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DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE The more A.A. sticks to its primary purpose, the greater will be its helpful  influence everywhere. A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 109 It is with gratitude that I reflect on the early days of our Fellowship and those wise and loving "foresteppers" who proclaimed that we should not be diverted from our primary purpose, that of carrying the message to the alcoholic who still suffers. I desire to impart respect to those who labor in the field of alcoholism, being ever mindful that A.A. endorses no causes other than its own. I must remember that A.A. has no monopoly on miracle-making and I remain humbly grateful to a loving God who made A.A. possible. From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Twenty-Four Hours A Day A.A. Thought for the Day I am part of A.A., one among many, but I am one. I need the A.A. principles for t...

DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections TRUE TOLERANCE The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 139 I first heard the short form of the Third Tradition in the Preamble. When I came to A.A. I could not accept myself, my alcoholism, or a Higher Power. If there had been any physical, mental, moral, or religious requirements for membership, I would be dead today. Bill W. said in his tape on the Traditions that the Third Tradition is a charter for individual freedom. The most impressive thing to me was the feeling of acceptance from members who were practicing the Third Tradition by tolerating and accepting me. I feel acceptance is love and love is God's will for us. From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Twenty-Four Hours A Day A.A. Thought for the Day We who have learned to put our drink problem in God...

DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections EQUAL RIGHTS At one time or another most A.A. groups go on rule-making benders. . . . After a time fear and intolerance subside. [and we realize] We do not wish to deny anyone his chance to recover from alcoholism. We wish to be just as inclusive as we can, never exclusive. "A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED," pp. 10, 11, 12 A.A. offered me complete freedom and accepted me into the Fellowship for myself. Membership did not depend on conformity, financial success or education and I am so grateful for that. I often ask myself if I extend the same equality to others or if I deny them the freedom to be different. Today I try to replace my fear and intolerance with faith, patience, love and acceptance. I can bring these strengths to my A.A. group, my home and my office. I make an effort to bring my positive attitude everywhere that I go. I have neither the right, nor the responsibility, to ju...

DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections NO MAUDLIN GUILT Day by day, we try to move a little toward God's perfection. So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt. . . . AS BILL SEES IT, p. 15 When I first discovered that there is not a single "don't" in the Twelve Steps of A.A., I was disturbed because this discovery swung open a giant portal. Only then was I able to realize what A.A. is for me: A.A. is not a program of "don't"s, but of "do's." A.A. is not martial law; it is freedom. A.A. is not tears over defects, but sweat over fixing them. A.A. is not penitence; it is salvation. A.A. is not "Woe to me" for my sins, past and present. A.A. is "Praise God" for the progress I am making today. From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Twenty-Four Hours A Day A.A. Thought for the Day In twelfth-step work, the fifth...

DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections TURNING NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE Our spiritual and emotional growth in A.A. does not depend so deeply upon success as it does upon our failures and setbacks. If you will bear this in mind, I think that your slip will have the effect of kicking you upstairs, instead of down. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 184 In keeping with the pain and adversity which our founders encountered and overcame in establishing A.A., Bill W. sent us a clear message: a relapse can provide a positive experience toward abstinence and a lifetime of recovery. A relapse brings truth to what we hear repeatedly in meetings---"Don't take that first drink!" It reinforces the belief in the progressive nature of the disease, and it drives home the need for, and beauty of, humility in our spiritual program. Simple truths come in complicated ways to me when I become ego driven. From the book Daily Reflections From the book Daily Reflec...