Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - November

[bluidkiti]

November 16

Step by Step

“I remember the day when I decided to drink myself to death quietly, without bothering anyone, because I was tired of having been a dependable, trustworthy person for about 39 years without having received what I thought was a proper reward for my virtue. That was the day, that was the decision …when I crossed over the line and became an active alcoholic. …(w)ith a great sense of relief, I no longer had to pretend. I was giving up the struggle.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, “They Lost Nearly All,” Ch 11 (“He Who Loses His Life”), p 531.

Today, when I crossed from compulsive to alcoholic drinking, was I “giving up the struggle” or giving in? Had I reached a point when I justified drinking because my ego had become so twisted that I thought other people, life itself, hadn’t appreciated me enough to give me my just due? For me, whenever I crossed the line between compulsive drinking and alcoholism, I was not “giving up the struggle;” I was giving in. But what difference does it make now? Whenever and whatever the force that drove me to alcoholism, AA tells me it matters only if it fits into my program to clear out the garbage, to reconcile my past with my present and my hopes for my future. And if, indeed, I was one of those who drank out of some deranged belief that I hadn’t gotten what I thought I deserved from people who didn’t praise me, perhaps now I should be grateful that I didn’t get what I deserved. Today, I am an alcoholic grateful to be in recovery. Why I became alcoholic doesn’t matter anymore because knowing the reason won’t “cure” me. But the program will. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

BEAUTY

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

"Beauty" and "beautiful" doesn't just describe the outward appearance of people, places, and things. It also describes inner characteristics. Outer beauty may fade with time, but inner beauty can only grow. It shows in the thoughts, attitudes, and emotions we feel in ourselves and sense in others. It is a necessary part of our spiritual progress.

Beauty becomes a part of our lives when we learn to like who we really are. It is an "outward show of an inner glow."

Beauty also shows itself through good-will, gratitude, balance, and grace.

I need to remember that building inner beauty through humility, love, gratitude, and service is a necessary part of my spiritual growth.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Slump? I ain’t in no slump... I just ain’t hitting.

~ Yogi Berra ~

Flat times in our lives require a bigger perspective. Sometimes we can’t pinpoint what is wrong, except that we don’t have our usual spirit. We get up in the morning and life seems drab even while the sun smiles through the window. Other times we know that we have good reason to not be “hitting.” Ups and downs are natural parts of life.

In the past, we used alcohol, drugs, and other addictive behaviors to escape the feelings of a slump. We never allowed ourselves to feel sad, lonely, or empty, or to even get acquainted with what our feelings were all about. But in a healthy, more grown-up life we make room for slumps. We know they aren’t permanent, we can tolerate them, and we will feel better later.

We gain perspective by living through it. While walking along a rough path, keeping one eye on the middle distance helps to steady our balance. We know that we have felt better in the past, and we will feel better again.

Today I will stay on the path.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

If you are truly calm, you stand a chance of surviving much, but calmness is intermittent with me.

~ Florida Scott-Maxwell ~

The calm we feel is proportionate to the faith we have in a Higher Power. Some days are calmer than others. Why does our faith waver?

We too easily dispense with the daily routines that can help us be at peace: spending a few moments alone, reading some words of wisdom, praying to our Higher Power for care and guidance. We have probably heard someone say, “If you feel far away from God, it’s not because God moved.” Is it our habit to rely on God for every solution? Do we believe that every experience can benefit us as long as we acknowledge God in it? Do we make it a practice to include God in every decision we make or action we take? When we can answer yes to all of these questions, we’ll discover that our faith no longer wavers. We’ll know that God is close and calm is upon us.

I am calm in the company of my Higher Power. Today will run smoothly.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I can forgive myself

I want to learn to treat myself gently, as someone I love, not as someone I hate. I am proud of myself for beginning to change my life in the face of two illnesses. I know that in my heart I seek health and wholeness. But I can't persevere—I can't recover—if I keep cutting myself down.

In recovering from my disabilities, I am bound to make some mistakes. If I can look at them for what they really are—reminders that I need to do something differently—I can avoid more guilt or shame and be kinder to myself.

I will forgive myself for at least two mistakes I made today.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Listen and learn.

~ Anonymous ~

Our recovery program has helped us learn to listen. Before recovery we were focused on ourselves. When we talked to others our minds were often elsewhere. We learned how to look at others and nod our heads but our thoughts were really with ourselves.

Now that is changing. We listen to others, especially at meetings. We hear what they have to say. We feed our ideas back. We’re beginning to enjoy conversation.

Perhaps it is because we no longer feel like we have something to hide. Or perhaps it is because, when we were drinking and using, we did not want to hear what others were saying to us. In the past we needed to protect our secrets — even if they were only secret to us. Now we must protect our newly acquired openness.

As we become more open to others, we appreciate those who are open to us. To learn from others, we open our minds and hearts, but also our ears. In listening to others, we learn to care about them — and about ourselves, too.

Today I pray that I might always be willing to listen to those around me.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Successful drug or alcohol recovery involves changing attitudes, acquiring knowledge, and developing skills to meet the many challenges of sobriety.

~ Dennis Daley ~

Twelve Step groups and self-help meetings are your greatest source of safety, security, strength, and support. Without such fellowships, understanding addiction and striving for abstinence would need to be done on your own. Even if you are new to recovery or to a particular meeting group, you will always feel welcome at a recovery meeting. The fellowship shares a common purpose and provides each member with a sense of belonging. By going to meetings and listening to the stories of others, you can hear a wide range of experiences that can be inspirational and beneficial in your own recovery.

Meetings are places to recognize and celebrate those who have conquered addiction for one day, one year, or decades. Seeing others who have overcome their addiction can inspire you and provide proof that sobriety is possible.

Listening to the stories of addicts offers the chance to reflect on the hardships of addiction and the ways in which your life was once spiraling out of control. Those who have relapsed and come back to the program provide valuable reminders about the downside of relapse.

I will keep in mind that a day without a meeting is like a day without sunshine.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

What, after all, is a halo? It's only one more thing to keep clean.

~ Christopher Fry ~

Those of us who continually strive for perfection may find we place incredible demands upon our-selves. One minute we're working toward serenity, and the next we're busy every night of the week. One minute we say we're going to sit down to read, and the next we're up cleaning the house, rushing from room to room in nervous energy.

Perfection places an incredible demand upon us to do everything right. But what is right? Is there a right way to do something and a wrong way?

The perfectionist in us is always looking for right, but we'll never find it. There really is no right way or wrong way to do anything. It's whatever way we choose. If we choose to try wearing the halo of perfection, we need to know it can be tarnished, tipped to the side, or misplaced every once in a while.

I'm no angel, that's for sure, because I'm not perfect. I'm still working on my halo and wings, and that's a lifelong process.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Finding the real world

Our old ideas were often based on misconceptions of how the world was treating us. These misconceptions don’t die easily, and it’s hard to realize that the evils of the world were not what made us suffer. We made ourselves suffer. Our aimless rebellion only led us farther down the road of destruction.

There can be no denying that our lifestyle contributed greatly to all the evils. We are reminded of the character who said, “I have found the enemy establishment pig, and he is me!” We come to this realization, and we’re suddenly aware of how beautiful the world is when we just let it be!

Have I found the real world?

Higher Power, if the world reflects what I see in myself, let me see love, beauty, and kindness.

I will explore the real world today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

For it is in dying that we find eternal life.

~ THE PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS, QUOTED IN TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS ~

Newcomer

A friend in recovery showed me a prayer by Saint Francis. Even though it's specific to a particular religion, I find it beautiful and inspiring, until it gets to the very end: "It is by dying that we find eternal life." I don't know what I believe about life after death, but I can't accept that we're supposed to renounce everything in this life or that happiness begins only with death.

Sponsor

Whether or not our religious beliefs include a literal interpretation of that last line, we can read it figuratively. "Dying" is something that can happen not just to our physical bodies, but also to our egos.

Everything in the prayer that leads up to that final statement is about letting go of ego gratification. When we pray to understand rather than to be understood, we're praying for the kind of maturity that a parent has: as good parents, we listen to children with compassion and good humor; we're confident enough of our own adult "turf not to have to defend it. We know, too, that offering unconditional love expands and fills our hearts far more than waiting, with a sense of neediness and deprivation, for love to be offered. If we "die" in this sense, letting go of our self-centered demands, then we waken to "eternal life": our souls wake up.

Our bodies don't have to die for this to happen; our self-centered fear does.

Today, I'm willing to let go of my ego so that I can become more open to the presence of a Higher Power in my life.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

We become too easily discouraged when the new man fails to make the grade. What we fail to keep before us is the fact that we are not accountable for the results of our efforts. We are only charged with the responsibility of carrying the message to other alcoholics.

Just go about your end of the job, which is sowing the seed, and if the ground is fertile, God in His good time will bring forth the harvest.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Then and Now

That was then—when my heart was drawn to evil. Every moment was a trap waiting for me. Every word spoken was a lie and hurtful. I felt only sadness and pain. My eyes saw nothing but darkness. My days were filled with despair and doubt.

This is now—my heart is filled with Your love. Every moment offers new opportunity. Words spoken are truthful and kind. I feel joy and warmth. I awaken to another beautiful day. My days are filled with faith and hope.

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

BEWARE THE DOG!

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears (Proverbs 26:17).

If, when those around you are talking negatively about something or someone, you chip in with your contribution, you are taking a strange dog by the ears—so look out! If you get emotionally entangled in what is not your affair, through indignation, self-righteousness, hatred, or otherwise, you have seized the dog again—and he will bite. And even to think negatively concerning such matters in the secret chamber of your own heart, will bring you proportionate and natural punishment.

It is always right to think rightly about any person or situation, and if you do this many opportunities will come to you to help people practically, without any breach of law, and without coming near the dangerous dog.

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

More Inside

Abundance is a blessing to the wise; the use of riches in discretion lies.

~ Richard Cumberland ~

“When entered the Peace Corps, I believed that if all the poor people in America had more money, their problems would be solved,” Annie told me. “Then, after living in the New York City ghetto for a year, I realized that what these people needed was not more money, but more consciousness. They needed to learn to handle the money they had; many of them would spend any additional funds they received on liquor, gambling, or things that would only hurt them more. Money is not the answer; the answer is wisdom, understanding, self-respect, and richer values.”

There is a theory that if all the money in the world were redistributed equally among every person on the planet, within six months all the money (or absence of it) would be exactly where it was before the redistribution. This is because each of us manifests not according to external conditions, but according to our consciousness. At every given moment, we are creating according to what we believe; if we wish to change our external circumstances, we must first change our awareness.

I read about a philanthropic program in which two wealthy women were offering seed funds to Third World women. Applicants would submit a basic business proposal to the organization, and if approved, they would receive several thousand dollars (a large sum by their standards) to start a business of their choice. If the business was doing well a year later, the applicants would receive another stipend. This system struck me as a wise use of green energy, for it encouraged users to make the most of their initial gifts and offered them the responsibility to expand their own world.

The answer to problems is not to get more of something from some–where else; it is to gain more inner awareness so you have the power to attract more of everything forever.

Give me the wisdom to use Your gifts properly.

I live in an abundant universe. My good proceeds from inside me.

[bluidkiti]

November 17

Step by Step

Today, understanding that not drinking or using by themselves do not equal sobriety or recovery. Addiction is a three-tiered disease of the physical, spiritual and emotional. Abstaining may treat the physical, by it neglects the spiritual and emotional. My self-imposed wounds to my spiritual and mental psyches, not to mention to other people, can be treated only by a basic change from within. The Fourth Step, if thorough and honest, may show that many of the feelings, perceptions and attitudes toward myself, other people and the world were developed in an alcohol- or drug-induced haze. Removing the haze, then, by itself, does not alter those perceptions. Let me understand that the reason for the 12 steps is required for more than staying off alcohol and target the spiritual and emotional for treatment. Today, while swearing off alcohol is a giant step forward, God grant me the knowledge that I must work for recovery and sobriety beyond abstinence alone. On this day, I choose sobriety over dry. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

CHANGE

Change is a process, not an event.

~ Anonymous ~

Recovery from our disease does not happen overnight. We may experience an event that stops our compulsion immediately, but recovery is not an event. There are many more things to do than just stop. We hear some people relate great and dramatic moments of spiritual experience when they are utterly and completely changed. If this is so, we are happy for them. But most of us experience a gradual spiritual awakening.

If we do things in order, we can realize certain benefits. No one element equals change, but all the elements taken together are change. We did not grow up all at once. We will not recover all at once. There is a real joy in our Fellowship in watching this process in a newcomer. The slow process of change happens week after week. Sometimes it is like watching the hands of a clock; you don't see them move, but time changes.

My recovery program is based on change as a process and not an event. If change is a single event, then it happens once and it's over. That doesn't allow for continuing growth.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Any soldier who has been in combat knows that there comes a time after battle, when the smoke has blown away and the dust has settled, when you must lean over and give your foe a hand. For in that moment of generosity, the war is truly over.

~ Frederick Downs, Jr. ~

Forgiveness is a healing act for both the giver and receiver. It transforms us from unhappy, angry men holding on to old resentments into men who are freed of the past and ready to live at peace in the present.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. It means that we simply let go of feeling that someone owes us something for past wrongs. It means we write off the bad debts of previous events. Old foes can sometimes even become friends. The foe may have inspired a secret sense of respect in us: how well he fought! We could even say he was a worthy foe and now he can become our respected friend.

What we couldn’t see well at close range may become clearer with the distance of time. Personal growth in recovery calls us to name our old enemies and work toward the forgiveness that rewards us with peace of mind.

Today I will live in the spirit of forgiveness.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

Pain isn’t fascinating.

~ Sara Theism ~

We often dwell with fascination on the painful situations in our lives. It’s as though we’re compelled to relive the experiences that traumatized us. What is this compulsion? Surely we don’t court pleasure in all this pain. But that may be the insidious hook for some of us. Fortunately, this recovery program will help us, as it has helped many others, discern between healthy pleasure and unhealthy obsession.

In our youth, pain may have been so rampant in our lives that we didn’t easily recognize pleasure. Now we need to follow the healthy behavior and attitudes we observe in other women. Even though past pain may still capture our attention, we can shake our mind free of it with determination.

I will stand in awe of the miracle of my life today. The truly fascinating thing is that I have survived. There must be a reason.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I can survive without street drugs

With drags, I could handle the ups and downs in my life and in my emotions—or so I thought. Without drags, I see my real problems and feel my true feelings. By letting go of drugs, I've let go of a great deal of control.

According to my Twelve Step group, my experience is not unusual (and early recovery is the hardest). I am learning that by working through the loss of my drugs and dealing with my feelings, my moods will lighten and stabilize. I'll sleep better. I'll know better what I need to do, and I'll be better able to do it.

I will take five minutes today to think about two advantages I enjoy by staying clean and sober.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Happiness follows simplicity.

~ Irish Proverb ~

Many of us can remember a time in our childhood when we were walking with an adult and our legs were tired from trying to keep up with the grownup pace. “Slow down,” we might have said. In our fast-paced lives as adults, we would do well to heed that child’s request — to slow down. Maybe our hurry isn’t as necessary as we’ve thought. Maybe it’s a habit from the days when to slow down — to stand or sit still — meant finding out what we were thinking about, what we were planning to do, what our feelings were. We couldn’t afford to know that then. Our lives were filled with pain; to acknowledge the truth about ourselves or our situation might have jeopardized our survival.

Today, though, there are things we want to see, things we want to feel. Our recovery depends on it. Besides, we no longer need busy-ness as a shield. In slowing down our lives, we simplify them, and we can enjoy the beauty of recovery. We look at life through clearer eyes, and there’s so much to see!

Today help me slow down my life. Help me to be happy and enjoy the simple beauty of rainbows and bluebirds and sobriety.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

If you are aware of your weaknesses and are constantly learning, your potential is virtually limitless.

~ Jay Sidhu ~

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other end-of-the-year family gatherings can cause you stress and concern, particularly if your family includes those who have drinking or drug problems. Just thinking about being around them can make you wish the holidays would go away.

Family history can play a large role in addiction, but oftentimes recovery is not a shared family experience. Despite having knowledge of the genetic predisposition for alcoholism in your family, many family members may be in denial about their own drinking or the drinking of others. They may ignore such behavior or simply accept it as part of the “family experience.” Even if they are aware of your recovery, some relatives may encourage you to drink or disparage the program and the people in it.

While you may dread the upcoming holidays because you will be around alcohol and family members who will be drinking, keep in mind that the good habit you have acquired—recovery—may not be going unnoticed. Your commitment to abstinence and the changes you are making may be a powerful example to others, especially your children and young family members.

I will remember that others can see the positive impact recovery has had on my life.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

It is universally admitted that there is a natural healing power resident in the body. . . . Many people have learned to relax and to keep quiet like the animals, giving nature a free opportunity to heal their maladies.

~ Horatio W. Dresser ~

Have we ever met people who never seem to get sick? They eat well, get plenty of rest and exercise, and generally seem to give physical health a priority. Then there are those who always seem sick, and they seem more concerned about their sickness than in getting better.

Medical studies have found a direct correlation between people's emotional and physical states. The person who thinks positive thoughts and expresses emotions usually spends less time being sick than someone who has a mind filled with stinking thinking.-

We are our own healers. Our minds and bodies tell us when to eat, sleep, and relax. When we listen, we are in touch with the ways we can help ourselves feel better. It's our choice—we can feel healthy or we can feel sick. Which will it be?

Tonight I can learn to listen to my body and respect its messages. I will take care of myself and get the rest I need.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Finding happiness

How often we mistake pleasure for happiness! Many people enjoy every pleasure on earth, yet they are sad and lonely. Pleasure comes from the world, something outside us. As we learned from our drug-related experiences, pleasure can be deceiving and ungratifying. Pleasure left us no rewards but exacted a heavy toll. The more we sought unrealized dreams, the more unfulfilled we became.

Happiness comes from within, from being secure in knowing that we are loved and that our Higher Power loves us. We will know true happiness when we lose sight of ourselves through our love for our Higher Power.

Have I found happiness?

Higher Power, show me that happiness comes from actively experiencing you in my life.

Today I will express my Higher Power’s love by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Just about the time you think you can make both ends meet, somebody moves the ends.

~ PANSY PENNER ~

Newcomer

Too much is going on today. I was looking forward to a real rest as soon as I'd dealt with a current crisis. Instead of relief, I've suddenly got a whole new problem to handle. Why does everything have to happen all at once?

Sponsor

One of the most comforting sayings I've heard over and over in this program is "God doesn't send us more than we can handle." We're not able to control the timing of crises, nor can we know what unexpected demands will be made on our reserves. We can drain our energy focusing on the cosmic unfairness of it all, or we can accept that we have to change our plans. When we're flexible, we find resources within us we may not have known we had.

When we wonder how we'll manage to keep going in a physically demanding situation—finishing a race, for example, or giving birth—nature provides energy in abundance at the needful moment. Our human spirits, too, find the energy we need to go through whatever is in front of us.

Today, my Higher Power doesn't send me more than I can handle.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

All forward steps in the progress of civilization have been the results of great ideas. All advances in the field of science were first ideas, many of which were conceived years before they became realities. Their creators were thinking far in advance of their times.

Alcoholics Anonymous is not a new system of ideas but it is rather a new application of old ideas whose time has come.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Lord, I Bring Before You

Lord, I bring before You
The needs of my parents, friends,
Brothers, sisters,
All whom I love,
And all who have asked me to pray for them.

I pray that they may experience Your help
And the gift of Your comfort,
Protection from all dangers,
Deliverance from all sin,
And freedom from pain.
May they give You joyful thanks and praise.

Lord, in Your mercy, forgive all our sins against
one another.
Take from our hearts
All suspicion, hard feelings,
Anger, dissension,
And whatever else may diminish the love
We should have for one another.
~ by Thomas a Kempis ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

NO OFFICE HOURS

God has no office hours. There is never a time when God is unavailable. Day or night, summer or winter, God is always present; always ready to heal, to comfort, to inspire. It is not possible that you could turn to God in prayer without receiving help.

The one thing required of you is that you shall turn to Him wholeheartedly, and that you shall expect Him to act. The greater the emergency, the easier will it be to demonstrate. The most powerful of all prayers is simply "Be still, and know that I am God."

