dreaming of what to be can be useful. It helps us set our goals and learn our values. Also, using our imagination lets us "try on" a future role. We learn about our life's direction through our dreams of where to go and what to do.
Not all dreams are helpful, however. Sometimes we daydream about other things when we really do need to listen. Learning how to use our imagination to guide our plans for growing up takes practice.
Imagining ourselves happy and brave will help us feel both. Imagining ourselves as failures can be just as powerful. Let's respect the power of the imagination and use it to form good images of our future.
How can I build goodness and success into my future today?


You are reading from the book Touchstones.
What if the interests of the self were expanded to ... a God's eye view of the human scene ... accepting failure as being as natural an occurrence as success in the stupendous human drama... as little cause for worry and concern as having to play the role of a loser in a summer theater performance. --Huston Smith
Detachment is a mature and wise way of dealing with life experiences. It is sometimes difficult because it challenges our maturity. How can we take failure lightly when we have been taught all our lives to be winners and to accept every dare? How can we stand back from a loved one who is anxious and in pain, still be supportive, but not take charge as if it were our problem?
We can question some of our old ideas. Maybe we were wrong to think we should always be Prince Charming who rescues maidens in distress. Maybe our ideas about being winners have been compulsions that stood in our way of having true friends.
As my perspective is changed, I will get stronger in maintaining a healthy detachment


You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
The rare and beautiful experiences of divine revelation are moments of special gifts. Each of us, however, lives each day with special gifts which are a part of our very being, and life is a process of discovering and developing these God-given gifts within each one of us. --Jeane Dixon
Have we discovered what our gifts are? We assuredly have them, and now that we are abstinent we have opportunities, daily, to share them with others. Sharing them knowingly will bring joy to us, but more than that, we will grow in appreciation of ourselves. And we do need to realize how very important we are to others.
Many of us came into this program nearly feet first. Most of us were filled with rage, shame, or both. Life had dumped on us. We had survived only minimally. The knowledge that we had something to offer the human race was not ours, then. It may still be knowledge that escapes us, from time to time. But we can learn to acknowledge it.
We have many talents that are ours alone to offer the world. Perhaps we express ourselves adroitly; maybe we write particularly well. Listening when it's most needed by a friend may be our finest talent today. We might have gifts as a musician or a manager. Our inner self knows our strengths. We can listen for that voice.
God is trying to get my attention today, to direct my energies to make the most of my special talents. I will be aware.


You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Freedom from Compulsive Disorders
Thank you for keeping me straight yesterday. Please help me stay straight today. -- paraphrased from Alcoholics Anonymous
When I first began my recovery from codependency, I was furious about having to begin another recovery program. Seven years earlier, I had begun recovery from chemical dependency. It didn't seem fair that one person should have to address two major issues in one lifetime.
I've gotten over my anger. I've learned that my recoveries aren't isolated from one another. Many of us recovering from codependency and adult children issues are also recovering from addictions: alcoholism, other drug dependency, gambling, food, work, or sex addiction. Some of us are trying to stay free of other compulsive disorders - ranging from caretaking to compulsively feeling miserable, guilty, or ashamed.
An important part of codependency recovery is staying clean and free of our compulsive or addictive behaviors. Recovery is one big room we've entered called healthy living.
We can wave the white flag of surrender to all our addictions. We can safely turn to a Power greater than ourselves to relieve us of our compulsive behavior. We know that now. Once we begin actively working a program of recovery, God will relieve us of our addictions. Ask God each morning to help us stay free of our addictions and compulsions. Thank God for helping us the day before.
Today, God, help me pay attention to all my recovery issues. Help me know that before I can work on the finer points of my recovery, such as my relationships, I must be free of addictive behaviors


Today I am letting a power greater than myself remove all my fear. I am now free to look within for my answers. --Ruth Fishel

************************************************** ***********

Journey to the Heart

Cherish Each Moment

Stop waiting for the one moment in time that will change your life. Instead, cherish all the moments. A desert cactus that blooms briefly only once a year does not consider all the moments it is not in bloom wasted. It considers them necessary and important. It knows the rest of the year, the rest of its life, it is beautiful,too.

All the moments count. The quiet moments. The moments of boredom and solitude. The moments of sharing. The exciting moments of discovery. The moments of grandeur. The agonizing moments when we feel sad, angry, and upset. Each moment in time is equally important. Don’t wait and hope for the one thing, the one person, the one event, that will change your life, plummet you into the future and the life you desire. Instead remember that each moment in time brings change, evolution, and transformation.

Most of us relish the magnificent spiritual experiences, those tremendous discoveries, those important times of change. But those moments don’t happen that often. The truth is, each moment in time is a spiritual experience, an important time of change. Cherish all your moments. Soon you will see the beauty and power of each.

Let each moment have value. Let each day of your life be the spiritual experience you seek. The power to change and evolve lies within you. The life you desire is happening right now. Your destiny is here.

Cherish all your moments. Embrace the beauty and importance of each one.

