AA Thought for the Day

July 16

Freedom
We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 83-84

Thought to Ponder . . .
Serenity isn't freedom from the storm; it is peace within the storm.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H J F = Happy, Joyous, Free.

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

Paradox
"We Give Away to Keep.
That seems absurd and untrue.
How can you keep anything if you give it away?
But in order to keep whatever it is we get in AA,
we must go about giving it away to others,
for no fees or rewards of any kind.
When we cannot afford to give away what we have
received so freely in AA,
we had better get ready for our next 'drunk.'
It will happen every time.
We've got to continue to give it away in order to keep it."
- The Professor and the Paradox
1955AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous (2nd Ed.), pp. 341-2

Thought to Consider . . .
"We are not living just to be sober;
we are living to learn, to serve, and to love."
As Bill Sees It, p. 94

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H E L P = Hope, Encouragement, Love, and Patience

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

Attraction
Tradition Eleven: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
"Let's see how these two contrasting ideas - attraction and promotion - work out. A political party wishes to win an election, so it advertises the virtues of its leadership to draw votes. A worthy charity wants to raise money; forthwith, its letterhead shows the name of every distinguished person whose support can be obtained. Much of the political, economic, and religious life of the world is dependent upon publicized leadership. People who symbolize causes and ideas fill a deep human need. We of A.A. do not question that. But we do have to soberly face the fact that being in the public eye is hazardous, especially for us. By temperament, nearly every one of us had been an irrepressible promoter, and the prospect of a society composed almost entirely of promoters was frightening. Considering this explosive factor, we knew we had to exercise self-restraint."
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 181

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

"Mere change is not necessarily progress."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., October 1945
"The Book Is Born"
The Language of the Heart

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

"If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely,
or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take,
you are probably alcoholic. If that be the case, you may be
suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will
conquer."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 44~

"Faith without works was dead, he said. And how appallingly true for
the alcoholic! For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his
spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could
not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. If he did not
work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely
die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 14~

"We have begun to learn tolerance, patience and good will toward all men, even our enemies, for we look on them as sick people."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 70 (How It Works)

"We rest quietly with the thoughts of someone who knows, so that we may experience and learn."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 100 (Step Eleven)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

You know what our genius for rationalization is. If, to ourselves, we fully justify one slip, then our rationalizing propensities are almost sure to justify another one, perhaps with a different set of excuses. But one justification leads to another and presently we are back on the bottle full-time.' Experience shows, all too often, that even the 'controlled' pill-taker may get out of control. The same crazy rationalizations that once characterized his drinking begin to blight his existence. He thinks that if pills can cure insomnia so may they cure his worry. Our friends the doctors are seldom directly to blame for the dire results we so often experience. It is much too easy for alcoholics to buy these dangerous drugs, and once possessed of them the drinker is often likely to use them without any judgment whatever.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, allow me to always continue learning.

AA Thought for the Day

July 17

Sponsorship
Every sponsor is necessarily a leader. The stakes are huge.
A human life and usually the happiness of a whole family hang in the balance.
What a sponsor does and says, how well he estimates the reactions of his prospect, . . .
how well he handles criticisms, and how well he leads his prospect on by personal spiritual example --
well, these attributes of leadership can make all the difference,
often the difference between life and death.
- The Language of the Heart, p. 292

Thought to Ponder . . .
My sponsor offers me self-forgetfulness
and kinship with another human being of my own kind.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H E A R T = Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering Together.

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

Love
"For me, AA is a synthesis of all the philosophy
I've ever read,
all of the positive, good philosophy,
all of it based on love.
I have seen that there is only one law,
the law of love,
and there are only two sins;
the first is to interfere with the growth
of another human being,
and the second is to interfere with one's own growth."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 542

Thought to Consider . . .
When we love, we see in others what we wish to have in ourselves.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Hope, Acceptance, Love, Tolerance

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

Pass It On
From: "Preface"
"I'll never forget the first time I met Bill Wilson. I was a couple of months sober and so excited, so thrilled to actually meet the co-founder that I gushed all over him with what my sobriety meant to me and my undying gratitude for his starting A.A. When I ran down, he took my hand in his and said simply, Pass it on.
1984, AAWS, Inc., 'Pass It On,' page 7

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

"Self-centeredness is a poison to my emotional system. It frustrates my every effort toward a comfortable and happy existence. A terrible chain reaction begins. Fear sets in. Anger, resentment, and self-pity become my guiding forces. My only escape is to put this awful selfishness aside and become involved with the world around me."
December 1979
"The Root of Our Troubles,"
Emotional Sobriety

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

"We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can
laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness.
Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is
that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust
their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him
demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our
fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once,
we commence to outgrow fear."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 68~

"'My old manner of life was by no means a bad one, but I would not
exchange its best moments for the worst I have now. I would not go
back to it even if I could.'"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 43~

"We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 75 (Into Action)

"We rest quietly with the thoughts of someone who knows, so that we may experience and learn."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 100 (Step Eleven)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

A.A.'s of worldly prominence sometimes say, 'If I tell the public that I am in Alcoholics Anonymous, then that will bring in many others.' Thus they express the belief that our anonymity Tradition is wrong - at least for them. 'They forget that, during their drinking days, prestige and the achievement of worldly ambition were their principal aims. They do not realize that, by breaking anonymity, they are unconsciously pursuing those old and perilous illusions once more. They forget that the keeping of one's anonymity often means a sacrifice of one's desire for power, prestige, and money. They do not see that if these strivings became general in A.A., the course of our whole history would be changed; that we would be sowing the seeds of our own destruction as a society. 'Yet I can happily report that while many of us are tempted - and I have been one - few of us in America actually break our anonymity at the public-media level.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thank you for the experience that I have had. I will utilize even my most difficult experiences today by learning and growing from them.