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

May I Believe for You?

Miracles are performed by those who temporarily have more for those who temporarily have less.

~ A Course in Miracles ~

When Rev. Mary Morrissey asked her mentor Rev. Jack Boland to support her in prayer for an expansion for her church, he asked her, “Would you allow me to believe for you?” Jack was asking Mary if she would be willing to have the project manifested on the strength of his faith. His offer was an invitation to Mary to extend her faith to allow the dream to come true through a mind that temporarily envisioned greater possibilities than she could see. Since that time, the Living Enrichment Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, has become one of the most successful new thought centers in the world, with a huge facility serving many thousands of students of truth.

If you find it difficult to believe in something you desire, ask someone to believe for you. Such an invitation requires humility and magnitude: you must be humble enough to admit that you don’t feel you can swing it on your own, and confident enough to believe that it can be done with help.

When selecting a prayer partner, choose someone who has manifested good in the area you are seeking to edify. If, for example, you have manifested financial abundance and wish to create a rewarding relationship, invite someone who has a good relationship to pray for you while you hold the vision of their abundance.

A Course in Miracles tells us that a little willingness is all that is required to set a miracle in motion. When you declare that you are willing to have your dream come true, no matter by whose hand it is manifested, you signify that willingness.

We have the capacity to open the door to miracles for one another. When you cannot believe for yourself, let someone else believe for you.

Help me accept Your gifts with a little help from my friends.

I am willing to receive support to make my dreams come true.

[bluidkiti]

November 18

Step by Step

“We pocket our pride and go to it, illuminating every twist of character, every dark cranny of the past. Once we have taken this step, withholding nothing, we are delighted. We can look the world in the eye. We can be alone at perfect peace and ease. Our fears fall from us. …We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 6 (“Into Action”), p 75.

Today, if I have approached the Fourth Step with reluctance and even fear because I see it as a laundry list of all my wrongs, let me understand that it also has a selfish and cathartic benefit. If I have hidden my wrongs, fears and dread in a dark and locked closet and I can muster the courage and honesty to unlock the door and confront them, I have given voice and identity to those defects. In doing that, I can see what remedy needs to be done. With faith and determination in doing what has to be done, I might even have enthusiasm to do whatever it takes. With that, I can give myself permission not to fear the wrongs of my life any longer, and that fear might be rendered powerless. And in overcoming my fear to face myself, then and now, I might understand for the first time what spiritual experience means. Today, I can begin the job of beginning. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

CAME TO BELIEVE

Trust God, Clean House, Help Others!

~ Anonymous ~

We have never believed as we are now believing. The process of coming to believe was a restoration to sanity for us. The strength to move into action came from this belief. We needed to accept this Step to start us on the road to recovery. We nave made a trip from a dark, lost land to a place of light and beauty.

We were given a new insight and a different kind of knowledge. We came to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, higher than we were, and able to do for us what we couldn't do for ourselves. Once we got that far, a new world of freedom and choice was opened up to us.

When I came to believe in Step Two, I was introduced to the most transforming and loving Power I shall ever find. That Power showed me a way out of my crazy life.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Willingness to accept responsibility for one’s life is the source from which self-respect spring.

~ Joan Didion ~

We all know the struggle with shame and self-blame. It is a painful issue and has often been the source of many other bad choices. When we don’t think we are very important, we may dismiss relationships with others as meaningless; we disappear from them and cause great harm in the process. We make self-defeating choices because we feel that we don’t really matter anyway. It’s possible to remain in this state of low self-esteem for years, feeling mystified about how to gain a better self-image.

The truth is both quite simple and challenging. When we hold values and live by them, we respect ourselves. This doesn’t require perfection. It requires that when we make mistakes or fall short of our values, we admit it. By so doing we reaffirm our respect for our values even though, this time, our actions didn’t match them. In this way we remember that who we are is not the same as what we do.

Today I will take responsibility for my actions.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

When you always do what you always did, you always get what you always got. When I isolate, I get lonely. When I reach out, someone is there.

~ Mary Timberlake ~

How lucky we are to have this program and the Twelve Steps as a blueprint for living. We are building a new foundation, one that will help us handle situations more successfully than we did in years past. Habits are hard to change, but we can grow in positive ways. We can discard the old behaviors that hurt us. An inventory will show us that we already have outgrown some of them. We will change, given enough time and patience and willingness. Of this we can be certain.

Oftentimes we can clearly see positive changes in our friends. Taking note of their changes will help us see that we are changing too. For example, we feel less self-pity or “justifiable” anger today. We infrequently ruin an entire day because of crippling anxiety. If we pause occasionally and pay attention to who we are becoming, we will have many moments worthy of celebration.

Today I will choose not to stay stuck in the old but to grow and change in the new.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I feel better when I share my story

When I think about letting anyone know that I have a chemical or mental health problem, I'm afraid they won't understand or won't accept me. I'm afraid that they'll judge and abandon me.

Disclosing my struggle with a dual disorder is a risk. But my therapist is helping me by being a good example of a safe and trustworthy person. She respects me. She listens to me say what I need to say, in my own time. She shows me that I can still be accepted, no matter what I do or say. Through her, I am learning to let go and trust. When I talk about my story with her, I feel better.

I will try "letting go" in my Twelve Step meeting and share a little about my ongoing recovery.

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

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

God is not found in the soul by adding anything, but by a process of subtraction.

~ Meister Eckhart ~

When we meet someone new and they ask us about ourselves, we often answer by saying something like, “I’m a bricklayer,” or “I’m a housewife,” or “I’m a stockbroker.” Yet, we are much more than those things. That is merely what we do, not who we are. We are not car owners or home owners. We may own cars or homes, but this is only part of our real identity. In fact, these things have little to do with our real, spiritual lives.

In the days of our active addiction, we had little inner life except pain. We came into recovery stripped of any identity except as addicts suffering from a disease. We were bankrupt. But now, stripped of things that had no real value, we were able to find God.

When we subtract such things as false pride, envy, anxiety, anger, and self-pity from our inner lives, we let in the light we need to find God. The more negatives we take away, the more light comes into our lives. And it’s easy to do — all we need to do is turn our will and our lives over to God, as we understand Him. Our Higher Power will surely make His presence felt in our lives, and as we grow spiritually, we will see the results more and more clearly.

Today let me know the real me, and feel the presence of God inside.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

No man or woman is uniformly successful... we must all expect a rather high percentage of failure in the things we attempt.

~ Barnaby Keeney ~

Everyone in life experiences setbacks and failures. But when you focus solely on those times in which you have not succeeded, you may find it hard to build and strengthen your self-confidence.

Self-confidence can certainly be buoyed by great success, but it is not solely reliant upon your being a successful person. It is a feeling that, no matter what the outcome of any situation, you can survive and thrive. Without this feeling of trust in yourself, respect for your capabilities, and surety in who you are as a person, you may find il difficult to face even the smallest of challenges.

Before you tackle any challenge, find out everything you can about what it is you need to do. Just as studying before an exam can benefit your final score, empowering yourself with knowledge before you take action can help you feel better prepared. Rather than try to take on a huge task all at once, identify small, attainable goals that will decrease the size of the task and bring you closer to its achievement.

I will work on small things first so I can build the confidence I need to take on the big things in life.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

The past is our cradle, not our prison. . . . The past is for inspiration, not imitation; for continuation, not repetition.

~ Israel Zangwill ~

A history book informs us about the past. It gives us an objective picture of what life was like during particular time periods. With such a view, we can then see how far we've come. How do we apply our own histories to our present lives?

We can learn much from our past. It may tell us about some uninspiring things and some negative experiences. But it can also give us clues about our present behaviors, personalities, and mood swings. It can tell us about our dreams and desires, gifts and goals, talents and tastes.

We can use our past as a springboard for our present way of living. We can look away from the negatives of the past and choose not to imitate or perpetuate such negativity. We can then reflect upon the good parts of our past and use them to inspire our present work.

How can I use the good parts of my history for my best benefit?

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Striving for progress

We are not perfect. And because we are not perfect, we cannot expect to work the pro-gram perfectly. We don’t benefit from sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves because we don’t work the Steps to perfection. We only divert energy from working the Steps better.

All that’s necessary is to make an honest effort at progress. Instead of feeling over-whelmed by all we have to do, we just have to be willing to do it. We are not perfect. We only strive for progress.

Am I still trying?

Higher Power, let me be satisfied with my progress and not expect perfection from an imperfect being.

I will strive to progress spiritually today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

True worship is not a petition to God: it is a sermon to ourselves.

~ ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL ~

Newcomer

I don't understand why, but prayer always seems to make my day go better. It doesn't matter so much what the prayer is; it's the act of doing it. It's beginning to feel more like a conversation, less like begging.

Sponsor

When we have the courage to connect with our deepest selves in meditation and prayer, we learn who we are. We become aware that we have a purpose in life. Letting go of active addiction was only the beginning.

Continuing the path of recovery requires us to take actions: attending meetings, working the Steps, giving service, and not picking up our addiction are becoming second nature. We pay attention to the requirements for maintaining the health of our bodies and minds. We are no longer afraid to sit still with our feelings. We experience sobriety in our relationships and work lives, showing up for things we find difficult as well as for what seems easy. We begin to address the particular needs of a self that we've neglected and numbed. We no longer deny our souls the nourishment they needs. Prayer can heal, strengthen, and lift our spirits.

Today, any difficulties I may experience are opportunities to turn to my Higher Power for guidance and strength. Prayer gives me courage as I go through the day.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Money is a medium of exchange and is as good as the things you can get with it.

If you have enough money in your pocket when you fall overboard it can drown you.

Love of money can make you the most despised of men, but love of mankind can make your money a blessing to you and to them.

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

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Jumping-Off Place

O Lord, remind me of when I could not imagine life either with alcohol or without it. I knew loneliness such as few know. I was at the jumping-off place. I wished for the end.

The Program, the Fellowship, and my surrender to You has shown me how to get out from under. This new way of living has not consigned me to a life that is stupid, boring, and glum.

I have found a release from care, boredom, and worry. Life means something at last. My imagination has been fired. I believe the most satisfactory years of my existence lie ahead. Thank You, God.

~ Adapted from material in Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition, page 152 ~

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

~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

DIVINITY WITHIN

Perhaps the second best prayer ever written is the Scotsman's prayer—"Lord, give us a good conceit of ourselves." You cannot have too much respect for yourself. You cannot have too much confidence in yourself. You cannot claim too much for yourself. But remember that you must realize these things as being the expression of God in you and not independent qualities of your own. You must also accept them as being true for every other human being.

Nothing but failure can come of self-depreciation. Of course, it is true that stupid people can get the malady called "swelled head"— and this always ends in a fall but the realization of one's divine selfhood never gives swelled head. It gives wisdom, balance, poise, and steady progress. Think, talk, live your divine, glorious selfhood, and it will demonstrate itself in your life.

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High (Psalm 82:6).

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

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Scan Your Lines

Through your holy relationships, reborn and blessed...thousands will rise to heaven with You.

~ A Course in Miracles ~

Every night while you sleep, the telephone company is examining your circuitry. The phone company runs a massive diagnostic scan of every phone line in its system to see if there are any faulty connections. If they discover a bad line, they will repair it at the company or come out to your house to fix it.

In the same way, we need to scan our relationships daily and see if there are any that need attention. Each day, sit in meditative prayer for a few minutes and feel if any of your relationships are out of harmony. Are you harboring any irritations you have not dealt with? Do you have any long-standing grudges? Is there someone you want to appreciate and acknowledge, but have not? Have you made any commitments you need to follow through on? Has someone made a commitment to you that you need to remind him or her to complete? Do you need to make any changes you are delaying acting on? Have you pushed anyone out of your heart? Is there someone you can serve better? Ask God to show you if you can bring any of your relationships into greater love and integrity. You don’t need to labor over the process; just relax your mind and see who pops into your awareness. If someone does, you are being called to bring that relationship into greater peace.

Jesus taught, “Before you bring your gift to the altar, settle with your brother.” We cannot be present with God if we are unhealed with our neighbor. Years ago, I had a conflict with someone and did not see him for a long time. Every time someone would talk about forgiveness, his face would pop into my mind. Finally, after 11 years, I wrote him a letter. The moment I dropped it in the mailbox, I felt free.

Our relationships were meant to bring us joy and empowerment. If anyone is not, Spirit is calling you to heal it. Then you can wake up in the morning and have all of your lines available.

Help me to heal my heart and be at peace with my brothers and sisters.

I enjoy harmony with all my relations.

[bluidkiti]

November 19

Step by Step

” …(T)he main problem of the alcoholic centers in his mind, rather than in his body. If you ask him why he started on that last bender, the chance are he will offer you any one of a hundred alibis. Sometimes these excuses have a certain plausibility, but none of them really makes sense in the light of the havoc an alcoholic’s drinking bout creates. They sound like the philosophy of the man who, having a headache, beats himself on the head with a hammer so that he can’t feel the ache.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 2 (“There Is a Solution”), p 23.

Today, I will not waste time asking why I set out on the pattern of drinking that led me to where I am today. The answer is simple and obvious: I am an alcoholic. And if a gnawing question persists why I am an alcoholic, the answer probably lies in my Fourth Step. How many mornings, days and nights did I beat myself on the head with a hammer so I couldn’t feel the ache of physical, emotional and spiritual agony? In the program, I am armed with an arsenal to counter that agony, to focus not so much on how to live without alcohol but to recover in sobriety. Why did I set off that pattern of drinking that got me here, in this program? I am alcoholic. That simple. Today, I can deal with it. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

PROBLEMS HAPPEN

Today was rough, but that's O.K I used to have years that were rough.

~ Anonymous ~

Problems happen whether we are in recovery or not. Recovery does not guarantee us a life free from struggle, pain, or problems. It's not a direct flight to a magically safe place. When we got into our recovery program, the world did not stop and salute us. Recovery is about learning to exist in a world where crummy things can happen.

We are given tools that help us deal with life. The more we use the tools, the better we can live with life's realities and cope. The 12 Steps, good sponsorship, service work, and especially meetings are tools. Choosing a home group, having a sponsor, and attending meetings gives us an ever- present opportunity to handle problems and be with people who can help us. When we have problems and bad days, we no longer need to deal with them by ourselves.

When problems come and upset me, I have learned to get help and talk about them.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Nothing is more desirable than to be released from an affliction> but nothing is more frightening than to be divested of a crutch.

~ James Baldwin ~

We don’t realize how attached we are to something until we lose it. Even our burdens can be the focus of our lives. When we have the affliction of addiction, we don’t want all the problems it creates: the financial woes, the disrupted relationships, or the sick and tired feelings. In our codependency we have relied on our ability to control situations and pick up the pieces after others messed up. But it’s very frightening to give up what was our escape. We wonder what we will do with our time and where we will turn for comfort.

Everything changes when we see this fear as a spiritual problem. In our addiction mode we responded from the impulsive part of our brain. Without rationality, we impulsively reached for comfort and pleasure. Now the spiritual path shows us a new alternative. Our fears about giving up our crutch are fears that we will not be safe and comfortable. With a relationship to the God of our understanding, we can rely on a Higher Power to care for anything we fear.

Today I will not impulsively react to my anxiety. Instead I will turn it over to my Higher Power and walk confidently forward.

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

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

Whenever I am blaming someone else, I find that I am just avoiding my own feelings of loss or grief.

~ Rose Casey ~

The desire to blame someone else for a troubling situation is strong at times. We may even seem obsessed by our need to blame. With maturity in the program, however, we are becoming willing to take responsibility for every part of our lives. It takes lots of time, but we need to remember that this is a program of progress, not perfection.

The connection between our losses and our desire to blame others is rarely clear at first. It’s not unusual for us to minimize our losses. In doing so we recognize at times a sadness or an ennui that we can’t explain. Our natural response is to blame our feelings on someone else.

Fortunately, we are learning that blaming others doesn’t make us feel better. The need to blame others will diminish when we learn that patience, along with practicing the principles of the program, will lift our spirits.

Today I will refrain from blaming anyone else for circumstances in my life. Taking responsibility may not be familiar, but I can start doing it in every part of my life and know that I will feel good doing so.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I am enjoying a newfound balance

When my dual disorder was undiagnosed and untreated, I reacted sharply to my fluctuating moods. I used mood-altering chemicals to try to compensate. But I succeeded only in deepening my cycles and developing an addiction.

In recovery I feel as though I'm finally climbing off a teeter-totter. Instead of just reacting to changing moods, I am beginning to stabilize them and to maintain them. In the morning I exercise, meditate, eat, and go to work. In the evening I walk the dogs, eat, read or watch TV, talk to friends, and take my medication. At bedtime I pray. It's simple, it's structured, and it works.

I will thank my higher power for my progress and tell my group about my routines.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

~ Leonardo da Vinci ~

Just as you need to remember to “Keep it simple” in your recovery, so too is it important to keep your life simple. Having too many things to do or striving to effect too many changes at once can have a negative impact upon your focus and energy level.

Today you can resolve to simplify your life. Take a look at all of the things you want to accomplish and ask, “What is it that I really need to do right now?” By focusing on a few things rather than a long list of tasks, you will be better able to concentrate your time and energy on those things that are most important.

In your professional life, strive to limit the number of meetings or tasks scheduled in your day. If you feel over-burdened, ask your supervisor for guidance on how to prioritize your work load. In your personal life, take note of those who ask or expect too much from you and set limits with them, including the organizations and committees in which you are involved. Above all, strive to set aside time each day for yourself to experience peace, quiet, and relaxation.

By simplifying my life I will have more time, greater focus, and less stress.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

Never accuse others to excuse yourself.

~ Anonymous ~

How many times have we blamed our feelings at the end of a day on the boss, co-workers, teachers, parents, or even the person who cut us off on the road? It's true we may feel anger or resentment toward any one of those people, but they didn't cause our feelings.

We are the sole owners of our feelings. We're the ones who bought them, and we're the ones who will hold on to them. When we're ready to let go of them, that's when we won't feel them any longer.

There are no excuses we can use to justify our feelings. The program teaches us to look inward at ourselves, not outward at the effects of the universe. Tonight we can look inward and survey the feelings we have. We can choose to keep them, or let them go.

No matter what the circumstances of the day, all the feelings I have are mine. Tonight I can let go of the ones I don't want and hang on to those that feel good.

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

The chains that bind

Our self-centeredness and resentments are the chains that bind us. It makes little difference whether these faults are outstanding or subtle, whether they are justified or unjustified. We are still in a bind.

It matters little whether we are held by a slender thread or by a heavy rope. If we are anchored, we won’t be freed until we decide to break the bond that holds us. A thin thread may be more easily broken, but we must decide to break it or it will stay put.

Unless our attachment to negative attitudes and actions is broken, our union with the Divine Source is hindered.

Have I broken free of my bonds?

Higher Power, help me discover and release the character defects that keep me from uniting with you.

Today I will try to break free of self-centeredness by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

It is difficult to stop in time because one gets carried away. But I have that strength; it is the only strength I have.

~ CLAUDE MONET ~

Newcomer

I love to start new things—work assignments, artistic projects, even relationships. But then I hang on and can't let go when things are finished. I make up my mind and then change it. I don't know if it's self-doubt or what.

Sponsor

One of the many shapes perfectionism can take is difficulty with completing things. Some of us slow down as we reach an ending. Perhaps we fear that we'll lose the part of ourselves that has been alive and engaged. Or we fear criticism and rejection, both of which we'll risk when we let our work into the world, or when we commit ourselves to a decision. We slow down or even abandon something we've given much of ourselves to, to avoid ending it. Or we keep going when we should stop and redo what is already good enough.

The myth that perfection is possible feeds and is fed by the sense of inadequacy that characterizes our addictions. It keeps us from the pleasure and pain of finishing. It shuts off our connection with our intuition, which usually knows when enough is enough. In recovery, we can receive gratification and self-esteem from finishing unfinished business.

Today, I work toward completion. I stop when I see that there is no more to be done.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

A large segment of humanity, stumbling in alcoholic darkness, resigned to a belief that nothing can possibly be done about the situation, has at long last caught a gleam of light and presses on to that beacon of Hope.

