Patcha

Daily Reflections

. . . AND NO MORE RESERVATIONS

We have seen the truth again and again: "Once an
alcoholic, always an alcoholic.". . . If we are
planning to stop drinking, there must be no reservation
of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we
will be immune to alcohol. . . . To be gravely affected,
one does not necessarily have to drink a long time nor
take the quantities some of us have. This is
particularly true of women. Potential female alcoholics
often turn into the real thing and are gone beyond
recall in a few years.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 33

These words are underlined in my book. They are true for
men and women alcoholics. On many occasions I've turned
to this page and reflected on this passage. I need never
fool myself by recalling my sometimes differing drinking
patterns, or by believing I am "cured." I like to think
that, if sobriety is God's gift to me, then my sober
life is my gift to God. I hope that God is as happy with
His gift as I am with mine.

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

Strength comes from the fellowship you find when you come
into A.A. Just being with men and women who have found
the way out gives you a feeling of security. You listen
to the speakers, you talk with other members, and you
absorb the atmosphere of confidence and hope that you
find in the place. Am I receiving strength from the fellowship
with other A.A. members?

Meditation For The Day

God is with you, to bless and help you. His spirit is all
around you. Waver not in your faith or in your prayers.
All power is the Lord's. Say that to yourself often and
steadily. Say it until your heart sings with joy for the
safety and personal power that it means to you. Say it
until the very force of the utterance drives back and
puts to naught all the evils against you. Use it as a
battle cry. All power is the Lord's. Then you will pass
on to victory over all your sins and temptations and you
will begin to live a victorious life.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that with strength from God I may lead an abundant
life. I pray that I may lead a life of victory.

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As Bill Sees It

Trouble Becomes an Asset, p. 82

"I think that this particular General Service Conference holds
promise and has been filled with progress--because it has had
trouble. And it has converted that trouble into an asset, into some
growth, and into a great promise.

"A.A. was born out of trouble, one of the most serious kinds of
trouble that can befall an individual, the trouble attendant upon this
dark and fatal malady of alcoholism. Every single one of us
approached A.A. in trouble, in impossible trouble, in hopeless trouble.
And that is why we came.

"If this Conference was ruffled, if individuals were deeply
disturbed--I say, 'This is fine." What parliament, what republic, what
democracy has not been disturbed? Friction of opposing viewpoints is
the very modus operandi on which they proceed. Then what should
we be afraid of?"

Talk, 1958

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Walk in Dry Places

Act As If
Finding Direction

Though it sounds like a game or a trick, there's great power in "acting as if." This means acting as if we've already succeeded, acting as if we expect everybody to cooperate with us, acting as if we've already reached whatever goal we're seeking.

The principle behind this approach is that such acting helps focus our minds and energies on goals. It's also important to believe that our success is inevitable if we are truly on the right path.
We should not employ this principle superstitously or assume it's a substitute for intelligent work and good judgment. It will be a substantial aid, however, in helping us eliminate the self-doubt and pessimism that dog so many alcoholics during their quest for sobriety. Too often, low self-esteem and a faulty belief that nothing will turn out right have led us to sabotage our own efforts.
We should go into any venture with the idea that we've already succeeded.... that much good is going to come out of it, even if the exact outcome is somewhat different from what we had in mind. "Acting as if" is just what we might need to summon our powers for the duties ahead.

An old saying affirms that "if God be for me, who can be against me?" I'll carry on today with the confidence that my Higher Power is guiding all my efforts in the right direction.

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Keep It Simple

If anything, we have tended to be people who have wanted it all now. To hope is not to demand. ---On hope
Maybe we were a bit demanding. Maybe we were a bit impatient. Maybe that’s why we such little hope.