AA Thought for the Day

July 18

Fundamental
Deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God.
It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things,
but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves,
and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives,
are facts as old as man himself.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 55

Thought to Ponder . . .
People of faith have a logical idea of what life is all about.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
F A I T H = Found Always In Trusting Him.

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

Fellowship
"We were still trying to find emotional security
by being dominating or dependent upon others.
Even when our fortunes had not ebbed that much
and we nevertheless found ourselves alone in the world,
we still vainly tried to be secure by some unhealthy
kind of domination or dependence.
For those of us who were like that,
AA had a very special meaning.
Through it we begin to learn right relations
with people who understand us;
we don't have to be alone any more."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 116-17

Thought to Consider . . .
Who we are is God's gift to us.
Who we become is our gift to God.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
Y A N A = You Are Not Alone.

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

Good Question
From: "Easy Does It"
"When we find ourselves up-tight and even frantic, we can ask ourselves occasionally, Am I really that indispensable?
or Is this hurry really necessary? What a relief to find the honest answer is frequently no! And such devices actually
serve, in the long run, not only to help us get over the drinking problem and its old ways; they also enable us to become
far more productive, because we conserve and channel our energy better. We arrange priorities more sensibly. We
learn that many actions once considered vital can be eliminated if they are thoughtfully reexamined. How much does it
really matter? is a very good question."
1998, AAWS, Inc., Living Sober, pages 45-46

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

"Isn't a donation of my time and services just as important as my donation of cash? What if my home group had
money for coffee, rent, and literature, but no one to open the meeting room and make the coffee?"
Manassas, Virginia, July 1992
"AA Needs More Than Just Money,"
AA Grapevine

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

"Sometimes we hear an alcoholic say that the only thing he needs to
do is to keep sober. Certainly he must keep sober, for there will be
no home if he doesn't. But he is yet a long way from making good to
the wife or parents whom for years he has so shockingly treated."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 82

"Another principle we observe carefully is that we do not relate
intimate experiences of another person unless we are sure he would
approve. We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own
stories. A man may criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect
others favorably, but criticism or ridicule coming from another often
produces the contrary effect."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 125

"If you have already made a decision, and an inventory of your grosser handicaps, you have made a good beginning."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 71 (How it Works)

"No defect can be corrected unless we clearly see what it is."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 58 (Step Five)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

A very tough-minded prospect was taken to his first A.A. meeting, where two speakers (or maybe lecturers) themed their talks on 'God as I understand Him.' Their attitude oozed arrogance. In fact, the final speaker got far overboard on his personal theological convictions. Both were repeating my performance of years before. Implicit in everything they said was the same idea: 'Folks, listen to us. We have the only true brand of A.A. - and you'd better get it!' The new prospect said he'd had it - and he had. His sponsor protested that this wasn't real A.A. But it was too late, nobody could touch him after that.
I see 'humility for today' as a safe and secure stance midway between violent emotional extremes. It is a quiet place where I can keep enough perspective and enough balance to take my next small step up the clearly marked road that points toward eternal values.

Prayer for the Day: Thank You for allowing me to look deeply into the root of my drinking. Please help me to understand my behavior even more so that I may grow.

AA Thought for the Day

July 19

Requirements
What if the doors to AA could really be locked against me?
What if it was possible to take away my membership?
Maybe because I hadn't paid my dues, or because I didn't meet some ethical or ethnic standards,
or maybe because I "broke the rules" by going out and getting drunk,
as I have a few times during my long association with the Fellowship?
But then I recall the Preamble, and the Third Tradition . . .
"The only requirement for AA membership," it says, "is a desire to stop drinking."
- The Home Group: Heartbeat Of AA, p. 69

Thought to Ponder . . .
AA is like an adjustable wrench, it fits almost any nut.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = All Accepted.

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

Sanity
"Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have
any idea how irrational they are,
or seeing their irrationality, can bear to face it.
Some will be willing to term themselves 'problem drinkers,'
but cannot endure the suggestion that they are in fact
mentally ill.
They are abetted in this blindness by a world
which does not understand the difference
between sane drinking and alcoholism.
'Sanity' is defined as 'soundness of mind.'
Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior,
whether the destruction fell on the
dining room furniture or his own moral fiber,
can claim 'soundness of mind' for himself."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 32-3

Thought to Consider . . .
If you think you have a problem with alcohol,
you probably do.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
D U E S = Desperately Using Everything but Sobriety

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

Consensus
>From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"At first they wanted the word 'God' deleted from the book entirely. Henry had come to believe in some sort of 'universal power,' but Jimmy still flabbergasted us by denouncing God at our meetings. Some members had been so angered that they wanted to throw him out of the group. But most of us thought it better to let him talk on, believing that eventually he would change his mind, which he later did. What Henry [P.], Jimmy [B.], and company wanted was a psychological book which would lure the alcoholic in. Once in, the prospect could take God or leave Him alone as he wished. To the rest of us this was a shocking proposal, but happily we listened and eventually learned something of great value. Actually our group conscience was at work to construct the most acceptable and effective book possible. Every voice in it was playing its appointed part to create an outcome that was to be nothing less than providential."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 162-163

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

"The part of my job that always catches me off-guard is the palpable jolt of pleasure I get from the little ways to be helpful -- to be of service -- to others, for which they are so genuinely grateful."
York Harbor, Maine, October 2001
"We Get What We Get,"
Emotional Sobriety

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

"Most of us sense that real tolerance of other people´s shortcomings
and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which
make us more useful to others."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 19~

"What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 85 (Step Five)

"But also like others, we often discover a greater challenge in the lesser and more continuous problems of life."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 114 (Step Twelve)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

When World War II broke out, our A.A. dependence on a Higher Power had its first major test. A.A.'s entered the services and were scattered all over the world. Would they be able to take discipline, stand up under fire, and endure the monotony and misery of war? Would the kind of dependence they had learned in A.A. carry them through? Well, it did. They had even fewer alcoholic lapses or emotional binges than A.A.'s safe at home did. They were just as capable of endurance and valor as any other soldiers. Whether in Alaska or on the Salerno beachhead, their dependence upon a Higher Power worked. Far from being a weakness, this dependence was their chief source of strength.