Alcoholics Anonymous is that light shining forth in the night of despair, and your hand holds the torch. Be sure you hold it high, that all suffering alcoholics may see it, and direct their faltering steps over the proven pathway that you trod.

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

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Help

Dear God, this I pray.
Help me until I can trust my own thoughts,
Encourage me until I regain my self-esteem,
Love me until I am able to love myself,
Protect me from my demons until I can fight them
with You.

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

~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

WHY WORRY?

Nothing is really worth worrying about. Nothing is really worth getting angry or hurt or bitter about. Positively nothing is worth losing your peace of mind over.

These important truths follow logically upon the following feet: You are going to live forever—somewhere. This means that there is plenty of time to get things right again if they have gone wrong. No matter what mistake you may have made, enough prayer will overtake it and cancel it. If those you love seem to be acting foolishly, you can help them with prayer to be wiser, and, meanwhile, if they suffer, it means that kindly nature is teaching them a lesson that they need to learn.

But suppose something awful should happen? Well, what then? Suppose you lost everything and landed in the poorhouse. What then? Think what a wonderful demonstration you could make there, and you would probably learn several valuable lessons there, and, anyway, it would be quite interesting. Suppose the whole universe blew up. What then? When the dust settles, God will still be in business and you will be alive somewhere, ready to carry on.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22).

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

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Sharks or Goldfish?

They can do all because they think they can.

~ Virgil ~

“How big will this shark get?” asked Richard, an aquarium enthusiast.

“That depends on the size of your aquarium,” answered the pet sales–man. “Keep him in this little area, and he’ll stay seven inches; give him an entire ocean, and he’ll get big enough to eat you.”

Sharks, like goldfish, will grow in proportion to the size of the environment offered them. And so will thoughts. Give your positive or negative thoughts some space and food, and they will shape your life.

Behold the power of potential and attention. We can make anything we want out of our lives; we have the raw material to do it all. But we must choose what we want to make, or else we will be subject to the downward pull of mass thinking. If you don’t use your mind, someone else will.

An Indian came to a medicine man and told him, “In my mind there are two dogs fighting all the time; one is beautiful and one is ugly.”

“The beautiful one will win,” answered the shaman.

“Why is that?” asked the brave.

“Because you will feed the beautiful one.”

Give me the wisdom and strength to nourish the good, the beautiful, and the true.

I am free to build the life I choose.

[bluidkiti]

November 20

Step by Step

” …(T)he man with the grown-up brain and the childish emotions – vanity, self-interest, false pride, jealousy, longing for social approval, to name a few – become a prime candidate for alcohol. …(T)hat is the definition of alcoholism: a state of being in which the emotions have failed to grow to the stature of the intellect. …(T)here are some alcoholics who seem terribly, terribly grown-up, but …they are trying to make themselves think they are grown-up, and the strain of their effort is what is causing them to drink – a sense of inadequacy, a childish vanity to be the most popular, the most sought after, the mostest of the most. And all this, of course, is, in the popular modern jargon, ‘compensation’ for immaturity’.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, “They Lost Nearly All,” Ch 11 (“He Who Loses His Life”), pp 534-35.

Today: ” …emotions have failed to grow to the stature of the intellect.” Somewhere along the line, something impeded my emotional development that lent itself vulnerable to a false “stimulus” – alcohol. Accepting that my alcoholism is partly an emotional disease, I also must accept that abstinence by itself is not enough to obtain sobriety. And this is when I must look to the First and Second Steps – to accept my powerlessness and open myself to the possibility of a higher power that might show me the way. Such is the basis of recovery; without surrender to these two basic but essential steps, the emotions that contributed to my flawed character likely will not heal. Today, I pray for the healing to begin. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

HASTE

Make haste slowly.

~ Augustus ~

It is natural for a newcomer to be impatient and want to know everything possible about recovery quickly. So many efforts have been made in the past toward staying abstinent, with no results, that the addict is sick and tired of the discouragement that followed every failure. As soon as they were aware that success could at long last be theirs, beginners sometimes thought they must waste no time in being experts on the subject of addiction and recovery.

The old saying "haste makes waste" is still good advice. Many a quick learner discovers that when they rush into "educating the whole world" after only a short time in recovery, they often have been looking only at surface truths. Fortunately, such "eager beavers" quickly learn to dig deeper into the process of admitting and accepting before tackling the job of being a teacher, even to themselves.

When I was new to the Program, I needed to remember that I couldn't learn everything overnight. I was told to carry the message, but first I had to find out what it was.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

A life lived in fear is a life half lived.

~ Roma proverb ~

Facing our fears is part of our spiritual development. First we must admit them. We were raised to be dishonest about our fear, to betray our own consciousness by saying we were not afraid. When we get honest, we see how many things we have avoided, how often we felt tense and uneasy, all because we were afraid. We worry that there won’t be enough to fill our needs, that we will be alone, that we won’t survive a difficult time. But something mystical happens when we learn at a deep level to turn what we cannot control over to the care of God.

For most of us, we don’t absorb this mystery all at once, then live without fear. It is something we keep returning to. We worry about a speech we have to make... and then we remember to turn it over to God and feel peaceful again. We worry about a trip we will be taking . . . and then come back to our spiritual peace. We worry about the health of a loved one... and then turn it over. This spiritual practice is a centerpiece of our healing journey.

Today I will keep returning to the peace that comes when I turn the future over to the care of God.

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

~ EACH DAY A NEW BEGINNING ~ (Daily Meditations For Women) ~

Continuous effort—not strength or intelligence—is the key to unlocking our potential.

~ Liane Cordes ~

Perseverance may well be our greatest asset. As we forge ahead on a project, it loses its power over us. Our confidence and abilities grow in concert with our progress on the project, preparing us to tackle the next one too.

We have something special, uniquely our own to offer in this life. And we also have the potential to offer it successfully. However, we don't always realize our potential. Many of us stifled our development with fears of failure, low self-worth, assumed inadequacies. The past need plague us no longer.

Help is readily available for us to discover our capacities for success. Abilities stand ready to be tapped, goals and projects await our recognition. Any commitment we make to a task that draws our interest will be reinforced by God's commitment to our efforts. We have a partner. Our efforts are always doubled when we make them—truly make them.

I will not back away from a project today. I will persevere and find completion. I'll feel completed.

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

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

All my days are not wonderful, but I know what “wonderful” is.

~ Ruthie Albert ~

What is “wonderful”? Is it being full of wonder? Are our grateful moments among the wonderful ones? Perhaps. When we’re awed by the mystery of our personal salvation, we experience pure wonderment. How did we get free of our addiction and why?

Living in the aura of gratitude can make most experiences wonderful. We can’t imagine why we have been graced, but we no longer doubt that our recovery is by design. That keeps us filled with wonder. We can choose to focus on this feeling.

Why don’t we choose to feel wonderful every day? Maybe that’s part of the disease we share. We may think we don’t deserve much happiness. It’s surely possible, however, to feel it with more regularity. There is no better time than now to make the decision.

My life is truly a miracle. I have been chosen for this journey, and this fact fills me with wonder.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I need to remind myself that "easy does it"

When I first came to grips with my addiction and mental health issues, I thought a dozen Twelve Step meetings would cure me of my drug and alcohol problems. I thought that my psychiatric medication would quickly cure me of my anxiety and depression. I had no idea about the process and progress of recovery— the slips, the relapses, and setbacks.

But I am slowly recognizing that my expectations were unrealistic and naive. I see better now that I have several issues to deal with and that recovering will take some time. It doesn't help to expect perfection or to punish myself for mistakes. What does help, however, is to be very gentle with myself.

I will pray to understand, forgive, and accept myself.

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

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

We cannot teach love and be consistently loving until we stop blaming others and ourselves.

~ Gerald G. Jampolsky ~

Blame can become an automatic response to the troubles we encounter in living. The habit of blaming others for our problems keeps us stuck on a merry-go-round fueled by self-pity. When we consistently look outside ourselves for a scapegoat, life and the blaming game drain our energy. And when we distract ourselves like that, we are not taking positive action to change.

We are powerless to change other people. When we keep holding others responsible for our troubles, we make them responsible for our happiness, too. Then we are ever ready to be hurt by them again and again.

When we look at the world through blaming eyes, we block our own ability to experience love. Love asks that we gently and gradually let go of the blaming habit and try to focus instead on what we can change in ourselves and our lives. When we take responsibility for ourselves, we find a whole new sense of power, purpose, and happiness.

Today let me feel the freedom and power of becoming responsible for my own happiness as I learn to stop blaming.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.

~ Spencer Johnson ~

Those who use and abuse are adept at all forms of lying— from the art of deception to the ability to create convincing stories filled with misdirection and misinformation. Addiction is, quite simply, full of lying. The greater and longer your immersion was in using, the easier lying may have become for you. Just as you convinced others to believe your lies, so too may you have convinced yourself that all of the falsehoods you told were realities. After a while, it may have become as hard for you to distinguish the truth from mistruth as it was for others.

Recovery helps to strip away the falsehoods from your life and the need to lie. As you learn to be honest with others, you also learn to be totally honest with yourself. This means you cannot cut corners in your work in recovery, cannot offer excuses for relapse or poor behavior, and cannot embellish stories to bring you greater attention.

While honesty may not always be easy, particularly when it presents you with truths that are hard to face, the more you tell the truth the greater the respect will be that you have for yourself.

I will be honest with myself and others at all times.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

Life: a diary in which every [one] means to write one story, and writes another.

~ Sir James M. Barrie ~

Did our day today live up to our expectations, or were we greeted by new situations, new knowledge, and new experiences? Oftentimes what we expect is not what we're given. Life is not a known substance. It's many times a delicious new taste we've never had before.

To go through each day with a set outcome in our minds will only lead to disappointment and may prevent us from being open to new discoveries. Life cannot be predicted or even imagined. It can only be experienced each minute.

Let us not try to write the events of tomorrow until after they've happened. Let us be free to experience all that's in store for us—fresh and new and exciting.

What will I write in my diary? Let me meet each new experience of life on its own terms.

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Living in fellowship

Without our fellowship, many people would not be able to cross the line to sanity. Letters and visits keep us close to those who are far from meeting places. The fellowship is a joy and a necessity, and many of us believe it is a divine gift from our Higher Power.

Perhaps nothing else exists that can so completely multiply all our joys and divide all our grief.

Have I given what I can to the fellowship today?

Higher Power, may I do one deed today that will increase the beauty of our fellowship.

Today I will enjoy the fellowship by sharing

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important.

~ T. S. ELIOT ~

Newcomer

Someone I know finally started coming to meetings. I'd told her about this program months ago; she needs it as much as I do. She came for a while, then stopped attending on a regular basis. I've called her several times, but she always brushes me off.

Sponsor

If you really want to be helpful, do nothing! I can identify with your feelings of concern. In the past, there were many people I forced to listen to my experiences in this program. Most said things such as, "I don't like groups"; "I tried it, but it wasn't for me"; "Maybe someday"; or "I feel sorry for those people; I'm not like them." Still, some of these people stayed in the program, but not because of anything I said. Each of us finds his or her own way to recovery. Telling people what we think they should do seldom makes a difference. It's what they tell themselves that counts.

When I insist on trying to rescue someone who sends clear signals that he or she doesn't want help, when I take on responsibilities that aren't my own, I have to ask myself what my motives are. I've sometimes obsessed about an-other person's problems while not facing my own, and then feelings of resentment and superiority have reared their heads. I can't fix anyone else's life; my attempts to do that have usually backfired.

It helps to remember that others, like me, have a Higher Power. I can pray for them to find the path that leads to their highest good. And I can let go of having to be right.

Today, I am enough. I have enough. I do enough.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Man has within him something that is higher than man, and we can lift ourselves beyond our physical and human status in becoming absorbed by the highest instincts in ourselves.

Man is mortal, it is true, but you surpass man when you live in strict accordance with the Godlike characteristics you possess.

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

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

With Laughter

O God, as the day returns and brings us the silly
rounds of irritating duties, help me perform
them with laughter and a kind face.
Let cheerfulness overflow in my work;
Give me joy during my business all this day;
Bring me to my resting bed tired and content
and grant me the gift of sleep.

~ Adapted from writings by Robert Louis Stevenson ~

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

~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

NEVER LOOK BACK

Never look back. Always go right ahead. Even if you are quaking, go right ahead. Jesus said the man who puts his hand to the plow and then turns back, is not worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. He also said: Remember Lot's wife (Luke 17:32).

No matter how unattractive or how dangerous the road ahead may be, it is better than the road back. The road ahead may be veiled from sight—but you must teach yourself to regard the unknown as friendly. Remember that God is always on the road ahead.

. . . cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee (Psalm 143:8).

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

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Light on the Shadow

If I keep busy, I won’t have to look at what is frightening me.

~ Anonymous ~

One night Nasrudin’s neighbor Jalami found Nasrudin on his hands and knees under a streetlamp, searching for his house key. Wanting to be of service, Jalami joined Nasrudin on the ground and together poked around in the grass. After 20 minutes, Jalami asked Nasrudin, “Do you remember where you were standing when you dropped the key?”

“Yes,” answered Nasrudin, “over there,” pointing to a tree 30 feet from the lamp where the two men were searching.

“Then why are you looking for the key here?” Jalami had to ask.

“Because there is more light over here.”

It is tempting to look in easy places for answers, instead of confronting our inner thoughts and beliefs about ourselves. One of the techniques we use to distract ourselves from facing our fears is to create endless errands, projects, meetings, emergencies, dramas, crises, upsets, and intellectual dances that keep us so occupied that we have little or no time left to be with ourselves. But simply taking a few quiet moments to honestly face what is troubling us may be exactly what we need to heal the insanity we create in our outer circumstances.

Enlightenment is an inside job. Doing more in the outer world will not result in more peace; only being more will get us what we want. Peace is attained by letting go of everything that distracts us from it.

Step back from your busy-ness and look within, where you will find everything you have ever sought in the outer world, and more.

All I really want is to know You. Help me to stay on purpose. Give me the inspiration to look within for my answers. Help me take the time to be with myself and find the peace I seek.

In quiet I look within and discover the light I am.

[bluidkiti]

November 21

Step by Step

“Here was – power! …(T)o live to the end of any given day, power to have the courage to face the next day, power to have friends, power to help people, power to be sane, power to stay sober. That was seven years ago – and many AA meetings ago – and I haven’t had a drink during those seven years. …What is this power? With my AA friends, all I can say is that it’s a power greater than myself.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, “They Stopped in Time,” Ch 16 (“Me An Alcoholic?”), pp 436-37.

Today, powerless over alcohol – not powerless over everything. In surrendering in Step One, I have begun to reclaim the power to take back what my powerlessness over alcohol cost. I can assert my power not to be controlled by alcohol simply by not drinking. I can take back the power to face the new day with full memory of the day and night before, and I can work for the power to overcome powerlessness, helplessness and hopelessness. The power that is at my command is in the choices I make, and the benefit to have choices is a gift – graced on me by whatever power is greater than myself. Today, while I must acknowledge that over which I am powerless – alcohol – let me respect the power I do possess. God grant that I use it wisely. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

DECISION

G.O.D. = Good Orderly Direction.

~ Anonymous ~

When we decided to turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we under-stood Him, we made a declaration of independence. We declared our freedom from the chains of our self-centered ego and the unrelenting demands of our self-will. When we decided that God was God and we were not, we began to receive the wonderful future that had been planned for us.

That decision was our claim to a new life. The prison that was our home has been destroyed. We decide to let go and let God on a daily basis. Our wills are always free to decide. We must decide to keep ourselves conscious at all times and listen to the voices that speak to us. We must decide to guard against our ego once again begging to run the show.

My will power will only be helpful tome when it is acting in accordance with my decision to let my Higher Power instruct me in the way to go.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. You must ask for what you want. Don’t go back to sleep.

~ Rumi ~

We were asleep and now we are awake. The breeze that woke us may have been sharp and biting, but it was a gift that brought us back to consciousness. We carry many wants in our hearts. We needed to wake up to remember them.

On this particular day, we can remind ourselves of the things we want most and ask our Higher Power to keep us on our path to find them. It is good to take an inventory of our deepest desires. Most of all we want the healing and recovery that makes all other things possible. Many of us want to be good fathers to our children. We want to feel love and be good partners to our intimate mate. We want to be productive and fulfill our abilities and talents. We want to be good and strong and generous men.

Today I am grateful for my awakening to this renewed life.

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

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

God, you’re up all night. You can worry about it; I need to get some sleep.

~ Mary S. ~

If only we could put our minds to rest that easily! We can if we really want to. The Third Step makes it possible. Perhaps we assume that the Third Step doesn’t work for us because we tried it once and we still worried. We need to try again.

Why don’t we eagerly grasp this tool? Surely we don’t enjoy worrying. The truth is, we probably do. Worrying may make us feel as if we are doing something about an intolerable situation. The sooner we are able to believe that worrying solves no problems, the sooner we’ll be willing to let God have a crack at them.

It takes real commitment to turn to God, over and over, when we are consumed by worry. If we genuinely seek a solution for our problem, we’ll grow in our willingness to try.

I can be free of worry today. I can choose to use the Third Step at any moment.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

It will help if I let recovery "happen"

I was impatient when I first came into recovery. For example, once I got help with my mental health problems and joined a Twelve Step fellowship for my addiction, I thought I should feel better now. I wanted instant relief, instant recovery.

I still get impatient sometimes, but I am getting some perspective. Even with weekly therapy, coming to understand myself will take some time. Even with weekly Step meetings my growth, my changes are subtle. I now see that recovery is a process; one that I need to let happen. Each day, I try to do what I need to do—knowing that I have time.

It will help if I practice doing one thing at a time.

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

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Alcoholism is a disease.

~ E.M. Jellinek ~

Only a generation ago, alcoholism or other drug addiction in a family was cause for great shame. People just didn’t talk about it. Families hid their alcoholism. Most people pretended the disease was not there.

Today it is different for many of us. Although the stigma is still present, it is now much more acceptable to talk about our illness and seek treatment. We can join recovery groups for further support. We can listen to the old-timers who have such wisdom and experience.

Another great change is that addiction is being seen as a family illness. It’s not just the addicted person who is sick, but every member of the family. Guilt and shame have been unmasked as forces that impair people’s lives, generation after generation.

We are grateful for the disease concept and the understanding it has brought to the treatment of addiction. It frees us from shame and helps us learn to love ourselves again.

Today help us all come to understand that addiction is not a lack of character or moral strength, but an illness, and that it is toxic not only to one person but to the entire family.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

~ Carl Bard ~

The upcoming holidays offer times in which you can connect with friends and family members. This can also be a time when you can think about reconnecting with one or two people in your life with whom you have had a falling out or hurt through your addiction.

On your list of those to whom you usually send out seasonal greetings, add the name of at least one person with whom you would like to make a fresh start. Then convey your feelings to that person with heartfelt honesty in a forgiveness card. A simple greeting might be: “I am so sorry we have not been able to reconnect. I would like to take care of whatever water has gone under the bridge between us and begin anew. If this is not what you would like, then please accept my blessings for good wishes, health, and happiness this season. If this is what you would like, I want you to know how much I look forward to hearing from you.”

Sometimes when you share forgiveness and extend a hand, someone else will be open to your overture and offer a hand in turn.

I will send a forgiveness card to someone I would like back in my life.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

The first three times you came with the same story [they] would listen and try to help. But if you showed up a fourth time and it was the same old tired things, the others in the circle would just get up and move. . . . It was time you did something about it.

~ Anne Cameron ~

Many of us go to meeting after meeting, talking about the same problem. What are we looking for? What are we asking for? We aren't asking for help, because we usually are given good suggestions that we reject. We aren't looking to make changes, because we keep holding on to the same problem.

We may also have been in the opposite position- listening to one who keeps talking about the same problems. After hearing those people for a while, it's easy to want to tune them out.

But we can change. We can ask whether we use meetings to air the same grievances. If so, we need to .top complaining and do something. If we hear another doing the same thing, we can learn from that person's unwillingness to change. We can learn the difference between stagnation and growth.

I can listen and learn. If I ask for help, let me also be willing to accept it.

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Practicing HOW

Principles, principles, principles. We talk so much about the principles of the Twelve Steps, but exactly what are they? how— honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness are surely key ones. By working the Twelve Steps, we live and breathe these three principles.