Hope is believing good will, even in bad times. Hope is knowing that “this too, shall pass.” Hope is knowing that no mater how afraid we are, God will be with us. Hope is knowing we never have to be alone again. It is knowing that time is o our side. Hope is giving up control. Hope is knowing we never had control in the first place. Hope is believing in ourselves. Hope is what our program is all about.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, in our program we share our experiences, our strengths, and our hopes. Thank you for giving all three of these to me to share.
Action for the Day: I will share my hope for the future with myself, my Higher Power, and my friends. I also will share this with someone who has lost hope.

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Each Day a New Beginning

On occasion I realize it's easier to say the serenity prayer and take that leap of faith than it is to continue doing what I'm doing. --S.H.

The pain of change is a reality. But so is the pain of no change--when change is called for. In spite of our desires, changing others will never be an option, whereas changing ourselves takes only a decision and is a choice always available.
We can take an inventory for a moment. What are we presently doing that makes us ashamed or angry or fearful? We can let go of that behavior and responsibly choose a new tack. If strength is needed, or confidence to try a new behavior, we can simply ask that it be ours. The Third Step promises that our lives are in God's care and our needs are always being attended to--not always our wants, but in every instance our needs.
Most of our struggles, today as in the past, are attached to persons and situations we are trying to forcibly control. How righteous our attitudes generally are! And so imposing is our behavior that we are met with resistance, painful resistance. Our recourse is now and always to "accept those things we cannot change, and willingly change that which we can." Our personal struggles will end when we are fully committed to the Serenity Prayer.
The wisdom "to know the difference" is mine today.

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Chapter 11 - A Vision For You

But life was not easy for the two friends. Plenty of difficulties presented themselves. Both saw that they must keep spiritually active. One day they called up the head nurse of a local hospital. They explained their need and inquired if she had a first class alcoholic prospect.
She replied, “Yes, we’ve got a corker. He’s just beaten up a couple of nurses. Goes off his head completely when he’s drinking. But he’s a grand chap when he’s sober, though he’s been in here eight times in the last six months. Understand he was once a well-known lawyer in town, but just now we’ve got him strapped down tight.”*

* This refers to Bill's and Dr. Bob's first visit to A.A. Number Three. See the Pioneer Section. This resulted in A.A.'s first group, at Akron, Ohio, in 1935.

p. 156

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Stories

GUTTER BRAVADO - Alone and unemployable, he was given two options by the court, get help or go to jail, and his journey toward teachability began.

I walked out of there on a sunny afternoon. I intended to go to a meeting that night, but I also had ten dollars in my pocket and a reason to celebrate. I was sober for twenty-two days, and I was feeling pretty good about myself. Soon my old instincts began to take over. Sunny day. Ten bucks. Celebration. Feeling good, Before I knew it, I was walking into the back door of one of my old watering holes. The smell of alcohol hit me when I entered, and my mouth watered. I sat down at the bar. I ordered my usual ginger wash. Couldn't I make it just one day without drinking? At this question I realized that yes, since I put it that way, I probably could make it just one day without drinking. Besides, I was going to a meeting that night and who knows, they might have breathalyzers there. I put down my dollar, got off that stool, and walked back out the door. After all, I could drink tomorrow if I wanted to--and that's just what I planned to do.

p. 509

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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Step Eleven - "Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out."

Now, what of prayer? Prayer is the raising of the heart and mind to God--and in this sense it includes meditation. How may we go about it? And how does it fit in with meditation? Prayer, as commonly understood, is a petition to God. Having opened our channel as best we can, we try to ask for those right things of which we and others are in the greatest need. And we think that the whole range of our needs is well defined by that part of Step Eleven which says: "...knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out." A request for this fits in any part of our day.

p. 102

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Don't point a finger - lend a hand.
--Cited in Even More of...The Best of BITS & PIECES

Inventory taking is not all in red ink.

A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor is like a ship without a
rudder.