Prayer for the Day: May I meet each challenge and unpleasant emotion today with a loving, wise heart.

AA Thought for the Day

July 20

Instincts
Creation gave us instincts for a purpose. Without them we wouldn't be complete human beings. . .
Yet, these instincts, so necessary for our existence, often far exceed their proper functions. . .
Nearly every serious emotional problem can be seen as a case of misdirected instinct.
When that happens, our great natural assets, the instincts, have turned into physical and mental liabilities.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 42

Thought to Ponder . . .
Once we understand ourselves, the rest of living falls in line.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Attitude Adjustment.

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

Fear
"Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied
drives us to covet the possessions of others,
to lust for sex and power,
to become angry when our instinctive demands
are threatened,
to be envious when the ambitions of others
seem to be realized while ours are not.
We eat, drink, and grab for more of everything than we need,
fearing we shall never have enough.
And with genuine alarm at the prospect of work,
we stay lazy.
We loaf and procrastinate,
or at best work grudgingly and under half steam.
These fears are the termites that ceaselessly devour
the foundations of whatever sort of life we try to build."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 49

Thought to Consider . . .
Fear is a darkroom for developing negatives

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Forgetting Everything's All Right

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

Wholeness
>From "This Spirit Touch":
"I believe completeness is waiting for anyone who will take the time to make the effort, through quiet thinking, honest
prayer, chosen reading, and exercise. Those are the ingredients. It is an adventure so worthwhile that all else fades in
comparison, yet it makes all else worthwhile. Richmond, Virginia, USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 66

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

"Life is lived moment to moment ... and every moment provides me with an opportunity for growth."
Madison, Wisconsin, November 2010
"Drama Queen,"
Emotional Sobriety II

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

"When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we
resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have
we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another
person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we
have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or
were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could
pack into the stream of life? But we must be careful not to drift
into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our
usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God's
forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 86~

"Perhaps there is a better way--we think so. For we are now on a
different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We
trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the
world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as
we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us
to match calamity with serenity."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 68~

"Much to our relief, we discovered we did not need to consider another's conception of God. Our own conception,
however inadequate, was sufficient to make the approach and to effect a contact with Him."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 46 (We Agnostics)

"By their example they showed us that humility and intellect could be compatible, provided we placed humility first.
When we began to do that, we received the gift of faith, a faith which works."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 30 (Step Two)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Any number of alcoholics are bedeviled by the dire conviction that if ever they go near A.A. they will be pressured to conform to some particular brand of faith or theology. They just don't realize that faith is never an imperative for A.A. membership; that sobriety can be achieved with an easily acceptable minimum of it, and that our concepts of a Higher Power and God - as we understand Him - afford everyone a nearly unlimited choice of spiritual belief and action.
In talking to a prospect, stress the spiritual feature freely. If the man be agnostic or atheist, make it emphatic that he does not have to agree with your conception of God. He can choose any conception he likes, provided it makes sense to him. The main thing is that he be willing to believe in a Power greater than himself and that he live by spiritual principles.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thank you for allowing me to have faith even when I don't understand it.

AA Thought for the Day

July 21

Today
But today is always here. Life is daily; today is all we have;
and anybody can go one day without drinking.
First, we try living in the now just in order to stay sober -- and it works.
Once the idea has become a part of our thinking, we find that living life in 24-hour segments
is an effective and satisfying way to handle many other matters as well.
- Living Sober, p. 7

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

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
S I T = Stay In Today.

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

Defects
"What we must recognize now is that
we exult in some of our defects.
We really love them.
Who, for example, doesn't like to feel
just a little superior to the next fellow,
or even quite a lot superior?
Isn't it true that we like to let greed masquerade as ambition?
To think of liking lust seems impossible.
But how many men and women speak love with their lips,
and believe what they say,
so they can hide lust in a dark corner of their minds?
And even while staying within conventional bounds,
many people have to admit
that their imaginary sex excursions are apt to be
all dressed up as dreams of romance."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 66-7

Thought to Consider . . .
If I want God to remove my character defects,
I'll have to stop doing them.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B A T H = Behavior, Attitude, Thinking, and Habits

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

Control the Situation
From: "Bill's Story"
Liquor ceased to be a luxury; it became a necessity. "Bathtub" gin, two bottles a day, and often three, got to be routine. Sometimes a small deal would net a few hundred dollars, and I would pay my bills at the bars and delicatessens. This went on endlessly, and I began to waken very early in the morning shaking violently. A tumbler full of gin followed by half a dozen bottles of beer would be required if I were to eat any breakfast. Nevertheless, I still thought I could control the situation, and there were periods of sobriety which renewed my wife's hope.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 5

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

"By the fall of 1937 we could count what looked like forty recovered members. One of us had been sober three years, another two and a half, and a fair number had a year or more behind them. As all of us had been hopeless cases, this amount of time elapsed began to be significant. The realization that we 'had found something' began to take hold of us. No longer were we a dubious experiment. Alcoholics could stay sober."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., October 1945
"The Book Is Born"
The Language of the Heart