Do I practice honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness at all times?

Higher Power, help me be honest, open-minded, and willing every hour of this day.

I will practice honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness today hy

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

If you can't be direct, why be?

~ LILY TOMLIN ~

Newcomer

I heard someone who'd gone through enormous losses talk at a meeting recently. I reached out to him, invited him to coffee, and gave him my number. He started calling me, and I've enjoyed a lot of what he has to say. But the calls are always longer than I really want them to be. I don't dislike this man, and I really am willing to be a program friend, if we can set some limits.

Sponsor

Sometimes, out of kindness and the desire to help, you take on more than you can manage, perhaps more than is appropriate. You're not alone; many of us experience some variation of this problem in recovery. Setting and maintaining personal boundaries is a lifelong journey.

In situations like the one you describe, directness is important. When we give something we don't really want to give, when we act as if we're more available than we are, we end up with resentment. Forcing ourselves to give against our will distorts our relationships with others as we feed our egos. To give freely, whether of time, money, work, or material things, is a blessing. We experience our own and others' abundance. We can then feel gratitude for what has been given to us.

Today, my giving is honest. There are no strings attached.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

If a reasonable estimate could be made of the fatalities resulting from excessive drinking, the figures would be appalling. This loss, however, is only a small part of the price that Bacchus exacts.

The wasted man-hours of work, the homes broken up, the wealth of talent that was never developed, and the loss of moral character are also a part of the bill.

You definitely can't drink moderately. Can you afford to drink to excess?

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

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Trust

Higher Power, when I was using, I trusted no one. I lied about everything. Cheating was a way of life. The only thing I could trust was my addiction. When I discovered that was the biggest lie of all, that was the greatest day of my life. Thank You, God, for helping me put my trust in the Program, the Steps, my sponsor, my group, and You, my Higher Power. Little by little, day by day, I am learning to trust again. And the greatest blessing is that others are learning to trust me.

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

~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

DIVINE ABUNDANCE

When you go down to the seashore, you find what is practically an unlimited supply of sea water at your disposal. There are billions upon billions of gallons there, but the amount that you can carry away will depend upon the vessel with which you have provided yourself. If you take a ten-gallon can, you can get ten gallons, but if you take only a pint pot you can take away only a pint, and if you have nothing bigger than a thimble, you would not be able to take away more than a thimbleful.

So it is with divine abundance. The only limit is the limit of our capacity to receive.

Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:16).

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

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Divine Alchemy

In each holy relationship is the ability to communicate instead of separate reborn.

~ A Course in Miracles ~

I am fascinated by the explosive development of the Internet, one of the most exciting and profound evolutionary leaps in history. Now, I anyone with a computer and phone line can communicate with any other like person on the planet instantly and almost for free. A vast library of knowledge is available at the touch of a finger. Significantly, no institution or government can restrict or inhibit this communication. I asked a computer expert, "Is there some central office for the Internet? If someone pulled out the plug in St. Louis, would the whole system fall apart?"

"No," she answered, "and that's the beauty of the net. If any one nexus goes down, any communication will find its way through another path. The net has a life of its own, beyond the control of any person or organization. It's as if the planet has just grown its own electronic nervous system."

The Internet was originally designed by the military. The Defense Department wanted a communication system that would be impervious to destruction by a nuclear attack in one central headquarters. So they developed this system that is now bringing billions of people closer together through unlimited communication.

The way we keep prejudice, ignorance, and fear alive is by not looking at our enemies. The moment we begin to communicate, we realize that our interests are joined. The more we see and know about one another around the planet, the closer we are to wisdom and peace.
The Holy Spirit can use anything for healing. An elaborate defense system can be transformed into a sophisticated healing tool. This is divine alchemy, taking the lead of life and turning it into gold. Nothing is beyond God's ability to use for healing.

Take the lead of my life and turn it into gold. Take my pain and turn it into strength. Let my tears become a cleansing stream. Replace my fear with faith. Let me find Your hand everywhere.

Heaven comes alive with the master's touch.

[bluidkiti]

November 22

Step by Step

Today: choices. The ones I make now can partly measure my progress in the program and the quality of my sobriety. As a drinking alcoholic, my choices were based on lies, fear, anger, loneliness, resentment and selfishness. As a recovering alcoholic, my choices should be rooted in truth, logic, without emotion and with a sense of the greater good instead of just mine. My choices then and now, while hopefully made from different perspectives, retain one constant: in the end, there are consequences of my choices and I alone am responsible to those consequences. Unlike then, however, now I can think to the consequences of my choices and, if I see those consequences to be too heavy, sobriety gives me the freedom to choose wisely. Drinking denied me that freedom; choices then almost always produced consequences that are even now too costly. Today, being sober, I have the freedom of choice, and I pray for the higher power’s wisdom that I make the right choices. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

WHAT IF…

The lesson I must learn is simply that my control is limited to my own behavior and my own attitudes.

~ Anonymous ~

Many times we try to have knowledge of the will of God before we are ready. Every time we try to guess about tomorrow, we stop living today. All will be revealed to us in due time. The proper hour for an answer will come not a minute too soon nor a minute too late. The only moment we can affect is the present one. When we try to second-guess the future, we feel anxiety.

Thoughts on the future are always done with our worry cap pulled tightly over our ears. We can no longer hear the will of God revealed, because our ears are covered up.

When we play the “what if” game, we always lose. When we “what if” the future, we create fear and anxiety that runs deep. “What if” will tell us to go backward, to where we are secure and have experience.

I will have faith that God does not play games with me. I won't “what if” tomorrow.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

It is our choices ...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.

~ J. K. Rowling ~

Intelligence, talent, skill, achievement, and wealth are wonderful assets. But we all know people with these assets whom we don’t admire. The man we most admire is the one who plays a bad hand well. No matter how smart or limited a guy may be, how physically strong or weak, or how high or low his job is, what we admire most in a guy is how he deals with his circumstances.

Our task today is to make the choices that we respect most, rather than the choices that only serve our hungry egos. We can cultivate a generous, tolerant, self-respecting character by choosing attitudes and actions to express these traits. We can welcome newcomers, forgive those who have hurt us, include those who are different from us, and be generous to everyone. When we follow that path, we will have the pleasure of friendship and the rewards of self-fulfillment.

Today I will choose actions that express my best self.

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

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

It’s a long trip to serenity. I better start right now.

~ Jill Clark ~

Serenity often comes easiest when the search for it has ended. “Letting go and letting God” works.

What’s so appealing about serenity? After all, most of us liked living on the edge before we got sober; thrill-seeking was a favorite pastime. We don’t have to renounce excitement to desire serenity. But that’s how it feels at first. It’s possible too that we may not recognize serenity on its first visit. Some even mistake it for boredom. But the ease of our lives, after we grow accustomed to it, makes serenity as sought-after as excitement used to be.

Serenity allows us to appreciate more fully every aspect of our journey. Each person we encounter, every situation that calls to us, gets far more of our attention when we are calm, quiet, and focused. Only with the gift of serenity can we be all three.

Being serene is worth the effort, when we let our Higher Power do the work of living.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I don't have to work a perfect program

I don't like the shame I feel for having a dual disorder. I want to recover as quickly as I can. At times I think I should be further along. And yet I will still forget a weekly therapy session, skip a meeting here and there, and get caught up in my old ways of coping. I've even had a slip with my addiction.

It's hard for me to accept my problems, but I need to gently remind myself that I experience two illnesses that affect each other. I am new in dual recovery and there is no timetable. It will help if I can go easy on myself when I don't live up to my own (or others') standards. I know that I am making progress, especially when I can admit that I will continue to make mistakes. *

When I do my Step Ten inventory tonight, I will take special note of my progress and pray to accept my weaknesses.

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

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Look to your health, and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is... a blessing that money cannot buy.

~ Izaak Walton ~

When holidays are coming, some of us rejoice, looking forward to the activity and preparation of the season. Others groan in despair, prepared for too much work and too little reward. And some of us begin to feel depressed; holidays mean sad memories and overstressed systems that will take weeks, maybe months, to return to normal.

During active addiction, we muddled through as best we could. We did not control events, they controlled us. We let ourselves get overtired and stressed out. We didn’t eat right or exercise. Instead, we medicated ourselves against the possibility of closeness with family.

Now we have the tools of recovery to help us take better care of ourselves. We can avoid or diminish holiday stress, planning our schedule more carefully, keeping some time for ourselves. When tasks pile up on us we can go to a meeting, call our sponsor, take a break in our hectic schedule. As we learn to have healthier holidays, we find ourselves beginning to feel the closeness to loved ones that we missed out on before. We have so much to celebrate now, and holidays are the best time to share our gratitude and serenity.

Today help me use my new life to make holidays a joyful time.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Inside myself is a place where I live all alone, and that’s where I renew my springs that never dry up.

~ Pearl Buck ~

In this time of year in which busy schedules are the norm, and in the program of recovery where there is a vital need to communicate and be around others, you may find it hard to set aside time for quiet reflection. But there are many benefits to be gained by setting aside quiet time. Solitude is one of the healthiest ways to de-stress as well as to add balance to your life.

Solitude can lead to greater self-awareness and under-standing. By truly listening to yourself, you can discover what lies deep within you. By uncovering your fears, doubts, and insecurities, you can become less reluctant to deal with those feelings so you can take action that honors your comfort zone and your capabilities. Solitude also gives you the opportunity to more fully converse with your Higher Power and to listen to the guidance you are receiving.

Finally, solitude helps you appreciate the little things in life. Whether it is watching your children as they sleep, relaxing in a soothing bath, or taking a leisurely stroll with your pet, such things can help you notice and appreciate life in a different and more meaningful way.

I will set aside at least twenty minutes each day for peaceful

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

No answer is also an answer.

~ Danish proverb ~

Have we ever prayed and felt God must not have heard us because our prayers weren't answered? We may have asked for strength or protection or for things to change. Yet hours, days—even weeks—later we may still be in the same situation, feeling the same way.

God always hears us, but sometimes the answers aren't immediate or guaranteed. Sometimes the best answer is no answer, meaning we need to stay in an uncomfortable situation a little longer. Perhaps there is something we need to learn that can't be learned unless we find it on our own.

We aren't abandoned when our prayers are answered by silence. Silence teaches us to listen closer, observe longer, and learn more in order to find our answers.

Is there anything tonight that confuses me or makes me feel helpless? I can find my answers by remaining open to all the messages I'm given.

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Counting our blessings

We have passed from death into life. We know that a powerful life force flows through us and a new and beautiful serenity is ours. What we once despised, we now cherish. We cease to find the world of drugs attractive.

This is a blessing and a miracle, for at one point we were among those considered to be the hopeless ones. Let’s thank our Higher Power for our spiritual understanding and for the blessings of a clean and sober life.

Do I count my blessings each day?

Higher Power, I give thanks from the depths of my heart and soul for the blessing of my new life.

Today I will look at my blessings, one by one, and

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful.

~ MARILYN MONROE ~

Newcomer

I talked with someone about this program recently, and she surprised me by saying, "It costs money, doesn't it?" I explained that no one is required to pay anything, that we meet our expenses by passing a basket at meetings. I realized, talking to her, that the program's relationship to money is pretty unusual in this society. If we tried, we could be making a big profit, couldn't we?

Sponsor

Our tradition is opposed to profit-making. As you probably know by now, each individual group supports itself, paying for such expenses as rent, hospitality, and literature from whatever people give voluntarily when a basket is passed for contributions. Once a group meets its basic expenses, it may send a contribution to intergroup headquarters, to help meet administrative expenses. The program as a whole doesn't accept donations from outside sources, and individual groups are discouraged from keeping money in the treasury "beyond prudent reserves." This tradition helps keep us independent and safe from the risk of disagreement and competition that can arise where there are accumulations of money. It helps us to stay focused on our spiritual program.

Today, I take time to examine my attitudes and beliefs about money.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Moderation is not an alcoholic's strong point. Few improve much after joining A A, they simply direct their energies to other activities but with the same amount of intemperance.

"Easy Does It" is a nice sounding slogan but seldom do we see any great display of it among the members. They usually jump into their jobs with increased enthusiasm or they find an out-let for their energies in AA work. It is probably for the best, however, for excessive activities are not as prone to make a man return to the bottle as too much inactivity.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

God's Power to Guide Me

I arise today
Through a mighty strength:
God's power to guide me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to teach me,
God's eyes to watch me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to give me speech,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to shelter me,
God's host to secure me:
Against the snares of devils,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who shall wish me ill,
Whether far or near, many or few.

~ by St. Patrick of Ireland ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

THE LAW OF LIMITATION

A young doctor and his wife were entertaining an elderly aunt. After-dinner coffee was served, whereupon the visitor said excitedly, "John, you know I cannot drink coffee! The nicotine in it keeps me awake all night."

The nephew said, "I assure you, my dear aunt, there is no nicotine in this coffee." The aunt replied, "There is always nicotine in coffee, and it keeps me awake the whole night." The host then said, "My dear aunt, I assure you upon my word of honor as a doctor, that there is no nicotine in this coffee."

The old lady, who had the highest regard both for her nephew's professional qualifications and for his personal integrity, was satisfied; and thereupon drank three large cups of coffee, enjoyed them immensely—and slept like a top all night.

Naturally, there can be no nicotine in coffee; the old lady meant caffeine. Of course, one does not approve of the deception employed—deception is never legitimate—but the story illustrates perfectly the power of good and bad suggestion. The old lady first made a law of limitation for herself, and then repealed it without any trouble. Why not start today and repeal some of the many such laws you are sure to have made for yourself.

If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23).

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Don’t Even Try It

Let not the cloud sit upon your brow. Look up, laugh, love, talk big, keep the colors in your cheek and the fire in your eye.

~ William Hazlett ~

While reviewing the sales records of one of my early books, Joy Is My Compass, I saw that it was selling rather sluggishly. Perhaps, I thought, it’s time to let it go out of print. A short time later, I was presenting a lecture when a woman in the audience rose and stated, “I just want to thank you for writing Joy Is My Compass. That book inspired me so much that I decided to follow my bliss and I founded an AIDS hospice. Thanks to your influence, a significant number of people with AIDS are dying with dignity in the presence of love and compassion.”

I was stunned. While I had judged the value of the book based on sales, this woman was applying its principles to render a high and holy service. I recognized that even if no one else ever read the book, it would have been worth writing and publishing for that one purpose.

At times, I have felt guilty for not being out on the front lines of relieving human suffering. “While people are ministering to dying paupers on the streets of Calcutta, feeding hungry children in Africa, and changing the bandages of lepers on Molokai, I’m just writing books,” I berated myself. But of late, I have come to peace with the understanding that I am in my perfect position to serve best. If I were to be a missionary, Spirit would put the inspiration in my heart to do so. Instead, words come to me that inspire others to do what they do best.

Know that God is using you in the highest way by instilling you with joy to do what you love best.

I will not attempt to judge against Your will of joy for me. I surrender to what I love, trusting that You are serving through me.

I follow my heart and trust God to run the universe.

[bluidkiti]

November 23

Step by Step

Today… patience: Loosening my grip on a character defect that can be as crippling as any other – impatience. Whether I am new to the Program or have worked it for countless 24 Hours, may I understand in expecting too much too soon that recovery requires growth – and growth is not a one-time “event” but an ever-evolving dynamic. If today I am tempted to drink or shoot up, I will pray for patience. I have the 12 steps to overcome a potential relapse and my own history to know where impatience has taken me before. And let me know that the temptation will pass, as all things do. But the temptation will not pass if I feed it. If people in my life do not live up to what I expect of them or in the time I think they should, let me use patience to ask myself if I am unfairly asking something of someone else and, if not, grant me patience to “allow” others to do it in their own time. If something looms for me three weeks in the future, let me not fret today or any other today for the next three weeks for I risk igniting other potentially crippling emotions, including anger, resentment and a blow-up like a pressure cooker left unattended. Today, let me recognize that impatience can be as deadly as any other defect that is common in AA discussion and that I need to respect life evolving on its time schedule, not mine. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

FEAR

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

~ Franklin D. Roosevelt ~

Fear was our enemy. It prevented us from living fully. It kept us standing still. It made us close our ears and minds to new ideas and ways of living. Fear of the un-known kept us locked up in our addiction. It told us to stay where it was safe and with what we knew. It refused to let us discover a way to deal with reality.

In recovery, we are learning to cope with fear. We are shown ways to take positive action to get past fear and continue our spiritual progress. Often we find that simply sharing our fears with other members of the Program relieves us of them. We have come to realize fear was the sparkplug that started our character defects in motion.

I now see how fear kept me a prisoner of my addiction and character defects. I will share my fears with others in the Program, and work to get past them. Fear need not always be harmful. It can teach me which direction to go.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.

~ John Dewey ~

We’re not the men we used to be. The little boy who went off to his first day of school so many years ago exists only as a memory. The guy who pursued his controlling behaviors and sought his pleasures and escapes is not the guy who now follows a path of healing and recovery. We build upon who we were and the experiences we had, and we continue our formation into a whole self as long as we live. That is why we continue through daily prayer and meditation to look at ourselves and make the choices that will take us further in the direction of a stronger, more self-respecting man.

Some of us were frozen in our development and didn’t continue to grow in our wisdom and emotional strength. We were seduced by the allure of childish answers and easy escapes from the challenges in our lives. Our formation as adult men was sidetracked and bogged down, going nowhere. Now we have made new choices that put us back on the track that continues our growth.

Today I choose to stay on course to live the life that restores me.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

The ordinary human being thinks about twelve thousand thoughts a day.

~ Susan Smith Jones ~

The mind is seldom at rest; it drifts from one scenario to another. But this busyness accomplishes little. In many instances, it sets us up for conflicts with others.

Thinking has its place in leading a responsible life. Yet making a commitment to monitor all our thoughts, and to give up willingly those that are negative toward ourselves or others, is wise.

Nothing is stopping us from thinking only beneficial thoughts. What are you feeling, right now? If it’s not positive, then your thoughts may be at fault. It might be helpful to review them.

Whatever I think today is within my grasp. Keeping my thoughts beneficial to myself and to others will have a positive payoff.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I need to accept professional help to recover

I was angry, ashamed, and frustrated about having to get treatment for my psychiatric illness (and for my addiction). It meant I couldn't take care of myself. It meant my illnesses were serious. It meant loss of freedom.

And yet my symptoms were getting worse (using didn't help). With the two illnesses together, it seemed managing on my own was too much. It's true, treatment was tough to face, but now I can see that it was for the best. I didn't like being there, but I do want to stay stable and sober.

I will pray to accept my need for ongoing help.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Keep coming back. It works. If you work it.

~ Program Saying ~

The last four words of that slogan capture our attention: if you work it. Most of the time we do work the program. But then sometimes we don’t. We forget to pray. We skip an amend. We are discourteous. We begin again to think only of ourselves.

We know from our own experience that we have to work our recovery program each and every day. We can’t just work it on Mondays and Fridays, or “when we really need it.”

Also, we need to make the effort ourselves. No one else can do it for us. And the best ways are the active ways: reading literature, going to a meeting, a daily communing with our Higher Power, giving the program away, helping others.

When we feel like we “have it together” and begin slowly drifting away, if only for a day or so, we can pray for the reminder that we need to work our program each and every day. God will give us the guidance, but we need to actively work our program.

Today let me find one way to work my Program and stick with it.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

It’s not denial. I’m just selective about the reality I accept.

~ Bill Watterson ~

It can be hard to spend time around active alcoholic family members during the holidays. Not only does their drinking bother you, but their denial about having a problem can be infuriating.

So how should you handle being around the raging alcoholics in your family? Chances are they know about your recovery or, if they do not, will notice you are not drinking. You will need to ignore any comments they may make about this. Too, you must ignore denial-based comments they may make about their drinking. Confronting an active alcoholic is often not a wise choice. Not only do you run the risk of causing an argument, you also may end up being verbally attacked.

The best way to handle family gatherings in which there will be alcohol and nonrecovering alcoholics is to enlist the help of others. Talk to your sponsor ahead of time, and keep your sponsor’s phone number close at hand. Arrange to attend a meeting or get together with others in the program so you have an excuse to leave early. And remember that the inappropriate behaviors you witness are reflections of a past life from which you are now free.