************************************************** ***********

More Language Of Letting Go

Know when to say no

Saying no is another way of saying when. For some of us, the hardest word in the language to speak is the short, simple word no. Instead of saying no, we toil on. What will he think if I say no? Mary won’t be my friend if I don’t do this. The project won’t get done unless I do it. I’m not a team player when I say no. A good Christian needs to sacrifice himself. Saying no is selfish. And the list goes on. We abuse ourselves, take on more than we want, and find ourselves bitter and resentful. And we’ve done it to ourselves.

Know your limits. Know when to say no. There may be a few people who are offended by the limits that you set, but usually those are the ones trying to control or manipulate you. Some well-meaning colleagues may tell you that you’re being selfish, but your ultimate responsibility is to yourself. That responsibility includes knowing how and when to set limits.

Look at your schedule. Are you so overloaded or booked that you can’t see when you could have any time for fun, relaxing, or your own personal growth? It may be time for you to start setting limits. Remember, you get to decide what’s best for you.

Learn to say no and stand by your choice.

God, help me to have the strength to set reasonable limits for myself and to tell others when I cannot help them. Help me learn to say no.

************************************************** ***********

Noticing Synchronicity
Interconnected Experiences

Things happen in our lives for a reason, even if that reason is not clear to you right away.

When events appear to fit together perfectly in our lives it may seem at first that they are random occurrences, things that are the result of coincidence. These synchronous happenings, though, are much more than that, for, if we look at them more closely they can show us that the universe is listening to us and gently communicating with us. Learning to pay attention to and link the things that occur on a daily basis can be a way for us to become more attuned to the fact that most everything happens in our lives for a reason – even when that reason is not clear right away.

When we realize that things often go more smoothly than we can ever imagine, it allows us to take the time to reflect on the patterns in our lives. Even events that might not at first seem to be related to each other are indicators that the universe is working with, not against, us. This idea of synchronicity, then, means that we have to trust there is more to our lives than what we experience on a physical level. We need to be willing to look more closely at the bigger picture, accepting and having confidence in the fact that there is more to our experiences than immediately meets the eye. Being open to synchronicity also means that we have to understand that our lives are filled with both positive and negative events. Once we can recognize that one event is neither more desirable nor better than the other – they all have an overall purpose in our lives -- then we are truly ready to listen to the messages the universe gives us.

While we may not be able to see everything in our lives as being synchronous, we can certainly use hindsight to be more aware of how the universe guides us. This sense of wonder at the mysteries of the universe and the interconnectedness present in our lives will help us see our overall ways of being and will in turn make it easier to work more consciously towards our spiritual evolution. Published with permission from Daily OM

************************************************** ***********

A Day At A Time

Reflection For The Day

Many people pray as though to overcome the will of a reluctant God, instead of taking hold of the willingness of a loving God. In the late stages of our addiction, the will to resist has fled. Yet when we admit complete defeat, and when we become entirely ready to try the principles of The Program, our obsession leaves us and we enter a new dimension — freedom under God as we understood Him. Is my growth in The Program convincing me that God alone can remove obsessions?

Today I Pray

May I pray not as a complaining child to a stern father, as though “praying” must always mean “pleading,” usually in moments of helpless desperation. May I pray, instead, for my own willingness to reach out to Him, since He is ready at all times to reach out to me. May I regard my Higher Power as a willing God.

Today I Will Remember

God is Willing.

************************************************** ***********

One More Day

. ..I was the breadwinner.
Only I didn’t WIN the bread,
I worked hard, and earned it …
– Elise Maclay

When poor health slightly alters the way we live our lives, the adjustment is difficult but feasible. But when poor health alters the way we live our lives and wrenches away even our financial livelihood, the adjustment is far more difficult.

Sufferers of chronic medical conditions often must discontinue working and may have to depend upon loved ones or disability payments for income. It may take some time to regain perspective, to realize that whether we are working or not, we still have personal worth. What matters most is what kind of person we are, not what job we do.

Life has handed me a portion I did not choose and do not welcome, but I can choose my own response.

************************************

Food For Thought

Food Is Not Enough

Food is fine, as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. We need our three meals a day, planned according to the requirements for healthy nutrition, but we do not live by food alone.

We need close contacts with friends. We need to be involved in productive work and stimulating activities. We need to serve in the areas where we are best qualified. We need to use our God given talents and abilities rather than sitting on them. Especially, we need the spiritual qualities of faith, hope, and love.

In the past, we may have given up on "religion." Through the OA program, we have found that our Higher Power did not give up on us. He has led us to this plan of recovery and is offering each of us the possibility of a richer, fuller life. God never intended us to be satisfied with physical food and material things. He daily offers us much more.

Fill my spirit, I pray.

*****************************************

One Day At A Time

LIGHT
It's better to light a candle
then to curse the darkness.
Old Chinese Proverb

I have been living with this disease of compulsive eating for as long as I can remember. I remember stealing money out of my mother’s purse to buy sugar-filled soft drinks and candy, and sneaking food out of the cupboard and trying to make it look like nothing was missing. I hid food and ate in isolation, pretending on the outside that nothing was wrong. But I carried this terrible secret -- I lived to eat.