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

"When ready, we say something like this: 'My Creator, I am now
willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you
now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in
the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as
I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.' We have then
completed Step Seven."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 76~

"I knew from that moment that I had an alcoholic mind. I saw that
will power and self-knowledge would not help in those strange mental
blank spots. I had never been able to understand people who said
that a problem had them hopelessly defeated. I knew then. It was a
crushing blow."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 42~

"We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears,
though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we
made our own misery. God didn't do it. Avoid then, the
deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully
capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 133~

"We relax and take it easy."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 86 (Into Action)

"His sponsor probably says, 'Take it easy.'"
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 26 (Step Two)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Not all large decisions can be well made by simply listing the pros and cons of a given situation, helpful and necessary as this process is. We cannot always depend on what seems to us to be logical. When there is doubt about our logic, we wait upon God and listen for the voice of intuition. If, in meditation, that voice is persistent enough, we may well gain sufficient confidence to act upon that, rather than upon logic. 'If, after an exercise of these two disciplines, we are still uncertain, then we should ask for further guidance and, when possible, defer important decisions for a time. By then, with more knowledge of our situation, logic and intuition may well agree upon a right course. 'But if the decision must be now, let us not evade it through fear. Right or wrong, we can always profit from the experience.

Prayer for the Day: I pray for the ability to laugh and have fun, to take it easy today, and to not take myself so seriously.

AA Thought for the Day

July 22

Humility
The attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of AA's Twelve Steps.
For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all. . .
Without it, they cannot live to much useful purpose, or, in adversity,
be able to summon the faith that can meet any emergency.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 70

Thought to Ponder . . .
Humility is not thinking less of myself, but thinking of my self less.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
C H A N G E = Choosing Humility Allows New Gifts and Energy.

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

Obsession
"Most of us have been unwilling to admit
we were real alcoholics.
No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different
from his fellows.
Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers
have been characterized by countless vain attempts
to prove we could drink like other people.
The idea that somehow, someday he will control
and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession
of every abnormal drinker.
The persistence of this illusion is astonishing.
Many pursue it into the gates of insanity and death.
We learned that we had to fully concede
to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics.
This is the first step to recovery."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 30

Thought to Consider . . .
An obsession:
A persistent, recurring idea
that does not respond to reason.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T R U S T = Try Relying Upon Steps and Traditions

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

Almost
Tradition Ten: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn
into public controversy.
The Washingtonian Society, a movement among alcoholics which started in Baltimore a century ago, almost
discovered the answer to alcoholism. At first, the society was composed entirely of alcoholics trying to help one
another. The early members foresaw that they should dedicate themselves to this sole aim. In many respects, the
Washingtonians were akin to A.A. of today. Their membership passed the hundred thousand mark. Had they been left
to themselves, and had they stuck to their one goal, they might have found the rest of the answer. But this didn't
happen. Instead, the Washingtonians permitted politicians and reformers, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, to use the
society for their own purposes. Abolition of slavery, for example, was a stormy political issue then. Soon,
Washingtonian speakers violently and publicly took sides on this question. Maybe the society could have survived the
abolition controversy, but it didn't have a chance from the moment it determined to reform America's drinking habits.
When the Washingtonians became temperance crusaders, within a very few years they had completely lost their
effectiveness in helping alcoholics.
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 178

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

"I still don't know much about heaven, but I've learned some valuable lessons about life on earth."
December 1979
"The Root of Our Troubles,"
Emotional Sobriety

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

"We alcoholics are sensitive people. It takes some of us a long time
to outgrow that serious handicap."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 125~

"I have seen hundreds of families set their feet in the path that
really goes somewhere; have seen the most impossible domestic
situations righted; feuds and bitterness of all sorts wiped out. I
have seen men come out of asylums and resume a vital place in the
lives of their families and communities. Business and professional
men have regained their standing. There is scarcely any form of
trouble and misery which has not been overcome among us."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, Page 15~

“The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 98

“Some people are unable to stay sober at all; others will relapse periodically until they really clean house.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 56

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Gradually we began to be able to accept the other fellow's sins as well as his virtues. We coined the potent and meaningful expression 'Let us always love the best in others - and never fear their worst.'
Finally, we begin to see that all people, including ourselves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong. When this happens, we approach true tolerance and we see what real love for our fellows actually means.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, let me work in Your will today, on Your time.

AA Thought for the Day

July 23

A New Life
When we work at our Twelve Steps,
the old life of guzzling and fuzzy thinking, and all that goes with it, gradually dies,
and we acquire a different and better way of life.
As our shortcomings are removed, one of us dies, and another life of us lives.
We in AA die to live.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 156

Thought to Ponder . . .
Life will take on new meaning.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alive.