I will ask my sponsor and others in the program /or help so I can handle holiday gatherings.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

I can't write a book commensurate with Shakespeare, but I can write a book by me.

~ Sir Walter Raleigh ~

We may have grown up trying to emulate our favorite heroes, wishing we were as strong, as beautiful, as smart, or as self-sufficient as they were. Because our role models in the home may have been poor, we learned to look outside ourselves for people to copy.

Yet we can never be anyone other than ourselves. We may desire to have what someone else has because we don't like what we have. We can change those characteristics we don't like in ourselves, or we can learn to accept them. But we can't disguise our true selves by trying to be the carbon copy of someone we admire.

By striving for imitation, we are ignoring the wonderful person inside. We may not be a great artist like Renoir, a celebrated writer like Shakespeare, a brilliant singer or actor or great athlete or superb politician. We can only be ourselves. And that means we need to write our own book, not copy another's.

Tonight I am proud to be who I am. I have some wonderful qualities and talents that I can develop.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Being consistent

What we believe today is always subject to change tomorrow. We change and grow in many ways. We don’t have to adhere to yesterday’s words just because we said them in public. We may have received new data since then! We don’t have to grapple with our memories so that we won’t say something that contradicts past words. We live always in a new day.

We can trust ourselves and our Higher Power if our words and messages come from “the still small voice within.” We must re-member that what was necessary for us yesterday may not be what we need today.

Am I always open to growth, to change, to new views and ideas?

Higher Power, help me demonstrate my consistent need to grow by helping me be flexible.

Today I will question my beliefs about

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

When people are still asleep I hear God best and learn my plan.

~ GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER ~

Newcomer

I'm beginning to have a sense of my own Higher Power. It's not that I can tell you in so many words exactly what I believe. But I do have a feeling of being part of something larger than myself and, often, a sense of comfort and safety that I didn't have before. It surprises me that I've developed the habit of prayer.

Sponsor

Many of us have had the experience of finding a Higher Power as a result of prayer, instead of the other way around. We don't have to resolve questions of belief in order to pray. Like you, we simply take the action of praying. People get to know one another over the course of many, many shared conversations and activities. Why shouldn't we begin to develop our relationship with a Power greater than ourselves in the same way, using prayer as a form of communication? Some of us use the beautiful prayers of the religion we grew up with or have chosen; some of us write our own prayers or speak them spontaneously, aloud or in our hearts. When we apply Step Eleven to our lives, using prayer as a form of daily "conscious contact," our relationship with a Higher Power evolves.

Today, I begin to know my Higher Power better through prayer.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Isn't it strange to note the absence of a lot of our old pre-AA friends over the week-end? We have not offended them, surely, and we are just as good friends as we used to be, but somehow, they don't call on us with the same regularity. The answer is simple — the bar is closed.

Now home is what it should be and the people who do call do so because they like us and not just to get a drink.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Live and Let Live

O Lord, we are urged to live fully, richly, and happily—to fulfill our destiny with the joy that comes from doing well whatever we do. O Lord, it is more difficult to let live. This means accepting the right of every other person to live as he or she wishes, without my criticism and judgment. May 1 live life to the fullest, understanding that pure pleasure-seeking is not pleasure-finding, but that Your goodness is here to be shared. May I learn not to take over the responsibility for another adults decisions,- that is my old controlling self trying one more time to be the executive director of other people's lives. Dear God, help me to live and let live.

~ Adapted from A Day at a Time, October 1 ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

INCREASING YOUR DIVIDENDS

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath (Matthew 25:29).

This great text has been a stumbling block to many. It looks like injustice. It sounds like cruelty. Yet Jesus said it, and we know that he was always right.

The explanation is logical when you have the key to life. Your experience is the expression (pressing out) of your state of mind or consciousness, at any time. When your consciousness is high, everything goes well. When your consciousness is low or limited, everything goes wrong.

When trouble comes the usual thing is to meet it with fear, anger, disappointment, self-pity, or brutal will power. This naturally lowers the consciousness a good deal more, and things get still worse. From him that hath not (much) harmony, shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Harmony and joy naturally raise your consciousness and your faith in God still higher, and so things improve further. Unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance. This is a simple statement of natural law. Let us thank God that this wonderful law exists.

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Fido Was Right

Resolve to be thyself, and know that he who finds himself loses his misery.

~ Matthew Arnold ~

At the conclusion of a radio program I was on, the interviewer signed off with a priceless piece of advice: “Be the person your dog knows you to be.”

Many people report that their relationship with their dog is among the most supportive and unconditionally loving in a lifetime. What is it that we receive from canines that we miss with people? Dogs love us for who we are. They do not have a lot of complicated expectations or demands. They are happy to see us, and show it. They express their affection without restraint and appreciate even a little pat on the head. They are honest, dedicated, and they live joyfully in the moment.

By contrast, we believe things about ourselves that are less than loving and accepting. We judge, criticize, berate, undermine, put ourselves down, and have little patience for our errors. It is no wonder we love our dogs—they love us more than we love ourselves!

I studied with a teacher who consistently saw the good in me and reminded me of my worth and beauty. For many years I came to her with fear, guilt, and unworthiness, and she answered with support, forgiveness, and blessing. Ultimately, I realized that our visions of who I was were so radically different that one of us had to be wrong. I decided I would rather have her be right.

You, too, can be the person your dog knows you to be; Fido may see you more clearly than you see yourself.

Help me know how lovable I am, that I may shine forgiveness into the world.

I accept God’s vision of my innocence.

[bluidkiti]

November 24

Step by Step

Today, little significance on how many 24 Hours of sobriety I have, whether it be a single 24 Hours or five years’ worth. All of us who practice AA have only a day-to-day reprieve from where we once were, and those with years of sobriety are no further from a slip or relapse than those whose last drink was yesterday. This is not to say there is no benefit to being sober in terms of months or years. The major benefit is that we may need that long simply to emerge from the alcoholic fog, from the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual damage that we self-inflicted. And this is no overnight journey. But once we emerge from the haze, we may be better equipped to grasp the vision of the program and put it to work. Yet even when we move from being dry to sober and embark on the journey to recovery, we are not insulated from surrendering in one foolish and potentially deadly second to temptation or craving, or to some emotion we don’t want to feel. Today, I am sincerely grateful for how many 24 Hours since my last drink. But I cannot risk the folly that it is promised tomorrow. That is why, today, we take everything one thing at a time, one day at a time, one step at a time. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

COURAGE

The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.

~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~

One word often heard in group discussions is "will." Yet, the will to do something cannot exist without the action required to do it, and that takes courage. It is courage that turns possibilities into realities and assures us that little in life is truly impossible. Experience teaches us that courage keeps our active emotions under control.

When courage guides our efforts, we can be sure that we will not only be capable of accomplishing success, but we will be worthy of it. We learn that courage is not recklessness; it is common sense, when we know that a goal is worth going for, courage has judgment and carefulness as allies, even though we may be moving against the tide of popular opinion or belief.

I am overcoming my fears about setting and working toward goals. It helps me to remember "courage is fear that has said its prayers."

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

What is to give light must endure burning.

~ Viktor Frankl ~

We all are born into a life that inevitably includes some amount of challenge, pain, and distress mixed with the joy and learning. Our strength and our wisdom grow by dealing with trouble. The wisest people we know— the ones we admire most—have life stories that brought them through dark days of despair and striking difficulties. Their trial by fire sharpened their clarity about what really counts in life and raised their motivation to live by their values.

Life has become better for us in recovery. But no one ever becomes immune to life’s problems. We get stronger and wiser in dealing with them. We get better at maintaining our balance when everything seems to push us off balance. As we grow more skilled in dealing with life, our light shines on the path for others seeking their way.

Today I accept that difficulty is part of life, and I will learn what it has to teach me.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

Situations can look very bad one day and more manageable the next. The only thing that has changed is my perspective.

~ Sandra Lamberson ~

Attitude influences perception and outcome; it’s awesomely powerful. No problem is overwhelming when we tackle it with high spirits. Everything is difficult if our moods are low.

Old-timers say AA stands for “Attitude Adjustment.” Quite possibly, the longer we stay clean and sober, the more obvious it becomes that attitude is the culprit if our struggles have continued. It’s fortuitous that the one aspect of our lives fully in our control is attitude.

We can have as smooth a day, on the job, or at home, as we want. Our relationships can be fun and rewarding if our minds are playful and open. The people around us can handle their own circumstances adequately if we let them. What we discover about today and every day is what we seek to discover, nothing less, nothing more.

I anticipate a wonderful day today. How it turns out is in my control.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I can get support when I am afraid

With my emotional illness, at times I think about abandonment, further losses, losing control, and never getting well. These thoughts scare me, and the fear can be crippling.

But I am grateful for a powerful phrase that often comes to my rescue: No one ever died of fear. It's miserable, debilitating, but not life threatening. The more I believe this, the more I can just say I'm afraid, the safer I'll be. The more I can tell someone I'm afraid, the less fear I'll feel, the less alone I'll feel, and the more help I'll be able to get.

I will work Step Two and come up with one way I can help myself feel secure.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Our generation passeth away, and another generation cometh...

~ Ecclesiastes 1:2-5 ~

After we’ve been in recovery for a while, we begin to see that addiction is not confined to our family alone but is intergenerational, sprinkled throughout our family tree. It may have skipped certain generations, but it almost always reappeared. Tragically, it was often accompanied by divorce, suicide, and lifetimes of extreme stress and pain.

We can break this cycle. Although we have lived in much of the same pain and suffering that preceded us, we have a program of recovery our elders did not have. Part of our legacy to our children will be the gift of change. Those who come after us will see something new on our family tree: recovery.

We are grateful to have found our recovery program and equally grateful that we can pass it on. Now, at last, there is a way out. Now we have tools to deal with the pain of addiction. Perhaps one day the pain will be gone for good, worked through by generations of recovering people who passed on a legacy of healing and new life.

Today help me be grateful to be recovering and to be breaking a cycle that probably began long before me

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

...for the abundance of the sea and the treasures hid in the sand.

~ William Brewster ~

Those brave souls who journeyed to America centuries ago had to deal with hardships that few of us today could ever imagine. First they had to survive a torturous ocean crossing. Then they had to find a place in which to settle and carve out the very basics of necessity to ensure their safety and sustenance.

During their first long winter at Plymouth Colony, seven times as many graves were dug for those who had died as homes were built for those who were living. A ship that was supposed to bring much-needed supplies instead delivered more people and more mouths to feed. One of the settlers, William Brewster, reminded the colonists to thank God “for the abundance of the sea and the treasures hid in the sand.”

Even though the Pilgrims had little, they possessed a depth of gratitude for their escape from oppression and the opportunity to experience freedom and a new way of life. One of their customs was to put five kernels of corn on an empty plate before eating a meal. Each person would then pick up a kernel at a time and express thanks for something.

Today I will think of five things for which I am thankful. I will express my gratitude for these things to my Higher Power.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

A great obstacle to happiness is to expect too much happiness.

~ Fontenelle ~

How happy is happy? When we're laughing and joking, are we happy? Or is happiness doing an activity we really enjoy? Perhaps happiness is a feeling we get when we see a beautiful sight or a happy child.

Who knows what happiness really is? Like love, happiness can't really be defined, for what is true for one person isn't for another. Happiness really comes from within. If we feel a sense of contentment, peace, or joy, then we can bet we're feeling some form of happiness.

As long as we're satisfied with that happy feeling, then we'll feel happiness. It's when we expect happiness to feel differently that we'll lose our happy feelings. To be happy, we need to feel the happiness that exists, even if it isn't the way we've fantasized it to be.

Have I felt happiness today? Help me reflect on the feelings of that happiness and to allow myself to feel similar feelings.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Looking for substitutes

Therapy is no substitute for the program. Religious doctrine is no substitute for the program. Words are no substitute for the program. Intelligence is no substitute for the program. Heroic acts are no substitute for the program. “Easy does it” is no substitute for the program. Education is no substitute for the program.

Sex is no substitute for the program. A warm heart is no substitute for the program. A job is no substitute for the program. Only action—only the Steps—are going to get it for us. There are no substitutes.

Do I realize there’s no quick and easy route?

Higher Power, may I stop playing games, may I stop using excuses, and may I do what I can in my program today.

I will work the program extra hard today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Become as resourceful in inspiring yourself to enter your own peace as you are at being neurotic and competitive in the world.

~ SOGYAL RINPOCHE ~

Newcomer

Meditation continues to be difficult for me to understand, to do, and to keep doing consistently.

Sponsor

With repeated practice, meditation can be the most intimate and rewarding way to be with ourselves. The key, as with all our practices, is to meditate each day.

Just as with prayer, there isn't just one right way to meditate. We can be artists at daily meditation, finding creative ways to inspire ourselves to enter peace. A city friend whose home is one small room has created an altar on a windowsill with a bowl of water, some lemon leaves, and a candle. Something simple—one stick of incense or a tape of sacred music—may be all we need to bring us back home to our real selves, reacquaint us with the peace at the center of our being.

Or we can go to nature to meditate, letting the sky, a stream, rain, wind, or sunlight enter our minds. We relax and let our minds expand and be filled with and become what we are looking at: we become the infinite space of sky, the movement of water, the energy of wind, the warmth of sunlight. When we've taken time to greet our spirits in meditation, our minds feel cleansed.

Today, I meet my true self in meditation.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Every practicing alcoholic is firmly convinced that the Devil has all the good tunes. It was the music we had wanted and the tunes to which we had attuned our ears. His music was louder, more catchy and, to our thinking, was prettier. We suspected, however, that it did not have the soul-satisfying qualities that make good music.

We must learn all over again to train our senses to appreciate those things which are really good and not cheap imitations.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Grant Me Your Light

Just for today,
What does it matter, O Lord, if the future is dark?
To pray now for tomorrow—I am not able.
Keep my heart only for today,
Give me Your protection today,
Grant me your light—
Just for today.

~ by St. Therese of Lisieux ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

LOOK WHERE YOU GO

Look where you are going because you will inevitably go where you are looking. Where your attention is, there is your destiny. Attention is the key to life. Whatever you really give your attention to, you become. Whatever you really concentrate upon will come into your life. The Bible says, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). It does not say simply as a man thinketh, but as he thinketh in his heart, and this means thinking with interest or feeling.

This law is often illustrated most amusingly in practical life. The "horsy" man with his equine looks, is known to us all. Kipling speaks of a Newfoundland fisherman who appeared for all the world like a great codfish himself; and Dickens speaks of a pedantic old lawyer who looked just like an animated roll of parchment. Keep your eyes open for these amusing dramatizations, and be sure to take to heart the tremendous lesson that they teach.

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Talk to Mrs. Jones

If you want to gather honey, don’t knock over the beehive.

~ Dale Carnegie ~

“Many of you speak more rudely to your mate than you would to a person on the street,” my teacher Hilda noted. “But you should extend more, not less, courtesy to someone you are building a life with. The next time you are tempted to mouth off to your partner, stop for a moment and ask yourself, How would I speak to Mrs. Jones at the bank? Then give your mate the same respect. ”

Somewhere in our cultural programming, many of us picked up the idea that we have license to speak rudely to our partner, family, or those close to us. Even a little examination will show how self-defeating and destructive such a belief is. Our relationships are our primary means of emotional support; we join and bond to empower each other to be strong, powerful, and great. Our primary relationship is the place where we need to give and receive the most nourishment and respect. To insult or tear each other down in the family is to undermine the foundation upon which we are cultivating our dreams.

Of course, in an intimate relationship, we must be honest, direct and, when necessary, confrontational. It is possible to communicate anything, including our upsets, without attacking our partner. Report your experience objectively with the intention to heal: “These are the things that I am feeling, and I would like your support in returning to peace.” If you harbor any other intention, the communication will fail because it belittles the other person and yourself rather than honoring both of you.

Make your primary relationship a refuge where you can come to be healed and nourished. Use words that invite your partner to join with you, and not separate. When you build your partner up, she or he will do the same for you, and you will live not in a state of fear, but blessing.

Show me how to make a temple of my relationships. Give me the strength to support my beloved ones with kindness, and help me to receive the same.

I delight in supporting my loved ones, and they delight in supporting me.

[bluidkiti]

November 25

Step by Step

Today, taught by tradition to be thankful, let me know that simply voicing gratitude is not sufficient and the measure and extent of gratitude is reflected in my actions. Today, then, let me not be content with merely saying I am grateful and show me how to express it in action and behavior, that is, to walk the walk while I talk the talk. If today someone for whom I say I am grateful is in need of my time or if I am called upon to make some sacrifice such as missing part of a football game or giving up the holiday dinner dessert, let me be willing to do so without reservation. We are compelled in the 12th step to put our program into action with service to others even if it might inconvenience us. If today I am called upon to do something that slows or impedes my schedule and I refuse the call, I will fail as an effective 12th-stepper and, later, I will probably regret not answering the call. Today, if I am asked to be thankful, let me go a step further and express my gratitude in action. And, today, that I am clean and sober is literally everything. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

COMPLACENCY

To be nobody but myself-in a world which is doing its best to make us like everyone else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.

~ e.e. Cummings ~

Within our Fellowship there are many successes that make the member and their loved ones proud. One of the biggest hazards we face is overconfidence, the idea that "I've got it made." This is complacency, an enemy of recovery.

When we're complacent about what we've accomplished, we quit working at progressing. We have to remember that we will never finish our recovery journey. We will always need to keep taking the Steps.

It can be dangerous to let up on the disciplines of the Program because things are going well. We need to stay alert and remember that more relapses occur when things are going well than when they're not.

It would be easy to begin feeling like a big shot if I believed all I had to do was achieve one goal, then quit working. I won't give up my fight at staying in recovery.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Gratitude is heaven itself.

~ William Blake ~

The feeling of gratefulness sometimes sweeps over us and fills us with a warm glow. We know what it feels like to be lost and frightened, with no compass to point our way out. The great contrast between where we once were and where we are today inspires us to feel thankful. Now we have our lives back. We feel like real men again. We have the companionship of fine people. We have hope for the future.

This feeling of gratitude is an antidote to our struggles with desire. Our desires have taken us places that harmed us. We wanted more control, we wanted more pleasure, we wanted our feelings to stop, and we wanted more than was good for us. We have enough right now. This fullness of gratitude is a wonderful relief from our driving desires.

Today my desires are set aside by my gratitude and the knowledge that I have enough.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

My life is blessed. I have riches beyond belief. Why is it then that I sometimes feel lonely and unlovable?

~ Joan Rohde ~

It’s not easy to believe that we feel however we make up our minds to feel. But it’s true. If we are lonely, it’s because we aren’t letting other people in. If we feel unlovable, it’s because we aren’t letting God’s love in. How we think determines how we feel. Fortunately, we have the power to change how we think if we really want to.

How do we do that? First we need to quiet our minds and stop the barrage of self-criticism. Then we need to ponder the blessings in our lives, listing them, methodically if necessary, to acknowledge them and thus be moved by them.

It’s easy to forget that we are special. We may have to take time each day to remind ourselves of this. Even after years of recovery, we may forget for a spell that we are loved and necessary and blessed in many ways.

I won’t shame myself today for thinking negatively. Instead, I will stop, get quiet, and think of my good fortune.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I say a prayer of thanks

If I prayed at all in the past, it was only to make requests, not to give thanks. Thanks for what? My life was troubled and turbulent. I did not know where I'd been or where I was going. All I could see was brief relief in getting high (and the twinges of guilt and physical pain that frequently followed).

These days I am abstinent and stable. For the most part, I accept my illnesses and their symptoms. I've come a long way in recovery I still have plenty of problems in my life, but I am happier and healthier than ever before. Sometimes it feels like a miracle. I am deeply grateful to my higher power.

I will stop twice in my day to say a prayer of thanks.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture....

~ Johann Wolfgang Goethe ~

Recovery is a serious process, but it doesn’t have to be grim or totally lacking in humor. Nobody ever said we can’t have fun and enjoy life along the way. In fact, newcomers often comment on their sur-prise at hearing so much hearty laughter at Twelve Step meetings.

