AA Thought for the Day
March 15
Let Go
If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it --
then you are ready to take certain steps.
At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not.
With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start.
Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58
Thought to Ponder . . .
Letting go is a process, not an event.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
N O W = No Other Way.
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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
Humility
"The attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of AA's Twelve Steps. For without some degree of
humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all.
"Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 70
Thought to Consider . . .
As I thus get down to my right size and stature,
my self-concern and importance become amusing.
Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, June 1961
As Bill Sees It, p. 106
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
FEAR
False Expectations Appearing Real
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Spirituality
>From "In His Own Individual Right":
"When people look at you and wonder what's with you, the look in your eyes will answer them: 'Because I can cut it!'
"The singular thing that is spirituality cannot be given to a fellowman by word of mouth. If every man is to have it, then
every man must earn it, in his own way, by his own hand, stamped by the seal of himself, in his own individual right.--
New York, New York, USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 6
*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"My heart sings with each new day."
Cleveland, Ohio, February 1993
"Facing the Truth"
AA Grapevine
~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*
"We alcoholics are sensitive people. It takes some of us a long time
to outgrow that serious handicap."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 125~
"Many of us keep liquor in our homes. We often need it to carry
green recruits through a severe hangover. Some of us still serve it
to our friends provided they are not alcoholic. But some of us think
we should not serve liquor to anyone. We never argue this question.
We feel that each family, in the light of their own circumstances,
ought to decide for themselves."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 102~
These were some of the ways in which fear conspired with pride to hinder our making a list of all the people we had harmed.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 79
Misc. AA Literature - Quote
Two-Way Tolerance
'Your point of view was once mine. Fortunately, A.A. is constructed so that we need not debate the existence of God; but
for best results, most of us must depend upon a Higher Power. You say the group is your Higher Power, and no right-
minded A.A. would challenge your privilege to believe precisely that way. We should all be glad that good recoveries can
be made even on this limited basis.
'But turnabout is fair play. If you would expect tolerance for your point of view, I am sure you would be willing to
reciprocate. I try to remember that, down through the centuries, lots of brighter people than 1 have been found on both
sides of this debate about belief. For myself, of late years, I am finding it much easier to believe that God made man,
than that man made God.' LETTER, 1950
Prayer For The Day: Father, preserve in us a sense of wonder at the marvels of life. May all that we see around us lead us to you. Amen
~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
Procrastination
"After a preliminary trial at making amends, we may enjoy such a sense of relief that we conclude our task is finished.
We will want to rest on our laurels. The temptation to skip the more humiliating and dreaded meetings that still remain
may be great. We may just procrastinate, telling ourselves the time is not yet, when in reality we have already passed up
many a fine chance to right a serious wrong. Let's not talk prudence while practicing evasion.
"Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 85
Thought to Consider . . .
Procrastination is really sloth in five syllables.
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 67
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
ISM
I Sponsor Myself
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Generosity
>From "Thousands of 'Founders:'""A.A. was not invented! Its basics were brought to us through the experience and
wisdom of many great friends. We simply borrowed and adapted their ideas."Thankfully, we have accepted the devoted services
of many nonalcoholics. We owe our very lives to the men and women of medicine and religion. And, speaking
for Dr. Bob and myself, I gratefully declare that had it not been for our wives, Anne and Lois, neither of us
could have lived to see A.A.'s beginning."
c. 1967, As Bill Sees It, page 67
*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Each AA has been an individual who, because of his alcoholism, could seldom govern himself. Nor could any other human being govern the alcoholic's obsession to drink, his drive to have things his own way ... Yet we alcoholics can be led, we can be inspired."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., January 1947
"Will AA Ever Have a Personal Government?"
The Language of the Heart
~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*
"Although financial recovery is on the way for many of us, we found
we could not place money first. For us, material well-being always
followed spiritual progress; it never preceded."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 127~
"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~
Since recovery from alcoholism is life itself to us, it is imperative that we preserve in full strength our means of survival.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 177
Misc. AA Literature - Quote
Breach the Walls of Ego
People who are driven by pride of self unconsciously blind themselves to their liabilities. Newcomers of this sort scarcely need comforting. The problem is to help them discover a chink in the walls their ego has built, through which the light of reason can shine.
The attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.'s Twelve Steps. For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all.
Nearly all A.A.'s have found, too, that unless they develop much more of this precious quality than may be required just for sobriety, they still haven't much chance of becoming truly happy. Without it, they cannot live to much useful purpose, or, in adversity, be able to summon the faith that can meet any emergency. TWELVE AND TWELVE - 1. p. 46 - 2. p. 70
Prayer For The Day: Today’s Prayer: Lord, I ask that You help me to be aware of those people that You have put in my life today. Help me minister to them today. I ask that You give me the words to say to them. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!