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

Ambition
" . . . the certainty that we are no longer isolated
in self-constructed prisons,
the surety that we need no longer be
square pegs in round holes
but can fit and belong in God's scheme of things -
these are the permanent and legitimate satisfactions of
right living for which no amount of pomp and
circumstance,
no heap of material possessions,
could possibly be substitutes.
True ambition is not what we thought it was.
True ambition is the deep desire
to live usefully and walk humbly under
the grace of God."
1953AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 124-5

Thought to Consider . . .
The mighty oak tree was once a little nut
that held its ground.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F I T = Faith, Intuition, and Trust

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

Small Miracles
From: "A Late Start"
Small miracles keep offering new opportunities just when I need change and growth. New friends have shown me hidden truths in those sayings that I once found so shallow. The lessons of tolerance and acceptance have taught me to look beyond exterior appearances to find the help and wisdom so often lurking beneath the surface. All my sobriety and growth, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, are dependent upon my willingness to listen, understand, and change.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 542

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

"A large part of my recovery has been in learning how not to listen to myself."
Tucson, Arizona, March 1988
"The Work at Hand,"
Emotional Sobriety

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

"We are people who normally would not mix. But there exists among us
a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding which is
indescribably wonderful."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 17~

"Now and then the family will be plagued by spectres from the past,
for the drinking career of almost every alcoholic has been marked by
escapades, funny, humiliating, shameful or tragic. The first impulse
will be to bury these skeletons in a dark closet and padlock the
door. The family may be possessed by the idea that future happiness
can be based only upon forgetfulness of the past. We think that such
a view is self-centered and in direct conflict with the new way of
living."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 123~

“If he is to find God, the desire must come from within.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 95

“Calm, thoughtful reflection upon personal relations can deepen our insight.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 80

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Since most of us are born with an abundance of natural desires, it isn't strange that we often let these far exceed their intended purpose. When they drive us blindly, or we willfully demand that they supply us with more satisfactions or pleasures than are possible or due us, that is the point at which we depart from the degree of perfection that God wishes for us here on earth. That is the measure of our character defects, or, if you wish, of our sins.
If we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions. But in no case does He render us white as snow and keep us that way without our cooperation. That is something we are supposed to be willing to work toward ourselves. He asks only that we try as best we know how to make progress in the building of character.

Prayer for the Day: "Higher Power, help me live in accordance with spiritual principles. Only then can I approve of myself."

AA Thought for the Day

July 24

Helping Others
We realize now that we were excessively self-centered,
chiefly concerned about our feelings, our problems, other people's reactions to us,
and our own past and future.
Therefore, trying to get into communication with and help other people is a recovery measure for us,
because it helps take us out of ourselves.
Trying to heal ourselves by helping others works, even when it is an insincere gesture.
Try it some time.
- Living Sober, p. 85

Thought to Ponder . . .
Trust God. Clean house. Help others.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
E S H = Experience, Strength and Hope.

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

Self-will
"The first requirement is that we be convinced
that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success.
On that basis we are almost always
in collision with something or somebody,
even though our motives are good.
Most people try to live by self-propulsion.
Each person is like an actor who wants
to run the whole show;
is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet,
the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way.
If his arrangements would only stay put,
if only people would do as he wished,
the show would be great.
Everybody, including himself, would be pleased.
Life would be wonderful."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 60-1

Thought to Consider . . .
It's not making a mistake that will kill me.
It's defending it that does the damage.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
N U T S = Not Using The Steps

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

Orderly Transfer
From: "When AA Came of Age"
The full attendance of thousands of A.A.s at St. Louis, representing an accurate cross-section of A.A. opinion, now sat
in convention before us. On the auditorium stage was the Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous, about a
hundred men and women who were the named and chosen representatives of the whole fellowship. The Conference,
having completed the fifth year of its experimental period with a record of high success, was no longer an experiment.
It was the instrument destined to become the heart of A.A.'s Third Legacy of Service and the whole of A.A.'s
conscience, world-wide.
In the simple ceremony that followed, I offered a resolution to the effect that our society should now take its affairs into
its own hands and that its Conference ought to become the permanent successor to the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Amid a roar of acclamation from the floor, the Convention carried that resolution. There was silence, and then we
heard chairman Smith offer the resolution to the Conference for its confirmation. A simple show of hands expressed
the consent of the Conference and marked the exact moment when A.A. came of age. It was four o'clock. [July 3, 1955]
1985, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, page 47

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

"Sobriety is a constant process of uncovering, discovering, and discarding."
Craig, Colorado, January 1997
"Paying the Price for Improvement,"
Emotional Sobriety II

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

"Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man,
woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured
by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or
other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and
miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as
old as man himself."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 55

"We have three little mottoes which are apropos.
Here they are:
First Things First
Live and Let Live
Easy Does It."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 135~

"An illness of this sort—and we have come to believe it an
illness—involves those about us in a way no other human sickness can.
If a person has cancer all are sorry for him and no one is angry or
hurt. But not so with the alcoholic illness, for with it there goes
annihilation of all the things worth while in life."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 18~

“If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to let God take us to better things, we believe we
will be forgiven and will have learned our lesson.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 70

“If we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 65

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

I used to take comfort from an exaggerated belief in my own honesty. My New England kinfolk had taught me the sanctity of all business commitments and contracts, saying, 'A man's word is his bond.' After this rigorous conditioning, business honesty always came easy; I never flim-flammed anyone.
However, this small fragment of readily won virtue did produce some interesting liabilities. 1 never failed to whip up a fine contempt for those of my fellow Wall Streeters who were prone to shortchange their customers. This was arrogant enough, but the ensuing self-deception proved even worse.
My prized business honesty was presently converted into a comfortable cloak under which I could hide the many serious flaws that beset other departments of my life. Being certain of this one virtue, it was easy to conclude that I had them all. For years on end, this prevented me from taking a good look at myself.

Prayer for the Day: "Mistakes aren't tragedies. But please, Higher Power, help me learn from them!"

AA Thought for the Day

July 25

Expectations
Peace is possible for me only when I let go of expectations.
When I am trapped in thoughts about what I want and what should be coming to me,
I'm in a state of fear or anxious anticipation and this is not conducive to emotional sobriety.
I must surrender -- over and over -- to my dependence on God,
for then I find peace, gratitude and spiritual security.
- Daily Reflections, p. 197

Thought to Ponder . . .
My disappointments are equal to my expectations.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
K I S S = Keep It Simple; Surrender.