"Every great move forward in your life begins with a leap of faith, a
step into the unknown."
--Brian Tracy

"The healthy and strong individual is the one who asks for help when
he needs it."
--Rona Barrett

". . . just to be alive is a grand thing."
--Agatha Christie

We cannot sink so low that God cannot lift us to freedom.
--John Harrold

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Father Leo's Daily Meditation

SELF-LOVE

"No matter how old you get, if
you keep the desire to be
creative, you're keeping the
man-child alive."
-- John Cassavetes

When I was a child, I used to play in the sand and make castles. I
would build a strong and firm fortress around the castle so that it could
withstand the force of the sea.

Today I also like to play in my life and I need to build strong and firm
behavioral structures that will withstand pressure and stress. Today I
need to build my life on a sure foundation --- and that foundation must
be me! I need to take care of me so that I can enjoy my life.

How do I take care of me? I watch what I drink. I am a recovering
alcoholic, and so I choose not to drink alcohol. I drink soda, orange
juice and milk --- but no alcohol. This is an important part of my
self-love program. I exercise regularly. I watch what I eat and I avoid
sugar and needless carbohydrates. I rest in the evenings and take
walks in the fresh air. The child that is in me still lives, but today he is
healthy.

Help me to treat life responsibly, but not too seriously.

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AA 'Big Book' - Quote

We have three little mottoes which are apropos. Here they are:

First Things First
Live and Let Live
Easy Does It

Pg. 135 - The Family Afterward

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Hour To Hour - Book - Quote

Go look at yourself in the mirror. What do you see? Look into your eyes. Say: I have the disease of addiction. It's not horrible; it's not bad; it simply is. Right now, this hour, I accept this fact.

Please lift any residual suspicion in me that whispers that I am bad for suffering from addiction.

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Opening to Abundance

I am ready, willing and able to open my mind and heart to the abundance that the world has to offer me. This world brings forth what I need. The sun shines, water from fresh springs makes its way across rocky slopes to quench my thirst and abundant varieties of food germinate from seeds to nourish my body. Everywhere nature brings forth. The clouds, wind and rain draw me toward their eternal mystery. This world is designed to nurture and sustain life. I am part of that life, and I receive solace and comfort knowing that the world and I are both alive and vibrant. Both imbued with the same life force. This world nurtures me.

I am open to abundance

- Tian Dayton PhD

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Pocket Sponsor - Book - Quote

Listen to the message, not the messenger! This is what Tradition Twelve is all about, looking past the personality to the principle behind the message. There are some mighty slick personalities out there talking trash and some Big Book thumpers (irritating as they are) that have a true message of hope.

The slicker, the sicker.

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"Walk Softly and Carry a Big Book" - Book

Contempt is not a spiritual gift.

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Time for Joy - Book - Quote

Today I no longer struggle to find my answers alone. I welcome and am open to positive and healthy support wherever I find it.

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Alkiespeak - Book - Quote

I don't change because I've seen the light but because I have felt the heat. - Penny P.

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Warriors Anonymous Practice of the Day-
BB pg 66-67-
Ch 5- How It Works:

We turned back to the list, for it held the key to the future. We were prepared to look at it from an entirely different angle. We began to see that the world and its people really dominated us. In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill. How could we escape? We saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how? We could not wish them away any more than alcohol.

This was our course: We realized that the people who wronged us were perhaps spiritually sick.
Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said to ourselves, "This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done."

We avoid retaliation or argument. We wouldn't treat sick people that way. If we do, we destroy our chance of being helpful. We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one.

-Tom- I remember the first time I practiced the 4th Step prayer for when I was offended.
I was in the 82nd’s static line Jumpmaster course in the early 90s. One of the instructors was a complete a** and had a “protector of the tab” approach, put me in his sights and offended me, on purpose, unwarranted.
My normal response (before sobriety) would be to smile at him, then find him off post on the weekend and beat his a**.
However, the thought of this paragraph jumped in my mind. So begrudgingly, halfheartedly, with attitude, I said the prayer, and it worked. I was still mad but did not feel the need or desire to retaliate. That was huge progress for a guy like me.

I pray that today I remember that I always have the Power of Choice to pray, remain quiet, or leave quickly in order to not react to someone that is sick