But fun isn’t always waiting for us. Often we have to find it or make it for ourselves. But that’s an easy job now. Every day has quirky little moments we can enjoy and appreciate, funny incidents that can change our day from gray to sunny. When we’re feeling a little down we can lift our mood by calling a friend who’s always good for a laugh. We may be lucky enough to know someone in the program who shares our pain in a funny way. Then, refreshed, we can attend to the serious and important business of recovery. Humor has a way of giving us perspective. We see we’re not alone, and laughter lets out tension and in its place we let in energy to face what the day has in store for us.

Today help me recognize the joy that is all around me. Help me find thejiin in my day.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.

~ Albert Einstein ~

There will be times in your recovery when you need to protect yourself from the demands or bad influences of others. To do this, you need to develop the wisdom in knowing when and how to set boundaries.

You first need to become aware of what you will and will not accept from others. Pay close attention to those who make you feel uncomfortable in any way. Also, become more aware of those who make demands upon your time and energy, or who seem to be taking advantage of your giving nature. You will need to set boundaries and learn how to say no to their requests.

If you choose to communicate with these people, keep your voice calm. If you feel having a conversation might escalate the situation, try to distance yourself from this person. If this is someone in your fellowship, attend different meetings for a while. If this is someone with whom you regularly interact, practice meditation techniques so you can be as calm as possible whenever you are together. And if this is someone with whom you share property or the care of children, enlist the help of a mediator or lawyer.

I will set boundaries with others so I can maintain focus and commitment to my recovery.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

You might as well live.

~ Dorothy Parker ~

Many times we may have thought of quitting this life. We may have experienced close friends or a relative who chose such an end. But suicide isn't a resolution, it's a stop in midsentence. Running away from any pain, whether it be by suicide, drinking or using, or denial, may make distance—but not decisions.

Every life has its hard times, its pitfalls. To feel pain or go through hard times doesn't mean we've got to be hermits. It means we need to seek comfort, compassion, understanding.

When one person in the program is in pain, there are hundreds of others ready to guide that person to peace and serenity. We can let ourselves be guided by those around us.

Tonight, I can remember I am not the only person who has ever felt pain.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Feeling alive

Not one of us has tasted the success of our sobriety and cleanness until we have awakened to a glorious day. It is made up of boundless energy, limitless joy, and knowing that whatever our Higher Power wills for us is good.

It tastes of spring to meet the day with the thrill of being alive. On these days we can feel a true spiritual joy that comes from feeling like a corpuscle in the body of our Higher Power.

Do I savor life?

Thank you, Higher Power, for this day. Whatever your will is for me, I know it is good.

I will enjoy being alive today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Our emotions are neither primitive nor "natural," but rather intelligent constructions.

~ ROBERT C. SOLOMON ~

Newcomer

I went out for coffee after a meeting with a group I didn't know. Two people, one on either side of me, talked with each other without including me. They chatted about things they'd done together and then made plans for getting together. I felt excluded. I guess I still don't know how to become part of a group. Am I being too sensitive?

Sponsor

Too sensitive? You are sensitive, and that's a gift. You notice what's going on around you. You notice what you're feeling.

Not every get-together makes us feel more a part of things, especially when people pair off for conversations. Many of us in recovery are still learning how to act in social situations, and we're not always open and thoughtful.

If we're having trouble reaching out to others, we need to give ourselves plenty of time. Social and relationship skills aren't learned overnight. And sometimes, no matter how friendly and open we ourselves are willing to be, those we're sitting with just don't seem to want to respond. It happens, both in and out of the program. Our object can be to have as good a time as possible and to decide whether or not we want to try spending social time with these people again.

Today, I'm willing to treat new social experiences as a way to practice skills of relating to others.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Probably the first permanent benefit we received in AA was received when we undertook a personal inventory of ourselves. Then for the first time our faults were dragged out into the open where we could meet them face to face and endeavor to do something about them.

Had we not recognized these defects we would never have taken steps to eradicate them. It is dead certain that if we still had them in the same degree, we would not now be sober. It was a definite step toward getting wise to ourselves.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

To Go Outdoors Each Day

Grant me, O Lord, the ability to be alone.
May it be my custom to go outdoors each day
Among the trees and grasses,
Among all growing things.
And there may I be alone,
And enter into prayer
To talk with You,
The One I belong to.

~ by Rabbi Nachman ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

LEAN BACK ON LIFE

Mental relaxation is just as important as right mental activity. Wise relaxation and wise activity are the balanced poles of all true action. Many people are constantly subjecting their minds to totally unnecessary wear and tear.

We speak colloquially of "taking the train" somewhere and actually many people who ride in trains do take the train mentally the whole journey. Many years ago I noticed that when a train arrives in the terminal after a long run, the locomotive men always seem to come off the train looking fresher than most of the passengers; although they have been working and the passengers have not. The explanation is that for the engineer and fireman it was only a routine day's work. They did not "take the train" mentally—they let the engine take it.

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. . . (Deuteronomy 33:27).

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Thanksliving

Praise the bridge that carried you over.

~ George Colman, the Younger ~

As I look back over my life, I recognize that everything that has ever happened to me has contributed to the person I am now. While I have gone through different professions, living situations, travels, and relationships, I see that each of them bestowed me with a gift. Even the painful or difficult times taught me lessons that make me a better person now. All of it has been a blessing.

It is important that we hold our past in a sense of reverence, along with the people we have known. If we resent our former spouse, employer, or friends, we are tied to the pain and unable to move forward. The hardship of the past will stay with us until we find a way to make it a gift; then it will empower us to move ahead.

Make a list of significant past events and relationships, and next to each entry note the gifts you received from that person or experience. If you are willing to find the good, you will. Assume that everyone who shows up in your life is here to bless you in some way. The other person may not know their role in your awakening, and they may serve you in ways quite unrelated to the reason you thought you interacted with them. Spirit’s intentions go far beyond human planning.

Then write a note or letter of gratitude to each person on your list. Thank them for the gifts they brought to your life, and specifically describe how you have grown and improved your life as a result of your interaction with them. Be sure to include those who challenged you. While this writing is for your own illumination, you may send letters to the people when appropriate. By the time you finish your writing, you will be bursting with so much peace and joy that you will wonder how you could have ever thought anyone was your enemy.

Gratitude is the key to happiness; apply it to your past, and you will find friends you never knew you had.

Show me the gifts I have overlooked, and fill my heart with gratitude for all my blessings.

Everyone and everything in my life is a gift from God.

[bluidkiti]

November 26

Step by Step

“Helping others is the foundation stone of your recovery. A kindly act once in a while isn’t enough. You have to act the Good Samaritan every day, if need be. It may mean the loss of many nights’ sleep, great interference with your pleasures, interruptions to your business. It may mean sharing your money and your home, counseling frantic (spouses) and relatives, innumerable trips to police courts, sanitariums, hospitals, jails and asylums. Your telephone may jangle at any time of the day or night. …A drunk may smash the furniture in your home, or burn a mattress. You may have to fight with him if he is violent. Sometimes you will have to call a doctor and administer sedatives under his direction.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 7 (“Working With Others”), p 97.

Today, just as I was responsible for the consequences of my drinking, so I am also responsible to sobriety and recovery. Both are a gift, and they require nurturing and work to grow. “(T)he foundation stone of …recovery” is helping others, that is, carrying the AA message to others who need and want it. But in our work, we must understand that we are also required to stress individual obligation to sobriety, that it is neither a right nor given without responsibility. The work of the truly effective and committed 12th-stepper is seldom limited to just talking to someone who cries for help. But the work to carry the message and in the process holding onto it is nowhere near the work needed to get and stay drunk. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

I’M SORRY

The prayer of amends must be a way of life, not just a sad cry at the end of failure.

~ Anonymous ~

Most of us are truly sorry for the wreck-age we caused by our behavior. Our disease has touched many people and the scars sometimes run deep. It would be great if everyone we harmed would accept our apology, but this probably won't happen. It doesn't matter. We still need to tell them we feel bad about their pain.

It's true that we offer amends in the hope of healing relationships. But it is even truer that our recovery depends on our willingness to offer amends. Some things can't be set right with an "I'm sorry." We have to show by actions as well as words that we honestly want to make amends where possible.

As long as I pursue my recovery one day at a time, I will have time enough to demonstrate in action that I am sorry for the pain I caused.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.

~ Dan Stanford ~

We want what we want and we often feel entitled to it, but it’s only when reality gives us something else that we get pushed into further growth. We may have a road map to our destination, but if we have car trouble on the way, we will have some unexpected experiences. Our first response to a change in plans is usually frustration or disappointment. We never would have chosen to face the situation. But facing it changes us and we become a different person. Often the change is small, but some events change us in big ways forever.

That is why we are only partly in control of the course our life will take. After we have changed, we become loyal to the new person we are becoming. We appreciate what we learned. When we choose responses that match our integrity, we come out stronger, wiser, and more experienced.

Today I will be open to the experiences that I didn’t plan.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

How can I forgive others for their mistakes when I cannot forgive myself?

~ Karen Davis ~

Forgiveness is elusive. We aren’t sure how it’s done, so we close our minds to it. Resentments, on the other hand, are easy to understand. They are seductive but deadly. Why do we hang on to them? What is our payoff? Ironically, resenting someone else’s behavior or their successes diminishes us. Although we get a momentary sense of superiority when we judge them, we get no long-term benefits. Much, in fact, is lost.

Forgiving others, particularly those who have harmed us, seems unfair. Why should we? Those wiser than us say “Do it.” Until we have tried forgiveness we can’t really know the blessing we’ll receive. When we forgive others, we accelerate our growth. We see opportunities that resentment blocked. Forgiveness gives us power to open doors and step into new, inspiring circumstances.

Deliberately forgiving myself for not being perfect will comfort me. It will allow me to go easier on others too. We’re all doing as well as we can, right now. And that’s good enough.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I am trying to accept others' lack of acceptance

With a broken leg, there is a cast. With an appendicitis, there's a bandage and a scar. With my dual disorder, there is no visible wound. So people often don't understand my pain and symptoms—for example, anxiety, depression, weight changes, or fatigue. They may not consider them real or legitimate.

Right now I am learning a critical lesson: I cannot change the way other people think or act. Fortunately, I can still get what I deeply need—certainly not from everybody, and not from just anybody—but from my support group: (a) understanding and acceptance of who I am; (b) validation of my problems; and (c) support for my recovery.

Today I will pray to accept myself and pray to accept the people who don't accept me.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

A wise man will make more opportunity than he finds.

~ Francis Bacon ~

Sometimes we are “too tired” when it’s time to go to a meeting. We are undecided: should we go to our group or should we take a week off because we “need a break”?

Sometimes we do need time off to get some sleep or catch up on chores. But more often we find an unexpected benefit when we fight temptation and go to the meeting. We often realize our reluctance was really a symptom of a spiritual problem. We were isolating, as we did in active addiction. Old behaviors are always comforting. Often, on the nights we force ourselves to go we hear something we needed to hear or see someone we needed to see in order to move on to a new level of recovery. We may learn something new or hear some familiar program principle expressed in a new way. We usually leave these meetings invigorated and refreshed and grateful we came.

When we keep our eyes open in recovery and remain willing to go to meetings even when we don’t want to, we will always discover what we need at just the right time.

Today help me remember how much my program brings to my life.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Desire, ask, believe, receive.

~ Stella Terrill Mam ~

Belief in something greater than yourself can make you feel more at peace. But how can you have this belief if you do not believe in God?

Many in recovery start out without faith. They may doubt the existence of a spiritual presence after years of misery and failed relationships. Too, they may feel they are not worthy of God’s attention or consider that God must have abandoned them and their bad ways long ago.

No matter your religious beliefs, the program is not a religion. Utilizing prayer and developing a conscious contact with something greater than yourself are components that help your spiritual development. If you are uncomfortable considering a Higher Power, instead consider developing faith. This faith is based upon hope for a better way of life, hope for staying clean and sober, hope for learning how to accept and feel love. Faith that is founded on hope can help you overcome fears and doubts, provide you with the strength and will to make the necessary changes to improve your life, and enable you to develop greater awareness of who you are. The more hopeful you can become, the more faith-filled you can be. Hopelessness will not help you to recover, but hopefulness can.

I have faith in my potential for something more and something better in my life.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

Never answer an angry word in kind. It's the second word that makes the quarrel.

~ Anonymous ~

In the past we've probably found it's easy to have an argument. In fact, that may have been how we spent the majority of our time with our spouse, family members, or friends. Arguments may have become so familiar that to have them was to be doing "the right thing."

Today we've learned to detach from angry words. We know now the other person is probably in so much pain that the only way they feel they can alleviate the pain is to hurt another.

Detachment is the only cure for an argument. Once we stop detaching, we are sucked into the tangled web of confusion, pain, and bitterness. We can strengthen our ability to detach by relying on the support of our friends in the program and our Higher Power.

Do I need help detaching? Help me find my strength from those who can help me, not hurt me.

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Sharing opinions

At first, really hearing fellow addicts is an exciting experience. We may charge off explaining our insights at meetings and social gatherings. We truly need to share in this manner, but it should not affect us too much when other people don’t accept our pearls of wisdom. What may be a gem for us could be a mere pebble for another.

So when others shoot us down for some-thing we’ve said, we needn’t take it too personally. What is right for one may not be right for another; however, we all have the right to express our opinions.

Do I share my views freely with others?

Higher Power, may my sharing not be imposing, and may I not take opinions as personal insults or rejections.

Today I will share my deepest insights with

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized.

~ ALBERT EINSTEIN ~

Newcomer

At one meeting I go to, the same two people seem to dominate. Both take service positions every term. Both, when they share, say things that are subtly critical of other people's recovery and all the "new" ways of doing things in this program.

Sponsor

It's a program tradition that we don't have "bosses," but now and then a group gets lazy and allows itself to be led a bit heavy-handedly. Tolerance is the solution for both old- timers and relative newcomers. Rather than criticize the critics, other group members can become willing to take a more active role by attending business meetings, volunteering for service positions, or nominating new officers. When a group is facing proposed changes, a "group conscience" meeting is held; we trust that a Power greater than ourselves expresses itself through the decisions we arrive at together.

Personal styles and common cultural experiences of new generations of people in recovery may be a bit different from those of people who've been here for a while, but the basic principles of this program haven't changed. Sharing our own experience and listening to others with humility is still the way we recover.

Today, I practice tolerance.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

In our drinking days, fear of every-thing and everybody was our constant companion. These fears continued until we finally, in desperate necessity, found the courage to surrender — to quit unconditionally. Then we found AA and a ray of Hope. Hope became desire, desire became determination. With necessity as our charger and with determination as our lance we were adequately armed to overcome our despair.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Praised Be you, My Lord

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister
Mother Earth, who sustains us, governs us, and
Who produces varied fruits with colored flowers.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind
And through the air, cloudy and serene, and
Every kind of weather.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and
The stars in heaven; You formed them clear and
Precious and beautiful.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom You light the night.

Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
Especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day and
Through whom You give us light. And He is
Beautiful and radiant with great splendors and bears
Likeness to You, Most High One.

~ by St. Francis of Assisi ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

HOW MUCH CONVICTION?

What do you really believe? It is as a man thinketh in his heart that matters, says the Bible, and this means the heartfelt conviction as distinct from mere formal assent.

If you want to know what you really believe, simply watch what you do. We always do what we believe, although we frequently talk differently. If you feel that you are not making the most of your life, change your beliefs. Your present beliefs must be wrong if they are not producing harmony and satisfaction.

Start believing in health; start believing in prosperity; start believing in the Christ in those about you; start believing that your own divine Selfhood is rapidly unfolding. Act as though you believed these things and the results will surprise you.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul. . . . Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as was told me (Acts 27:23-25).

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

I Am Good Fortune

I do not seek good fortune. I am good fortune.

~ Walt Whitman ~

On an episode of Northern Exposure, the character Shelly received a chain letter telling her that if she mailed the letter on to a friend within three days, she would enjoy unprecedented good luck. Believing the prophecy, she copied the letter and mailed it at the local post office. To Shelly’s delight, all manner of good things befell her, and many blessings she desired came true; she felt deeply grateful that the good for–tune of the chain letter came her way. A week later when Shelly returned to the post office, the clerk held up her letter and informed her that he did not mail it because she needed more postage. Shelly’s jaw dropped when she realized that the letter was not the source of her good luck. She admitted, “I guess we are in charge of our own lives.”

There is no force outside of you that can determine what happens to you. But there is a very potent force inside you that sets the stage for every event you experience. Enlightenment is an inside job. Luck is not a capricious gift that whimsically falls into our lap; it is a force we activate with our thoughts, feelings, attitude, words, and actions.

If you are waiting for your ship to come in, get into the captain’s seat and pilot it yourself. If you are waiting for a particular person to come along and make your life wonderful, that person is you. The more you love your–self, the greater your power to draw quality companions. At this very moment, you have everything you need to set into motion a chain of events that will change your life forever.

I claim my power to generate my good. Thank you, God, for allowing me to co-create miracles with you.

I call all of my good to me now. It is done unto me as I believe.

[bluidkiti]

November 27

Step by Step

“There may be some wrongs we can never fully right. We don’t worry about them if we can honestly say to ourselves that we would right them if we could. Some people cannot be seen – we send them an honest letter. And there may be a valid reason for postponement in some cases. But we don’t delay if it can be avoided. We should be sensible, tactful, considerate and humble without being servile or scraping.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 6 (“Into Action”), p 83.

Today, I can’t take on guilt – or be guilted – if I am in absolute honesty cannot make an amend to someone I have hurt if that amend inflicts further injure them or someone else. This is a vital qualifier of the Ninth Step – that we make amends directly “except when to do so would injure them or others.” But this isn’t a out from making amends or accepting responsibility. It is possible to postpone making an amend if an immediate one inflicts hurt. It is just as possible that I can never make amends to someone if that person cannot be found or is no longer available. In any case, if for no one other than myself, I can make “indirect” amends by admitting my wrong in writing, in a private journal even if no one else will read it. In doing that, I am at least giving voice to a silent wrong. The benefit could be that the guilt or fear of being “caught” is powerless because I have admitted my wrong and responsibility. If today I take the Ninth Step, I must temper my “confession” with the qualification that an act of atonement now could do what the Ninth warns against – inflicting further hurt. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

REBELS

Some people never grow up — they just grow old.

~ Anonymous ~

As a group, most of us were rebellious and defiant. We lived for excitement, kicks, and highs. We liked living "on the edge." We were outlaws from society. The fast lane wasn't fast enough. We weren't satisfied with getting high or too high; we wanted to be way too nigh. "Live fast, die young," was our motto.

For many of us, "acting out" got us in trouble with authority. We didn't like authority figures, or anyone who tried to influence our behavior. In recovery, we have learned that our rebellious attitude and behavior was just a sign of immaturity. We became aware that our defiance and grandiosity had no place in recovery. Now we cooperate with life. We aren't banging our heads against walls anymore.

I have come to see my rebellion as having no place in my recovery. I don't want to be an outlaw anymore.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

If called by a panther
Don’t anther.

~ Ogden Nash ~

We were brought to this program after following our desires and our passions to self-destructive extremes. Sometimes we still hear the call from that dark side, seducing us back to the ecstatic highs. Relapse is always a danger. We never get over being addicts and codependents. No man eradicates his dark side. It’s not a bridge we can burn behind us.

How do we prevent the ever-possible relapse? First, we accept that we cannot fight tomorrow’s battles today, so we don’t worry about how we will stay clean and sober in the future. That eliminates our worry about tomorrow’s sobriety. Second, we keep our connection open with other people. We stay in touch with them. We keep talking and don’t allow ourselves to fall back into old patterns of isolation. When we hear that seductive call, we talk to others about it. And third, we take our mistakes and turn them into something productive by learning from them.

Today, once again, I admit that I am a codependent and/or an addict and that my recovery is a daily process of healing.

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

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

All of us grieve differently.

~ Joan Gilbertson ~

We have grieved over many situations. Most of us grieved over the loss of our drug of choice. Even though we were headed down a dead-end road, we still considered chemicals our companion. Our choice to live meant saying good-bye to our companion and feeling lonely for a time.

We may also have to let go of friends who don’t support our sobriety. We may have to leave jobs or significant relationships that hinder our growth. With every loss our emotional balance will be disrupted. The void left by the loss haunts us for a time; we respond with tears, anger, sadness, confusion, and even rage. Grief may wear a different robe with each appearance. Fortunately, we have one another to help us slip into and out of these robes of despair.