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

New Life
"We die to live.
That is a beautiful paradox straight out of the Biblical idea of being "born again" or "in losing one's life to find it."
When we work at our Twelve Steps,
the old life of guzzling and fuzzy thinking,
and all that goes with it, gradually dies,
and we acquire a different and a better way of life.
As our shortcomings are removed, one life of us dies,
and another life of us lives.
We in AA die to live."
1955AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd edition., pp. 341-2

Thought to Consider . . .
Life didn't end when I got sober -- it started.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T H I N K = The Happiness I Never Knew

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

Accept My Humanness
From: "A Nourishing Ingredient
Where humility had formerly stood for a forced feeding on humble pie, it now begins to mean the nourishing ingredient
which can give us serenity.
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 74
How often do I focus on my problems and frustrations? When I am having a "good day" these same problems shrink in
importance and my preoccupation with them dwindles. Wouldn't it be better if I could find a key to unlock the "magic" of
my "good days" for use on the woes of my "bad days"?
I already have the solution! Instead of trying to run away from my pain and wish my problems away, I can pray for
humility! Humility will heal the pain. Humility will take me out of myself. Humility, that strength granted to me by that
"power greater than myself," is mine for the asking! Humility will bring balance back into my life. Humility will allow me
to accept my humanness joyously.
1990, AAWS, Inc., Daily Reflections, page 204

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

"I did not know what real happiness was when I came through the doors of AA. I needed someone to teach me."
One On One: AA Sponsorship in Action
Greensboro, North Carolina, May 2003
"Shopping for a Sponsor,"

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

"On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We
consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to
direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-
pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Under these conditions we
can employ our mental faculties with assurance, for after all God
gave us brains to use. Our thought-life will be placed on a much
higher plane when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 86~

"Liquor ceased to be a luxury; it became a necessity."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 5~

“Patience and good temper are most necessary.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 111

“Could we then foresee that troublesome people were to become our principal teachers of patience and tolerance?”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 141

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

While praying sincerely, we still may fall into temptation. We form ideas as to what we think God's will is for other
people. We say to ourselves, 'This one ought to be cured of his fatal malady' or 'That one ought to be relieved of his
emotional pain,' and we pray for these specific things.
Such prayers, of course, are fundamentally good acts, but often they are based upon a supposition that we know
God's will for the person for whom we pray. This means that side by side with an earnest prayer there can be a certain
amount of presumption and conceit in us.
It is A.A.'s experience that particularly in these cases we ought to pray that God's will, whatever it is, be done for others
as well as for ourselves.

Prayer for the Day: "Higher Power, grant me the wisdom to know the difference between what can be changed and what I must accept. Please help me gratefully accept the life I've been given."

AA Thought for the Day

July 26

Emotional Sobriety
Those adolescent urges that so many of us have for top approval, perfect security, and perfect romance
-- urges quite appropriate to age seventeen -- prove to be an impossible way of life when we are at age forty-seven or fifty-seven.
Since AA began, I've taken immense wallops in all these areas because of my failure to grow up, emotionally and spiritually.
My God, how painful it is to keep demanding the impossible, and how very painful to discover, finally,
that all along we have had the cart before the horse!
- The Language of the Heart, p. 236

Thought to Ponder . . .
Spiritual and emotional growth does not depend so much upon success as it does upon failures and setbacks.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A G O = Another Growth Opportunity.

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

The Gift
"When asked, 'Are there any conditions?'
we joyfully reply, 'No, not a one.'
When skeptically he comes back saying,
'But certainly there must be things
that I have to do and believe,' we quickly answer,
'In Alcoholics Anonymous there are no musts.'
Cynically, perhaps, he then inquires,
'What is all this going to cost me?'
We are able to laugh and say,
'Nothing at all, there are no fees and dues.'
Thus, in a brief hour, is our friend disarmed
of his suspicion and rebellion . . .
Alcoholics Anonymous is saying,
'We have something precious to give,
if only you will receive.'
That is all."
Bill W., February 1948
1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 79

Thought to Consider . . .
Sobriety is a gift, not a right

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T S = Getting It From The Steps

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

Stories
>From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"We had not gone much farther with the text of the book when it was evident that something more was needed. There would have to be a story or case history section. We would have to produce evidence in the form of living proof, written testimonials of our membership itself. It was felt also that the story section could identify us with the distant reader in a way that the text itself might not. At this point Dr. Bob and the Akronites played a vital role. The Akron group was the larger and had more case history material, and the means of putting it into story form now appeared. Two years earlier a former newspaperman, Jim S., had been lifted off skid row and nursed back to health and sobriety. Jim and Dr. Bob went after all the Akronites who had substantial sobriety records for testimonial material. In most cases Jim interviewed the prospects and wrote their stories for them. Dr. Bob wrote his own. By January the Akronites had produced eighteen fine stories."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 164

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

"My local meetings are big on this spot-check reminder: you get what you get; it's what you do with it that counts."
York Harbor, Maine, October 2001
"We Get What We Get,"
Emotional Sobriety

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

"We think it no concern of ours what religious bodies our members
identify themselves with as individuals. This should be an entirely
personal affair which each one decides for himself in the light of
past associations, or his present choice."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 28

"To sum up about sex: We earnestly pray for the right ideal, for
guidance in each questionable situation, for sanity, and for the
strength to do the right thing. If sex is very troublesome, we throw
ourselves the harder into helping others. We think of their needs
and work for them. This takes us out of ourselves. It quiets the
imperious urge, when to yield would mean heartache."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 70~

“If we were to live, we had to be free of anger.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 66

“We had to see that when we harbored grudges and planned revenge for such defeats, we were really beating ourselves with the club of anger we had intended to use on others.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 47

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

It seems proved that A.A. can stand on its own feet anywhere and under any conditions. It has outgrown any dependence it might once have had upon the personalities or efforts of a few of the older members like me. New, able, and vigorous people keep coming to the surface, turning up where they are needed. Besides, A.A. has reached enough spiritual maturity to know that its final dependence is upon God.'
Clearly, our first duty to A.A.'s future is to maintain in full strength what we now have. Only the most vigilant caretaking can assure this. Never should we be lulled into complacent self-satisfaction by the wide acclaim and success that are everywhere ours. This is the subtle temptation which could render us stagnant today, perchance disintegrate us tomorrow. We have always rallied to meet and transcend failure and crisis. Problems have been our stimulants. How well, though, shall we be able to meet the problems of success?

