[bluidkiti]

October 27


Prayer for Wisdom

In everything we do, Lord, give us a desire to seek out the truth;
give us a willingness to heed the advice of others;
give us wisdom in reaching decisions;
give us faith to believe in our conclusions;
give us courage to put our ideas to the test;
and, if we prove ourselves wrong, give us the grace to admit it.
Amen.

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Just a Thought

What draws newcomers to A.A. and gives them hope?

They hear the stories of men and women whose experiences tally with their own. The expressions on the faces of the women, that indefinable something in the eyes of the men, the stimulating atmosphere of the A.A. clubroom, conspire to let them know that there is haven at last. The very practical approach to their problems, the absence of intolerance of any kind, the informality, the genuine democracy, the uncanny understanding that these people in A.A. have is irresistible.

So ............

Have I found a real haven in A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Releasing the Past

A large number of recovering people have a tough time coming to terms with the abuse and abandonment of childhood days. Sometimes we play those "old tapes" while reliving the past in a mood of self-pity and resentment. This is destructive.

We cannot completely erase the past, but we can turn it over to our friends and our Higher power. Our goal should be to transform past experiences into constructive examples. We can start by reminding ourselves that all unhappy experiences are a product of the world's sickness and ignorance. Far from being unusual, our misery was a common thing that we're only now beginning to overcome. We can also practice God's forgiveness, remembering that real forgiveness is humanly impossible. We should resist the temptation to tell others about our past sufferings in order to gain sympathy. At all times, the old tapes must be handled with care.

Whatever happened in the past cannot affect me today unless I let it. I'll play the old tapes only when it can be done constructively.

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Serenity

I came into my apartment and I suddenly collapsed on the floor. I lay there breathing kind of heavily and I said to myself, "Oh, to hell with serenity. I don't care if it never comes."
And I meant it. And do you know what happened?
All of a sudden the craving to find serenity utterly evaporated - and in its place was serenity. The trouble was the search ... looking there for what was right here.

Daily Reflections Page 197

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Just a Quote

"Nothing is interesting, if you are not interested." ~ Helen MacInnes