As we learn from one another’s grief, we grow in our capacity to handle our own. More important, we grow in our desire to offer compassion to each hurting heart.

If I need to grieve today, I can do so freely and fully and trust that God is close by, as are my friends in this program. I am not alone.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I need to express my emotions

I don't like the way I'm feeling these days. I don't like having to cope with my addiction and strong emotions. Right now I don't like myself. I don't like the way my life is going. I'm discouraged, frustrated, and angry.

When I called my sponsor he understood. He said that at one time, he had felt the same way. Then he offered me a suggestion, one he still uses today: with strong and painful emotions, look for a way to safely express them—whether with words or images or actions. I thanked him and agreed to give it a try.

Today I will practice expressing my feelings in two ways: once by myself with words, images, or actions and once with a friend.

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

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

I learn by going where I have to go.

~ Theodore Roethke ~

We used to live anywhere but in the present. Our heads were full of grandiose visions of ourselves, worries about the future, or guilt about the past. We had no direction except toward the drug of our choice.

Life is simpler now. We have a future, one which we have an active hand in creating. When we begin to worry what will become of us, we know we can let go of concerns about tomorrow, do what we can today, and let God take care of the rest.

By taking whatever small steps we can today, by living in the moment as best we can, we are learning how to live as we go. What better way to travel than one day at a time, choosing a full, attentive, honest life? Thanks to our program of recovery and the presence of our Higher Power, this is our journey.

Our destination is this very moment. There is no other. With the help of our Higher Power, our friends in the program, and the tools of the Twelve Steps, we learn by living. As we do, our lives take us to wonderful places we could hardly have imagined not long ago.

Today let me take each step with my Higher Power.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

He who is greedy is always in want.

~ Horace ~

In your former days of using, you would do whatever you could to use and would take whatever you could to satisfy your cravings and desires. Your focus was solely on you and your needs. Being able to admit now that you have been selfish and greedy in the past signifies a great achievement. But just because you have stopped using does not mean all of your selfish desires have been stilled.

It is not uncommon for those in recovery to think that what they are going through should be the most important thing in everyone else’s lives. You may still find yourself focusing solely on your own needs in ways that minimize or neglect the needs of others.

There are people in the world who are selfish, and there are those who are selfless. There are those who are greedy, and those who are givers. Between these two extremes is a midpoint that presents a compromise between the polar opposites. This is what you need to strive for in your recovery. When you can give to others as well as to yourself, you are able to experience the best of both worlds.

I will find time to give to others, time to give to myself, and time to celebrate my ability to balance giving and receiving.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

Failure is an event, not a person.

~ William D. Brown ~

We may find it easy to blame disappointing circumstances in our lives on the people in our lives. We might think we wouldn't be so angry with ourselves if we could change bosses or co-workers or partners. We might believe our inability to stay in relationships is caused by the family that brought us up or the circumstances now in our lives.

If we're angry at one boss, chances are we'll be angry at another no matter what company or job we have. The co-workers at a new company can't guarantee our happiness or peace of mind any more than a new relationship will bring us the love we've always searched for.

Once we realize our dissatisfactions come from events, rather than people, we'll be less likely to place blame on people or make them the targets of all our failings.

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Knowing our Author

It’s important to know the Author of our hopes and desires. If we don’t understand the force that guides us, and why we follow, anything can lead us anywhere. The Steps are helpful tools in getting to know our Author. They are a personal path to our Higher Power and give us more direction than we have ever experienced before.

Our lives are written in the now, the present. The past cannot be erased, so forget about it. The future cannot be determined before the present, so stop daydreaming. Live in the now, the present—live when your story happens so you experience it and learn and grow from it. Only today’s activities are recorded today.

Who is the Author of my life?

May today be written by the Supreme Author.

I will try to make today’s page beautiful by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

It is well to lie fallow for a while.

~ M. F. TUPPER ~

Newcomer

The person who makes coffee for my home group left me a message at the last minute asking me to sub for him or suggest someone else. I said no—I hadn't planned to attend the meeting. I couldn't find my list of phone numbers, either, so I didn't suggest anyone. I'm feeling guilty. He doesn't know as many members of the group as I do; he has less time in the program than I have.

Sponsor

What's the worst thing that can possibly happen as a result of your not taking on this person's responsibility? Perhaps there'll be no coffee at the meeting this time, but I doubt that anyone will lose his or her recovery over it. More likely, someone will walk in, see that the coffeepot isn't on, and get it started.

When I can't keep a commitment, I do my best to make phone calls, but I'm not guaranteed that someone else will take it on for me. I start making calls well in advance, if at all possible. I do the best I can to find a substitute. But if no one else is available to help, I let go. I'm not indispensable. I've never known a meeting not to take place because of my absence.

The person who asked you to fill in for him may also need to learn more about keeping commitments; that's one of the reasons for taking on responsibilities in the early months of recovery. If you're there to rescue him whenever he can't make it, he may miss out on learning about reality. Saying no and being said no to is part of life.

Today, I am responsible, not over responsible.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Sorrow and happiness are mental states, but the effect they have upon our nervous system and our blood pressure is a recognized fact.

The "Atmosphere" of a hospital and its staff can lengthen or shorten the duration of an illness.

We alcoholics spent years driving nails into our coffins; let us spend today drawing those nails out.

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

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

I Will Attend a Meeting

Creator, I will attend a meeting today.
I promise to seek out the similarities and not the
differences.
I will find something good in everything that is
shared.
I will praise the clean and sober and pray for the
using addict.
At the end of the day I will thank You for my
recovery.
It does not matter if the meeting was good or bad.
The most important thing is that I was there.

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

~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

HAVE YOU A DINOSAUR'S EGG?

In a certain museum in New York there are a couple of dinosaur's eggs on view. This exhibit appeals to the imagination. Visitors say, "Those eggs were laid millions of years ago, and here they are today untouched!" These people are apt to overlook the fact that for the dinosaur in question they represent complete failure. After all the trouble of laying those eggs nothing ever came of them.

It is surprising how many otherwise intelligent men and women waste the best days of their lives laying dinosaur's eggs that never hatch out. Either through lack of energy, or lack of intelligent planning, or failure to make God a partner, or more often sheer muddle-headedness, they lay an excellent egg and then stroll away and forget it. Do not start a plan unless you really think it is worthwhile, and if you are convinced that it is worthwhile, do not rest until you have brought it to fruition.

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

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

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Percentages

You can’t expect to get the jackpot if you don’t put a few nickels in the machine.

~ Flip Wilson ~

“Would Mould you like to sleep with me?” the man in the elevator asked Nancy.

“Excuse me?”

“Would you like to go to bed with me tonight?”

“What makes you think I would want to go to bed with you? I don’t even know you!”
“I just thought I’d ask; one out of ten women says yes.”

Regardless of the apparent gap in this fellow’s integrity, he is onto an important principle: If you keep asking, sooner or later someone is bound to say yes. While this man is apt to hurt himself and others with his use of percentages, you and I can take the same principle and make it work toward the valuable goals that our hearts desire.

If you have a strong and sincere intuition or guidance to accomplish a certain task, somewhere in the universe there is someone who is seeking to help you fulfill it. Many people would come to Hilda’s prayer class with intentions of finding homes, jobs, and mates. Hilda would always remind them, “Your need is connected to someone else’s; at this very moment someone wants to offer the very thing you seek. Know that the divine connection system is always operating.” As a humorous application of this principle, one night Hilda asked everyone who wanted to lose weight to stand up. Then she asked everyone who wanted to gain weight to rise. Then she prayed, “May all the weight these people want to release go to those people who need it.”

Growth, change, and achievement take nerve and action. Your vision can and will be accomplished if you keep asking.

I pray for the perseverance to accomplish my goals. I trust in Your power to provide matching resources to serve my visions as well as others.

My dreams are good, and the universe supports me in attaining them.

[bluidkiti]

November 28

Step by Step

” …(W)e launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted. Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us. Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions.
“Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory. This was Step Four.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, Ch 5 (“How It Works”), pp 64-5.

Today, the “vigorous action” of the Fourth Step cannot and should not be done in one sitting. In our impatience and zeal to get get sober, we risk skirting the depth of some steps, and the Fourth is vulnerable. Without depth and absolute honesty, and neglecting to come to terms with some issues identified in our Fourth, the benefit and effectiveness of subsequent steps may be less than what they could and should be. I am required to submit to Step Four and honestly assess both my character defects and attributes. But I should not expect that I can honestly compile a thorough list in one attempt, particularly when identifying the “causes and conditions” of which alcohol was “but a symptom.” After all, those defects will likely still be there tomorrow if I need a break today from the “vigorous action” that the Fourth requires. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

SAYING “NO”

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.

~ William James ~

One of our common goals in recovery is balance, a feeling of being centered. If we lean too far in one direction, we lose our balance and fall over. We can't please everyone. We can't be everything to everybody. There is a balance the Program teaches us between selfishness and selflessness.

We need to be careful to organize our time and set priorities. We can't sponsor everyone, be at every meeting, or volunteer for every service opportunity. Recovery is not a race to see who can do the most. Easy Does It. We need to learn and practice what are called "refusal skills." We need to learn when to say no. We have the right to refuse requests, to slow down and take time out, to take care of ourselves.

I let myself get too stressed out when I'm not careful in scheduling my time.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Like all young men, I set out to be a genius, but mercifully laughter intervened.

~ Laurence Durrell ~

Self-centeredness is a remnant from our immature past. In that remnant is our inclination to take ourselves too seriously. When we can laugh at our mistakes rather than be ashamed of them, we have come a long way. When we can shed the burden of “specialness,” our load is remarkably lighter. When we can let another person’s sarcasm reflect back on him rather than allow it into our core, our relationships are simpler and easier. When we can simply participate rather than needing to be the top dog, we have a lot more fun. When we can accept compliments with gratitude and be a humble winner, we like ourselves better.

In our manhood we strive to achieve, not so that we are better than everyone else, but so that we can fulfill our potential. We want to be the best person we can be, not the best person in our group. We aren’t driven to overcome our shame by being perfect. We accept our imperfection as part of universal human nature and accept that we are all more alike than we are different. Competition can be fun; it doesn’t have to put our self-esteem on the line.

Today I will laugh at myself and take joy in being human.

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

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

God’s will never takes me where his grace will not sustain me.

~ Ruth Humlecker ~

Letting go of our own will in favor of fulfilling God’s is certainly in our best interests. However, it is not always easy to do. We often cling tenaciously to a dream gone sour or a relationship long since dead because of our fear of the unknown. Although a good lesson comes from our past lives—we clearly see that God’s plan would have been better for us than our own—perhaps the best lesson comes from our recovering lives today. We didn’t get here all by ourselves, and God didn’t help us find this program only to abandon us. We are in God’s care now and always.

Believing that we will survive every experience, no matter how inadequate or frightened we feel, will come as we develop trust. Acting as if we believe that God is in charge will carry us until the belief becomes solid faith. And it will. We have been promised that. God’s grace will see to it.

I will trust my life to God today. Again and again I will turn my life over and believe that all is well.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I am no longer avoiding my problems

In the past I had a ready solution to any upset or problem—I'd get high. It seemed to work, at least for a while. But instead of teaching me how to face problems, it taught me how to avoid them.

To begin changing this old way of coping, I got clean and sober. In recovery I am now learning new coping skills, such as reaching out for help, going to support group, and journaling. Although the skills still feel tentative and unfamiliar, I no longer feel helpless. I now have some choices. And when I have choices, I have less fear and more strength.

Today I will practice a new skill on an old problem.

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

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Remember having a best friend when we were little? We could talk for hours about nothing and everything. Our friend knew our innermost secrets and loved us no matter what we did.

Somewhere between our youth and our alcoholism we lost that simple part of life: a friendship based on sincerity, sharing tears, and laughing together late into the night. True friendship has been lost to us lately, but now we have a chance to find it again. We will find it in the fellowship of a recovery group. They are sincere in their desire to help because they have all reached out for a caring hand before we did.

Our new friends see us as no others could. They concentrate not on our defects, but on our strengths. They share our pain as well as our joy in the progress we are making. They offer encouragement and enlightenment. They offer forgiveness and hope and life.

Today let me grateful for my new friends.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour.

~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~

Very rarely do things work out in the way you want them to. Each day has imperfections, glitches, and snafus. Some days work out better than others, but one thing is for certain: there is no perfect day.

The same holds true in your recovery. If you set your expectations too high or expect everything to flow smoothly, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Just as there is no perfect day, there is no perfect way in which to work through your recovery. You can expect to make mistakes, to fall short of your desires, and to face challenges.

Life is made up of chaos, but if you cannot accept chaos in your recovery, then you may find yourself constantly disappointed. Set the bar too high, and you may fall short. Set it too low, and you may find the slow pace of change frustrating. Rather than expect your recovery to go a certain way, let go of your need to control people, places, and things and simply let your recovery—and your life—unfold.

I will start my day with no expectations for how things will turn out. Instead, I will go with the flow and adapt as much as I need to.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type. Unselfishness recognizes infinite variety of type as a delightful thing, accepts it, acquiesces in it, enjoys it.

~ Oscar Wilde ~

If we think of those who take care of themselves as selfish, we need to look at our definition of selfish. If we want to stay up late and talk and another person doesn't, who is selfish? The person who is tired and wants to sleep, or the one who insists he or she stay up?

Stating a limitation is not selfish; we are taking care of our needs and being honest. Selfishness is when we insist we have our way at the expense of another's needs. Selfishness is dishonest, because it doesn't honor the truth expressed by another.

To be unselfish, we first must be able to listen to others. After we learn to listen, we need to accept what is expressed. And to be truly unselfish, we must be able to enjoy the difference in others. When we can delight in the variety of people around us, we have achieved true unselfishness.

Can I accept the differences in others? I can begin by listening to others and learning just how different we all are.

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Being an individual

Because we work the same Steps everyone else in the program works and associate with other people in similar circumstances, we may sometimes question our individuality and the uniqueness of our personalities.

Personality is what we wish others to see in us. It’s an impression and reflects our desire for recognition. It’s important to remember that each of us is unique and has a talent waiting to be expressed. Individuality is the expression of our unique gift—it’s what our soul longs for.

Our program teaches us to use our individuality. It’s not necessary to worry about personality when we are meeting life’s conditions as an individual driven by our Higher Power. Personality comes naturally, and is noticeably uncontrived, when we express our individuality.

Am I a true individual?

Higher Power, help me get past my personality so I may meet you face to face, as an individual bearing no false fronts.

Today I will express my individuality by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Open your eyes! The world is still intact.

~ PAUL CLAUDEL ~

Newcomer

Someone who entered recovery close to the time I did stopped coming to meetings about a month ago. I've just learned that she has relapsed. I called her once, but she said she was busy and never called back. I'm surprised at how betrayed and unsafe I feel. I hardly even know her.

Sponsor

Like you, when someone has a relapse, I feel deeply shaken. Another human life is at stake. Someone who was on my path, whose presence served as solace and example, has left. He or she may never come back. I'm powerless over another person's decision and over what time will bring. My desire to rescue comes up, and I know I have to let that go—no one can rescue us from addiction. Then I go through feelings of betrayal: how could he or she have abandoned me like this? What if everyone else decides to drop out? Where will I be then? Mixed with this feeling is one of anger: she's getting to have her drug of choice again! I want it too, and I'm furious that I can't have it. After the anger, fear, grief, and loss, I may feel something like gratitude. I understand how deep my own commitment to recovery is, how much I need and want it.

Today, I choose recovery again, for one more day.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Knowledge is of great value and nothing of value is acquired without price. Wisdom is even more to be desired than knowledge, which can be but an accumulation of facts. Humility is greater than wisdom for there is no real wisdom without humility. The wise are humbled by the knowledge of the limitations of their knowledge.

No man is born with these characteristics, they are born of the vicissitudes of life. Sorrow, despair, and failure are their breeding grounds.

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

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Patience for My Family

God, give me patience for my family members,
For their criticism and unkind words,
For their loud outbursts and often drunken ways.
Remind me of their kind words and support,
Their sober moments of tenderness and love.
Allow me to find the good that each of them possesses.
They are my family, and I love them unconditionally.

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

~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

FOOL'S GOLD

In mining country one comes across a valueless substance that is so like gold ore that inexperienced people cannot always tell the difference. This is called Fool's Gold, and many a young prospector has wasted much time and hard work before discovering that he has been deceived by the spurious article. Old timers used to say to the tenderfoot: "When you think you have found gold you probably have not; but when you do find it, you will know it for certain."

So it is with the prospectors on the mountain range that we call life. There are many kinds of fools' gold to be found, but when you meet the genuine article you will have no doubt in your mind. The true gold will give you a sense of peace and poise, a sense of freedom and power because you will no longer be in bondage to passing material things. It will set you free from much of the tyranny of time and space beliefs. The true gold is that sense of the Presence of God with us, to obtain which is the object of this life.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights . . . (James 1:17).

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

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Press Out

I want to tell you not to move into that world where you’re alone with yourself and your mantra and your fitness program or whatever it is that you might use to try to control the world by closing it out…I’m just telling you to live in it, to look at it, to witness it….Take chances, make your own work, take pride in it. Seize the moment.

~ Joan Didion, giving a commencement address ~

While working out at a health club, I was fascinated by how deeply the patrons insulated themselves with buffers to social interaction. One woman was riding an exercise bicycle, listening to a Walkman through earphones, and reading a magazine. In another section, the music was so loud that it was difficult to carry on a normal conversation, and everywhere, television sets were blaring news at a high volume. There was very little incentive, invitation, or possibility to reach out to connect or communicate with others.

While health and fitness are worthy endeavors, we must be careful not to use them to escape from life. Do you medicate your pain with a particular habit? If so, what is it?

In one of my seminars, the participants generated a long list of ways we attempt to escape from our challenges, including drinking, using drugs, smoking, anxious eating, unconscious sex, workaholism, busy-ness, relationship dramas, exercise, watching TV, whirlwind social activities, computer obsession, sports fanaticism, soap operas, romance novels, and religious fanaticism. While many of these activities are innocent when used for joy or play, they can hurt us if we hide in them at the expense of dealing with the issues that we face.

Begin to tell the truth about where you are hurting, and confront your pain. You will gain so much energy, strength, and peace through your fearless quest that you will become a true master. You will find that the discomfort you attempted to escape contains the key to your healing when you face it.

Give me the strength to bring forth my true aliveness.

I am empowered by life. I master challenges by facing them with love and courage.

[bluidkiti]

November 29

Step by Step

Today, if my candle is burning at both ends with responsibilities, obligations and expectations, I will not complain or seek adulation and, instead, will practice gratitude and humility that I now am trusted to carry out what is asked and expected of me. But if I feel overwhelmed at times, I can fall back on the an edict “First Things First.” The first thing is sobriety. Without it, there is nothing; with it, there is everything. The benefits sobriety bring include service to the sufferer who needs and wants to hear the message, and I should not shirk or complain about being in service. Not only does what I contribute to another soul strengthen my own against a possible slip or relapse, I need only to remember the days when I was drunk literally 24/7 and ask if those days were better than now. Today, my yesterdays are nowhere better than today, and today is where I will stay without complaining, without seeking recognition and instead ask in humility for His will and the power to carry it out. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

BRIDGES

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.

~ Joseph Newton ~

We discovered — and hardly believed it at first— that we were not alone. We were really not that different from everybody else in the Program. We began to sense that we did belong somewhere and our loneliness began to leave us. Our addiction encouraged us to build walls around ourselves, to keep out reality and to keep in the awful person we thought we were. When we began recovery, we started to tear down those walls, brick by brick. On the foundation that was left, we have started to build a new life.

That new life is connected to the real world, to other people, and to the Program by the bridges we've built with our positive actions. We've learned that with honesty and sharing, we no longer need walls to protect us.

I am learning to tear down the walls I have built and have begun to build bridges.

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

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death.

~ James F. Byrnes ~

Life is never fully secure, and those of us who grew up in stressful households learned early that security was a precious thing. What we didn’t learn was how to reach out from our security to seek and grasp opportunity. One problem we may develop in our recovery is overcautiousness, which comes out of our frightening memories of being out of control in our addiction and codependency.