Prayer for the Day: "Higher Power, help me discover what's most important in my life. Help me learn patience, so that I can devote my resources to the important things."

AA Thought for the Day

July 27

How It Works
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. . . .
If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it
-- then you are ready to take certain steps.
At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not.
With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58

Thought to Ponder . . .
It works -- it really does.

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

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

Way of Life
"The AA way of life is the way we always
should have tried to live.
'Grant us the serenity to accept the things
we cannot change,
courage to change the things we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.'
These thoughts become part of our daily lives.
They are not ideas of resignation
but of the recognition of certain
basic facts of living."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 382-3

Thought to Consider . . .
Every day is a gift.
That is why we call it the present.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B E S T = Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?

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

Progress
>From "A Glacier Melts":
"A.A. provided for me a means by which I could overcome the compulsion to drink and, more important, a means by
which I could achieve a personality change or spiritual awakening--- a surrender to life. Though I have had problems
and deep troubles since that summer ten years ago, my faith has not been shaken. I cannot say that I have found God
as I understand Him, but rather that I have faith in Something which remains a mystery to me and which I continue to
seek. - Fresno, California, USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 59

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

"The great art of living is to make the best of things as they are."
Cumbria, June 1975
"The Great Art of Living,"
Emotional Sobriety II

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

"Step Eleven suggests prayer and meditation. We shouldn't be shy on this matter of prayer. Better men than we are
using it constantly."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 85

“We thank God from the bottom of our heart that we know Him better."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 75

“Prayer is the raising of the heart and mind to God – and in this sense it includes meditation.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 102

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We were squarely confronted with the question of faith. We couldn't duck the issue. Some of us had already walked
along the bridge of reason toward the desired shore of faith, where friendly hands stretched out in welcome. We were
grateful that reason had brought us so far. But, somehow, we couldn't quite step ashore. Perhaps we had been relying
too heavily on reason that last mile, and we did not like to lose our support.
Yet, without knowing it, had we not been brought to where we stood by a certain kind of faith? For did we not believe in
our own reasoning? Did we not have confidence in our ability to think? What was that but a sort of faith? Yes, we had
been faithful, abjectly faithful to the god of reason. So, in one way or another, we discovered that faith had been
involved all the time!

Prayer for the Day: "Higher Power, help me serve other people, not demand that they serve me."

AA Thought for the Day

July 28

The Ladder
No one who drank as I did wakes up on the edge of the abyss one morning and says:
Things look pretty scary; I think I'd better stop drinking before I fall in.
I was convinced I could go as far as I wanted, and then climb back out when it wasn't fun anymore.
What happened was, I found myself at the bottom of the canyon thinking I'd never see the sun again.
AA didn't pull me out of that hole.
It did give me the tools to construct a ladder, with Twelve Steps.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 316

Thought to Ponder . . .
The elevator is broken -- use the Steps.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
S T E P S = Solutions Through Each Powerful Step.

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

Trouble
"There was a time when we ignored trouble,
hoping it would go away.
Or, in fear and depression, we ran from it,
but found it was still with us.
Often, full of unreason, bitterness, and blame,
we fought back.
These mistaken attitudes, powered by alcohol,
guaranteed our destruction,
unless they were altered. . .
Then came AA.
Surprisingly, we found that our troubles could,
under God's grace,
be converted into unimaginable blessings."
Bill W., Letter, 1966
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 110

Thought to Consider . . .
The peaks and valleys of my life
have become gentle rolling hills.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S O B E R = Son Of a Basket, Everything's Real

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

Why?
From: "There Is A Solution"
Why does he behave like this? If hundreds of experiences have shown him that one drink means another debacle with all its attendant suffering and humiliation, why is it he takes that one drink? Why can't he stay on the water wagon? What has become of the common sense and will power that he still sometimes displays with respect to other matters?
Perhaps there never will be a full answer to these questions. Opinions vary considerably as to why the alcoholic reacts differently from normal people. We are not sure why, once a certain point is reached, little can be done for him. We cannot answer the riddle.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 22

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

"Every older AA shudders when he remembers the names of persons he once condemned; people he confidently predicted would never sober up; persons he was sure ought to be thrown out of AA for the good of the movement. Now that some of these very persons have been sober for years, and may be numbered among his best friends, the old-timer thinks to himself, 'What if everybody had judged these people as I once did? What if AA had slammed the door in their faces? Where would they be now?'"
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., August 1946
"Who Is a Member of Alcoholics Anonymous?"
The Language of the Heart

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

"Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the
past. We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out
of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we
haven't the will to do this, we ask until it comes. Remember it was
agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over
alcohol."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg.76~

"Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect
produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they
admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the
true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only
normal one. They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless
they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes
at once by taking a few drinks—drinks which they see others
taking with impunity."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Doctor's Opinion, pg. xxviii~

“In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 66

“This improved perception of humility starts another revolutionary change in our outlook.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 74

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

It was discovered that when one alcoholic had planted in the mind of another the true nature of his malady, that person could never be the same again. Following every spree, he would say to himself, Maybe those A.A.'s were right. After a few such experiences, often before the onset of extreme difficulties, he would return to us convinced.
In the first years, those of us who sobered up in A.A. had been grim and utterly hopeless cases. But then we began to have success with milder alcoholics and even some potential alcoholics. Younger folks appeared. Lots of people turned up who still had jobs, homes, health, and even good social standing.
Of course, it was necessary for these newcomers to hit bottom emotionally. But they did not have to hit every possible bottom in order to admit that they were licked.