As my disease progressed, I acted out in other compulsive ways, and surrounded myself with people who cared nothing for my welfare. I kept running faster and faster, and eating more and more, as my disease sucked all of the energy from my spirit. I sank deeper into the darkness of despair and depression, cursing all those I blamed for my unhappiness.

Through the grace of my Higher Power, my life became so painful that I had to seek help outside of myself. I found this program, and a candle was lit. While my recovery has been rocky over the last 10 years, that candle of progress and hope continues to light my way. No matter how bad things get now, I know that I have my Higher Power and my program friends to lean on. The wonderful people I have met through the program have saved my life, and have shown me the path to peace and abstinence. While I don’t always choose to follow that path perfectly, I continue to recover, and to find everyday joys that make life worth living.

One day at a time . . .
I will keep the light of recovery burning.
Suzanne

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AA 'Big Book' - Quote

Resentment is the 'number one' offender. It destroys more alcohlolics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. - Pg. 64 - How It Works

Hour To Hour - Book - Quote

You will be receiving many gifts from people in the programs: gifts of help, time, energy, possibly money, talents, and knowledge. You will never be able to pay them all back. You are not obligated to pay them back. You are obligated to be of service to others and give to them what is being so freely given to you today.

I appreciate the generosity of others and my only obligation comes in the future, to offer what gifts I can to someone else in recovery.

Inner Cleansing

I am in a process of healing. I am taking the time to allow my body to become clean and whole and as I do that, my mind seems to heal, too. Thoughts arise, thoughts I have blocked out during normal waking hours. They scare me, sometimes. Where are they coming from. Me? But as I allow them to come forward a curious thing happens. They become less threatening. They are, after all, just thoughts. They only really have power when I fear them and push them away. If I welcome them into the sun lit rooms of my mind, they sort of spread out and relax. They are just fears. Anxieties. Parts of me I don't want to know about. But today I understand that I cannot really keep secrets from me. Today I let these thoughts have room to breathe and as they do, a curious thing happens. They dissipate.

I awaken to my inner life

- Tian Dayton PhD

Pocket Sponsor - Book - Quote

'Suit up, Show up, Sit up, Shut up' is what we used to tell newcomers. We used to say this for darn good reason. Drunk drunks and newly clean addicts shouldn't be running at the mouth about recovery when they don't understand recovery. Unfortunately 'Politically Correct' (or rather, 'Therapeutically Correct') often hijacks our meetings. Do not be afraid to take our meetings back.

In order to continue to help the newcomer, I Suit up, Show up, Sit up, and Speak up!

"Walk Softly and Carry a Big Book" - Book

Work the program, not the problem.

Time for Joy - Book - Quote

Today I choose to think positive and loving thoughts. I know that if I do this I will feel loving and positive and create a positive and loving world for those around me.

Alkiespeak - Book - Quote

I looked up 'Willing' in the dictionary. It said: 'Cheerfully ready' - Cindy F.

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AA Thought for the Day

May 4

Choice
The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure,
have lost the power of choice in drink.
Our so-called willpower becomes practically nonexistent.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p.24

Thought to Ponder . . .
Just for today, I choose not to drink.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O W = Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Inventory
"A business which takes no regular inventory
usually goes broke.
Taking a commercial inventory is
a fact-finding and a fact-facing process.
If the owner of the business is to be successful,
he cannot fool himself about values.
We did exactly the same thing with our lives.
We took stock honestly.
Being convinced that self,
manifested in various ways,
was what had defeated us,
we considered its common manifestations."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 64

Thought to Consider . . .
In order to recover we have to uncover.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
WHO ME?
Willingness,Honesty, Open-mindedness,Must Exist

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Peace
From "To Handle Sobriety:"
"The more I drank, the more I fantasized everything....I lived in a dream world. A.A. 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."
2001, AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous, page 559

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

They say love heals all, and I am confident the future is bright."
San Diego, Calif., July 1992
"Bottom's Up,"
AA Grapevine

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the
brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal
men, but for alcoholics these things are poison."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~

"...with us, to drink is to die."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~

We shall want to speak with someone who is experienced, who not only has stayed dry but has been able to surmount
other serious difficulties.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 61

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Freedom to Choose
Looking back, we see that our freedom to choose badly was not, after all, a very real freedom.
When we choose because we 'must,' this was not a free choice, either. But it got us started in the right direction.
When we choose because we 'ought to,' we were really doing better. This time we were earning some freedom,
making ourselves ready for more.
But when, now and then, we could gladly make right choices without rebellion, hold-out, or conflict, then we had our first
view of what perfect freedom under God's will could be like.
GRAPEVINE, MAY 1960

Prayer For The Day: Father in Heaven, Thank you for watching over me as I slept through the night. Your hands of comfort and strength held me as You watched over me. Father, I love You. You love me so much and I am in awe of how amazing You truly are. As I begin my day, I simply pray that you walk with me and lead me where you please. May Your will be done this day. Amen.