Jan
31
OUR COMMON WELFARE COMES FIRST
January 31, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The unity of Alcoholics Anonymous is the most cherished quality our Society has. . . . We stay whole, or A.A. dies. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 129
Our Traditions are key elements in the ego deflation process necessary to achieve and maintain sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous. The First Tradition reminds me not to take [...]
Jan
30
FREEDOM FROM . . . FREEDOM TO
January 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
We are going to know a new freedom. . . . ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS , p. 83
Freedom for me is both freedom from and freedom to. The first freedom I enjoy is freedom from the slavery of alcohol. What a relief! Then I begin to experience freedom from fear - fear of people, of economic insecurity, [...]
Jan
29
THE JOY OF SHARING
January 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you. to have a host of friends - this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers [...]
Jan
28
THE TREASURE OF THE PAST
January 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worth while to us now. Cling to the thought that, in God’s hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have — the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death [...]
Jan
27
FREEDOM FROM GUILT
January 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Where other people were concerned, we had to drop the word “blame” from our speech and thought. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 47
When I become willing to accept my own powerlessness, I begin to realize that blaming myself for all the trouble in my life can be an ego trip back into hopelessness. Asking [...]
Jan
26
RIGOROUS HONESTY
January 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Who wishes to be rigorously honest and tolerant? Who wants to confess his faults to another and make restitution for harm done? Who cares anything about a Higher Power, let alone meditation and prayer? Who wants to sacrifice time and energy in trying to carry A.A.’s message to the next sufferer? No, the average alcoholic, [...]
Jan
25
WHAT WE NEED - EACH OTHER
January 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
. . . . A.A. is really saying to every serious drinker, “You are an A.A. member if you say so . . . nobody can keep you out.” TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 139
For years, whenever I reflected on Tradition Three (”The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking”), [...]