Life is always a risk. Walking up to the plate to take a swing at the next pitch is a risk, but life is so much richer for doing so. Part of our recovery is learning to accept opportunity when it appears and allow for the possibility of mistake. We don’t need to condemn ourselves for having tried; we can learn from every at-tempt. We are much more alive for the risks we take and the opportunities we accept.

Today my life is richer for the possibilities that I am moving toward.

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

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

As I grow older I feel so much freer to be me.
This is a real blessing that I never anticipated.

~ Marie Gubbels ~

Many of us didn’t know who we were when we first got into recovery. We may have mimicked other people’s actions and beliefs with no forethought, only with the desire to fit in. One of our worst fears was that we didn’t belong. Trying to look like, act like, and think like other women— these actions made us feel safe, inconspicuous. That we were trapped by our fear never dawned on us.

Doing an inventory, as suggested by the program, helps us know who we honestly are. We can see our personal traits; we can evaluate what we want to do about qualities that cause us grief. And we can feel gratitude about others. But, most important, we can see who we actually are, not who we tried to be for years. The program makes this possible. And the reward will be a peacefulness more gratifying than any we have ever known.

No longer do we need to try someone else’s behavior on for size. What fits us, fits only us. And that is good.

Being myself today means not watching others for clues about what to think or say. I will listen to my inner voice and with her help be true to me.

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

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I am slowing down

When I was using and having symptoms, I had little patience or tolerance. I couldn't wait for a red light to change or a deposit to clear the bank. I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it. I reacted sharply and quickly. I was headstrong.

With some time in recovery, I have more patience. I can think things through. I am less irritable and fearful. Getting clean and sober has helped a lot. So has taking my medication. I am finding out that there are no quick fixes, and that it helps when I take my time.

Today I will practice walking slower and driving slower.

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

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Stress has its own siren.
The first step in stress reduction
is removing our earplugs
in order to learn what needs to be changed.

~ Joe Montgomery ~

Stress can work for us if we learn to listen to its messages. If we listen, stress can lead us to healing. Many of us have become numb to our own stress and pain. We may have become so conditioned to overdoing and rushing around frantically that a kind of emotional paralysis has captured our senses. But learning to listen to our overtired bodies and spirits takes time, and time may be the one thing we’re not willing to give up.

Listening to stress messages in our lives helps us stop in our tracks and give priority attention to ourselves. At first we may feel uncomfortable with the notion of sitting still and listening to our bodies and emotions. We’re new at paying close attention to ourselves, at caring for our own needs. But if we have patience and give ourselves time to slow down, we will learn to hear the internal music that tells us what we need to know. This part of our recovery is getting to know our body again, listening carefully to it the way we do to a loved one. After all, our first loved one must be ourselves.

Today let me realize that I can begin to heal my stress if I am willing to stop, rest, and listen.

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

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

You must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessings.

~ Andrew Jackson ~

Although the program teaches to live and recover “One day at a time,” that does not mean you cannot dream about who you would like to become or what you would like to be doing at a future time in your life. Being able to live and recover in the present as well as being able to look ahead and envision a future path can give you something to look forward to, something to work toward, and something to help keep your present feelings focused on the path ahead.

Too, dreaming about things you would like to come true can add a positive perspective to your present life. Rather than wallow in despair or self-pity, having something to look forward to can minimize negative feelings. Those things you are facing in the present will eventually pass, and at some future time you will have moved on to a better way of living.

When you have hopes and visions for the future, you can still the demons of the present. You can feel less troubled and more energized for your future. Dreams give you the promise of another day, another way, and a better life.

I will create dreams for the future that will infuse energy into my recovery today.

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

The most important thing in life is not to capitalize on your gains. Any fool can do that. The really important thing is to profit from your losses.

~ William Bolitho ~

It is easy to see the profit in what we gain, but it is not so easy to see the profit in what we lose. Projects that take shape and collections that expand show the gains we have made. But how can we see profits from the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, or the estrangement from family?

Each loss represents a step we need to take toward maturity and growth. Throughout our lifetimes we will walk up many steps. Sometimes it may seem like we have a never-ending stairway in front of us. Our gains are the level parts of each stair, but the real progress is made when we climb the stairs of our losses.

Although we may feel as though we have nothing when we go through a loss, what we do have is the experience of the loss. We learn to deal with a different lesson. Our profits from a loss may not show up immediately, but we will discover the rich rewards as we learn to accept life on its terms—not on ours.

Tonight I can learn to look at today's losses as gains. What have I learned? How have I grown?

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

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Finding friendship

We have friends we dance with or play sports with. This is friendship on a pleasure plane. Then we have friends in our professions and jobs. These friendships are on a different plane of common interests. Next is the identity and intellectual plane where we discuss favorite topics. But the highest and most beautiful plane of friendship is one in which we share the same spiritual quest.

We have the glory, through this fellow-ship, of experiencing immediate communion and intimacy with our people wherever we go. Such friendships last as long as the solution, which is our common bond.

Have I found a multitude of friends?

Higher Power, thank you for blessing me with a world full of friends who share my spiritual quest.

Today I will offer my friendship to

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

If only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time.

~ EDITH WHARTON ~

Newcomer

What is it about me? A while ago, I finally figured out that I really did feel better on the days I meditated. When I meditate, I like the feeling of being refreshed and alive. But I get impatient with it, and I rebel against doing it consistently.

Sponsor

I've often heard it said at meetings that the definition of in-sanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting that things will turn out differently. The same kind of logic applies here: I try something, I experience good results—so I quit doing it! It makes no sense, unless you're an addict.

The results of regular meditation are subtle but powerful. Over time, a transformation takes place not only in our minds and feelings, but also in the cells of our bodies. It's well established that people who meditate have better-regulated blood pressure, a high level of efficiency and competence at what they do, improved relationships, more zest for living, and greater serenity. It costs absolutely nothing to do, requires no equipment, and takes relatively little time.

We don't have to punish ourselves for what we failed to do yesterday. Today is as good a day as any to begin again. Rather than struggling with meditation, just sit down and allow it to happen.

Today, I do all that I set out to do with ease and pleasure.

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

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

We find in life exactly what we are looking for. In your drinking days you courted trouble constantly and you probably found more than your share of it.

Today we are looking for a better way of life and this, too, we find at every turn.

We get what we want if we put forth sufficient effort to look for it, if we have the ability to recognize it when we see it, and the tenacity to hold on to it when once we grasp it.

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

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Wealth, Power, Fame

Dear God, I pray to remember
I will not care overly much for
Wealth, or power, or fame,
Or one day I will meet someone
Who cares for none of these things,
And then I will realize
How poor I have become.

~ Adapted from writings by Rudyard Kipling ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

PASSIVE BEFORE GOD

To be sensitive is good, because sensitive people are aware of a thousand interesting or beautiful things where the obtruse person gets nothing. To do any creative work you have to be sensitive; because the creative worker is a "receiving set" for divine Mind.

A world-famous tenor, who was literally fretting himself to death over unimportant matters, broke down in my office, and said that God was cruel to make him so sensitive. I replied, "If you had the hide of a rhinoceros you might be a happier man, but you would not be at the Metropolitan."

In an electric circuit any given point is said to be positive to any point below it, and negative to any point above it. Current passes always from the positive to the negative, and never the other way. Now, if you are positive in this sense to everything but the action of God, no negative things can come back at you. On the other hand, you are receptive (or "negative" in the purely electrical sense of this ambiguous word) to all good—the direct inspiration of God, the prayers of other people, and all the beautiful and interesting vibrations in the universe.

Here is an affirmation that, intelligently used, will save you much unnecessary bombardment by negative thoughts: I am positive to everything but the action of God.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

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

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

The Faithkeeper

Keep your faith in all beautiful things; in the sun when it is hidden, in the Spring when it is gone.

~ Roy R. Gilson ~

I saw Bill Moyers interview Oren Lyon, a Native American whose role in the tribe was “The Faithkeeper.” Eloquent, centered, and purposeful, Oren Lyon explained the importance of having one person in the tribe who consistently holds the higher vision. He was designated to be the voice of hope, an inspiration to remember the bigger picture when others forget it.

Each of us needs to be a Faithkeeper. When others around us go into fear or confusion, we serve best by remembering the light and holding peace.

I went to a hospital to visit an infant who had been born with some serious health challenges. As I stood outside the nursery with the child’s relatives looking at the baby laden with tubes and bandages, I sensed great worry, fear, and pessimism from the infant’s family. In that moment, I realized that my purpose there was to simply remain peaceful; the greatest service I could offer would be to stay calm while others were losing their cool. Without saying a word, I meditated inwardly and affirmed the presence of God, knowing that the child was loved, cared for, and protected by an unseen hand.

I know a woman who was invited to sit meditatively in the room where Middle East peace negotiations were being held. Her role was to pray and hold the vision of unity and healing. We hire people to be responsible for all aspects of important projects. Why not designate someone to fulfill the most important aspect—the remembrance of the presence of God.

The next time someone around you loses their cool, remember to be the Faithkeeper. As long as you remain sane, the situation is assured of healing.

I pray to be a force for faith.

I magnify the presence of God wherever I am, and bring peace to the world.

[bluidkiti]

November 30

Step by Step

Today, understanding that a substitute chemical to replace alcohol that alters my perception of reality is not working toward recovery from an addictive personality, may I also understand that “mind- and mood-altering chemicals” may not necessarily include prescribed medications. If depression continues to be a condition even in sobriety, for example, let me listen to reasons why anti-depressants may not compromise my sobriety but may even improve its quality. The debate in AA and other 12-step programs that any substance which alters mood costs us our sobriety is as old as the program itself. But the program admits it is not a medical one, and that tells me it is my responsibility to seek out knowledge from qualified sources to determine if my sobriety is at risk. Today, understanding that the substances I ingested are not the same as prescribed medications, let me also consider the possibility that acting as my own physician may be writing my own relapse somewhere down the road. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

MEDITATION

If thou may not continually gather thyself together, do it some time at least once a day.

~ Thomas A’ Kempis ~

For all of us who take meditation seriously, the real purpose is to improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power. But when we meditate, we are also giving ourselves time to digest the rich rewards we find in the Program. We begin our day with a quiet time of prayer, meditation, and reflection. We take the time at night to review our day, to see the things we might improve, to remember the things we aid well and enjoy them.

Meditation is a quiet time in a noisy world. It is a chance to talk with our Higher Power and to listen for answers to our questions. It's an opportunity in the evening to let stress and tension flow away, and to regain serenity. Meditation is a time of healing.

Today, I will also remember that meditation heals me from the scars of a busy, noisy world, and lets me return to serenity, just as it helps me with my conscious contact with my Higher Power.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

I don’t know the key to success but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.

~ Bill Cosby ~

In our codependency we often think first about what others want. We try to make everyone happy and smooth the edges of conflict for everyone else. It seems like such a caring and loving way to live. We may even be so grandiose as to think we can handle frustrations and swallow disappointments better than others can. Whatever created this urge within us, when we take it to extremes, we are so focused on others that we don’t even know our own feelings. Sometimes we act in dishonest ways to protect others and we get blamed for the failures that inevitably result.

In recovery we develop the humility to understand that we are members of the human race, no stronger than others, no better able to care for others than they can for themselves. Happiness comes from within each person; we cannot create it in them. Our own peace of mind comes from within us, not from pleasing others. If someone is disappointed in us, we are big enough to accept that. Our first obligation is to take responsibility for ourselves, then we can begin to be generous toward others.

Today I will know myself first and accept that I don’t have to please everyone.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

You’re right where you’re supposed to be.

~ Anonymous ~

Few circumstances in our lives evolve perfectly. Health problems develop, jobs don’t work out, or, even worse, significant others leave us. For a time we can’t cope. We become angry, distraught, or full of self-pity. When a sponsor or friend says “You’re just where you need to be,” we want to scream. With time, however, we usually calm down and accept this message.

A divine plan is unfolding in our lives. We don’t know ahead of time the route we will take or the destination we will arrive at. Our wisdom is simply the certainty that we are “in the right place at the right time.” Our Higher Power is in charge, and whatever our experiences, they are preparing us for the rest of our journey.

I am where I need to be today. And God is planning my trip.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I know that abstinence is critical in my life

In the process of hitting bottom, I could think of little else than making sure that I drank and stayed drunk as much as possible. In a way, I believed using was keeping me alive. I knew no other way to deal with my physical or emotional problems.

My daily goal in recovery is the opposite— my life depends on staying clean and sober. Abstinence is my principal tool for dealing with problems. And with the help of my higher power, I can do what it takes to stay abstinent.

I will write a note to myself about the most important thing I must do today to stay abstinent, and carry it with me.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

When a man is deprived of the power of expression, he will express himself in a drive for power.

~ Jose Arguelles ~

If we are to grow in recovery, if we are to break out of our isolation, if we are one day going to learn to give back some of what we have received, we must find out what our gifts are. That means making art, whether by painting or welding or parenting.

Many of us used to think art was luxury, art was for a highbrow elite and had nothing to do with us or how we lived. But we also used to think that way about prayer or about God, and now we find both at the center of our days.

Art is not about making a product to buy or sell. And it is not about success or failure. Whatever we make is a mirror. It’s feedback. Art is about connecting with nature and God and joining them in their continual act of creation. Art has the power to center us, to stop us in our tracks and make us see.

We’ve found isolation from other people to be a death, an act of isolation. So, too, is the refusal to express ourselves. Through art we can find out what our gifts are, and learn to give them with joy.

Today help me take one step toward finding out what my gifts are.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Prayer is not an old woman’s idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.

~ Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi ~

Prayer is not a time in which you ask for what you do not have, but when you ask for guidance to understand what you need. It is not demanding fulfillment, but remembering to look around you and give of yourself so others are fulfilled. It is not begging for happiness, but understanding that a positive attitude will help you in life.

Prayer is not asking for your problems to be solved, but learning how to figure things out for yourself. It is not asking for forgiveness, but understanding your mistakes and errors and learning how to forgive yourself. It is not a time in which you make lists of demands, but when you sit in stillness and listen. It is not a time for making promises, but an opportunity to think of the promises you can fulfill.

Prayer is not a time in which you ask your Higher Power to think of you, but a time in which you think of your Higher Power. Prayer is the closest you can come to a spiritual presence, and when you can become closer to yourself.

Today I will use prayer and meditation to connect with my Higher Power so I may more fully understand my purpose

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

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

Simply to live is a wonderful privilege in itself. . . . But to what are you alive? Is it merely to a daily routine? . . . How much do you really live outside of your chosen profession or occupation?

~ Henry Wood ~

From an acorn to a tree, the oak puts all its energy into growing as strong and tall as it can. Moisture, sunlight, and nutrition are gathered for its leaves, acorns, branches, and trunk. Yet if our oak tree takes all the moisture, sunshine, and nutrition, other nearby trees will be weaker and smaller.

We have within us a forest that demands attention for its growth: a career tree, a family tree, a recovery tree, a parent tree, and a friendship tree. If we spend more time and attention on one than the others, the neglected ones will not grow strong.

Every part of our lives should be important to us: our families and friends as well as our recoveries and careers. It may be commendable to receive lots of promotions at work. But if our families are neglected, the forest inside us will not flourish. Every part of life needs attention for us to succeed.

Tonight I can begin to balance my time. All areas of my life need attention.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Lives worth saving

For many of us, the prospect of death was not a big thing. In fact, while we were using, many of us would have preferred to die. So it may not have seemed like much of a favor when our Higher Power saved our lives.

But our Higher Power also showed us that our lives were worth saving. This was the big step for us. We deserved to live! We were worth saving! We were not the wretches we had made ourselves out to be!

How glorious to have our Higher Power show us how we could do its work—how we could carry the message and be worth some-thing to countless others!

Do I value my life highly?

Thank you, Higher Power, for showing me that I am worth saving after all.

I will enhance my self-worth today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

God knows no distance.

~ CHARLESZETTA WADDLES ~

Newcomer

Step Twelve begins with the phrase "Having had a spiritual awakening ..." I'm disappointed to report that I've never had a vision, seen blinding light, or witnessed anything supernatural in recovery.

Sponsor

Let's look at what the whole phrase says. "Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps" reminds us that a spiritual awakening, for most of us, has been a gradual process, a consequence of a whole series of actions that we've taken over time as we've practiced Steps One through Eleven.

Sometimes, instant transformation occurs; perhaps we ourselves, though we may not have heard voices or sensed a divine presence, can remember one particular moment when things seemed to turn around for us. Whether we can recall such a moment or not, the real miracle of recovery is one that has evolved over many days and months, the miracle that we've become willing to grow and are open to doing things differently. I think of the phrase "a spiritual awakening" not as something magically conferred on us by outside forces, but as the waking up of our spirits over time.

Today, the spirit within me is awake.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Many who are active in AA work come to feel that they just can't carry on any longer. There is so much to do; so little time can be spared to do it; so few to do the work. There is a limit to their edurance. After all, a guy has just so much health, strength, and patience.

When the burdens get too heavy and too numerous, take it up with the Big Boss, tell Him you like to do His work, but that it is more than you can handle — ask Him for more help — you'll get it.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

For My Sponsee

Dear God, You have placed a new sponsee for me to welcome to our recovery world. I pray that this person will be filled with joy, peace, and serenity if it be Your will. I'll try to help. I'm not a professional counselor, medical consultant, or financial expert. I hope to be this individual's friend. I have only my experience, strength, and hope to share. I will teach the ways of the Program and help this person find his or her own answers. I can't prevent a relapse but can only carry this message—and help my sponsee find his or her own spirituality. I will listen and hear and learn from this person. I will love this individual until he or she can experience self-love—and beyond. Thank You, God, for this opportunity.

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

SLOW TO JUDGE

Many years ago a professor wrote a book in which he said that he could always tell if a person were a potential criminal by the shape of his ear! This naturally created something of a furor, and a London newspaper sent a reporter to interview old General Booth, of the Salvation Army, on the subject. The reporter said, "General, you probably have an unmatched experience of human nature in the raw. Do you believe there is such a thing as a criminal ear?"

William Booth laughed loudly through his Mosaic beard, and replied, "Why, of course there is a 'criminal ear'—and we've all got one. If it were not for the grace of God, every one of us would be doing time or deserving to."

William Booth understood human nature. You never can afford to condemn another, because in his shoes you would probably have done just as badly. Have you not noticed that sometimes after condemning someone else rather pharisaically, you have shortly afterward caught yourself in a moral failure?

Wisely did the Master say, "Judge not."

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10).

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Watch Your Bags

When it comes time to do your own life, you either perpetuate your childhood or you stand on it and finally kick it out from under.

~ Rosellen Brown ~

While peering over the edge of the airline counter, I noticed on the agent’s keypad a long strip of paper displaying a question in bold letters: “Are you carrying anything given to you by a stranger?” The notice reminded the agent to ask each passenger this question, in compliance with stricter federal aviation measures to protect airplanes from terrorism.

As the agent processed my ticket, I realized that the question is a good one for all of us: Are you carrying anything given to you by a stranger? Are you unconsciously holding any ideas, beliefs, opinions, morals, judgments, intentions, or world views that you have adopted from others? Learning values from others is natural, but unless they serve you, they are dangerous.

While our parents, teachers, and ministers taught us many valuable lessons, they also passed to us various forms of fear and prejudice. My sixth-grade teacher lived in fear of Communism. When the Russians placed their Sputnik into orbit, Mr. Kraftchick inflicted a long diatribe on our class about how the Soviets could now place nuclear bombs in their satellites and drop them all over America. Since Mr. K. was a wise teacher who ostensibly knew so much more than I did, I accepted his fearful projections, and I be–came terrified. Although this man was a good teacher in many ways, he did a great disservice to us little children by frightening us with his own insecurity. I adopted his nightmare and began to live in terror of nuclear war. When I later visited Russia, I found warm and openhearted people who had grown up fearing that people like me would drop bombs on them.

If you are in pain or fear, or have difficulty with dysfunctional patterns in a relationship or in financial areas, you may be carrying a bomb in your luggage. While you were unaware at the time you accepted it, you now have the wisdom and power to remove it.

Help me to undo illusions from my mind and heart. I pray to live in the real world of love.

I believe in the truth of God’s presence, and let all else go.