newby1961

BEGIN WHERE YOU ARE

We feel that elimination of our drinking is but a beginning. A much more important demonstration of our principles lies before US in our respective homes, occupations and affairs.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 19

It's usually pretty easy for me to be pleasant to the people in an A.A. setting. While I'm working to stay sober, I'm celebrating with my fellow A.A.'s our common release from the hell of drinking. It's often not so hard to spread glad tidings to my old and new friends in the program. At home or at work, though, it can be a different story. It is in situations arising in both of those areas that the little day-to-day frustrations are most evident, and where it can be tough to smile or reach out with a kind word or an attentive ear. It's outside of the A.A. rooms that I face the real test of the effectiveness of my walk through A.A.'s Twelve Steps.

c 1990 Daily Reflections Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, INC.

Fernaceman

Practice these principles in ALL my affairs. That means a lot more to me now than it did, before. Before, I was living a life that sometimes included visiting AA. Now, I am living an AA-based life that includes visiting the real world.

stepping

We spoke about this at my beginners grad class meeting. The lead called us (new sponsees-newcomers) pigions. He said we were to carry the message in all of our affairs not just in the rooms where it's easy to do. Practice this in all areas of our lifes. I strive daily for this. When the day is done I sit quietly with God and ask what could I have done different today to be a better person in the "real" world. I got a lot of learning to do, I admit. It's amazing how many small things I didn't even realize when doing can be improved upon. Such small actions can make a HUGE difference.

paul99

I didn't go to AA to hide in AA. My life goes on after the end of the meeting, it is not the meeting itself. For me to wax poetic and spiritual during a meeting and then go out and kick the dog, scream at the kids and cheat on my wife doesn't reflect the spiritual principles that I need to demonstrate in my life. I am also not in AA to impress anyone in AA. But what I need to do is take what I have learned in AA and apply it to my home and work lives. Funny, it is at work that I initially learned a lot of my spiritual lessons from AA. I was able to practice a lot of what I needed to do (forgiveness, tolerance, patience, prayer, etc) and it flowed out to everywhere else.

I sometimes approach others like they were guys and gals standing around at a meeting...coming at them with more compassion, more good tidings and more acceptance than I would normally. Amazing how it makes the other people feel and how it keeps me more grounded and connected.

I will try that again tonight at work

IndaMiricale

I did go in AA and hide in it.. And thats just what I needed. For the "real" world had just chewed me up and I barley escaped its death grip..

Today I can go out with my head high into all areas of the world arena...

But if I ever get "scared" I pray and find a meeting. Where I know I am safe..

CaiHong

This one is so important for me at the moment. I know when I am slipping,my litmus test is my reaction to other users of the road. Taxi nearly wiped me out by opening his car door after parking a few meters from the curb to chek out the latest mobile phones.

I haven't done this for a few months, I take photos of the car ID plates, position of car not that I am going to do anything with it, just to put the wind up them and give them cause to worry.
In my rational moments, the taxi didn't hit me, it scared me. The driver is an ignorant so and so, not unlike most of the users on the road that is a fact that you cannot change. Your silly taking of photos achieves nothing. Now what is really bothering you?
CaiHong