Prayer for the Day: "Higher Power, help me bend with life's wind and glory in its passing. Free me from rigidity."

AA Thought for the Day

July 29

Honesty
I know the biggest word for me in AA is "honesty."
I don't believe this program would work for me if I didn't get honest with myself about everything.
Honesty is the easiest word for me to understand because it is the exact opposite of what I've been doing all my life.
Therefore, it will be the hardest to work on.
But I will never be totally honest -- that would make me perfect, and none of us can claim to be perfect.
Only God is.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, pp. 400-401

Thought to Ponder . . .
Honesty is the absence of the intent to deceive.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
O D A A T = One Day At A Time.

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

Courage
"We never apologize to anyone
for depending upon our Creator.
We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness.
Paradoxically, it is the way of strength.
The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage.
All men of faith have courage.
They trust their God. We never apologize for God.
Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us,
what He can do.
We ask Him to remove our fear and direct
our attention to what He would have us be.
At once, we commence to outgrow fear."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 68

Thought to Consider . . .
The peaks and valleys of my life
have become gentle rolling hills.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S O B E R = Son Of a Basket, Everything's Real

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

Spirit of Service
Tradition Nine: A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly
responsible to those they serve.
A.A. has to function, but at the same time it must avoid those dangers of great wealth, prestige, and entrenched power
which necessarily tempt other societies. Though Tradition Nine at first sight seems to deal with a purely practical
matter, in its actual operation it discloses a society without organization, animated only by the spirit of service - a true fellowship.
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 175

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

"Every day, every meeting, there's something more to learn."
Arlington, Virginia, October 1997
"Chair Master,"
Emotional Sobriety II

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

"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to
Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give
freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the
Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you
trudge the Road of Happy Destiny."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 164

"My drinking assumed more serious proportions, continuing all day and
almost every night. The remonstrances of my friends terminated in a
row and I became a lone wolf."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 3~

“Admitting he may be somewhat at fault, he is sure that other people are more to blame.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 61

“Where other people were concerned, we had to drop the word ”blame” from our speech and thought.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 47

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

At Step Three, many of us said to our Maker, as we understood Him: 'God, I offer myself to Thee - to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that my transcendence over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy power, Thy love, and Thy way of life. May I do Thy will always!'
We thought well before taking this Step, making sure we were ready. Then we could commence to abandon ourselves utterly to Him.

Prayer for the Day: "God, I admit my powerlessness and the unmanageability of my life. Help me live with others as an equal, dependent upon you for direction and strength."

AA Thought for the Day

July 30

Growing Up in AA
Life is meant to be lived by facing the challenges it brings. Otherwise, I'm not living, just existing.
God didn't give me this gift of sobriety to sit in a rocking chair,
imagining myself as some old wise woman who has arrived somewhere.
There is no easier, softer way.
- The Best Of The Grapevine [Vol.3], p. 320

Thought to Ponder . . .
Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional, growing spiritually is up to me.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
G R O W T H = God Reveals Other Wways To Heal.

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

Daybreak
"On awakening let us think about the
twenty-four hours ahead.
We consider our plans for the day.
Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking,
especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity,
dishonest or self-seeking motives.
Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties
with assurance,
for after all God gave us brains to use.
Our thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane
when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 86

Thought to Consider . . .
At first, I thought the "God thing" was a crutch.
Turns out to be stilts.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A S A P = Always Say A Prayer

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

Friendship and Respect
From: "Another Chance"
Since I have been in A.A., I have more friends than I ever had in my life - friends who care about me and my welfare, friends who don't care that I am black and that I have been in prison. All they care about is that I am a human being and that I want to stay sober. Since I've been home, I have been able to gain the respect of my two sons again.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 534

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

"The alcoholic is in no greater peril than when he takes his sobriety for granted."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., November 1949
"A Suggestion for Thanksgiving"
The Language of the Heart

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

"...I humbly offered myself to God, as I then I understood Him, to do
with me as He would. I placed myself unreservedly under His care and
direction. I admitted for the first time that of myself I was
nothing; that without Him I was lost. I ruthlessly faced my sins and
became willing to have my new-found Friend take them away, root and
branch."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 13~

"As each member of a resentful family begins to see his shortcomings
and admits them to the others, he lays a basis for helpful discussion. These
family talks will be constructive if they can be carried on without heated
argument, self-pity, self-justification or resentful criticism."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 127~

"The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 17 (There is a Solution)

"So why shouldn't we share our way of life with everyone?"
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 156 (Tradition Six)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We saw we needn't always be bludgeoned and beaten into humility. It could come quite as much from our voluntary reaching for it as it could from unremitting suffering.
We first reach for a little humility, knowing that we shall perish of alcoholism if we do not. After a time, though we may still rebel somewhat, we commence to practice humility because this is the right thing to do. Then comes the day when, finally freed in large degree from rebellion, we practice humility because we deeply want it as a way of life.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thank You for all that You have given me to share with my fellows.