DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections OPEN-MINDEDNESS We have found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the realm of the spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 7 Open-mindedness to concepts of a Higher Power can open doors to the spirit. Often I find the human spirit in various dogmas and faiths. I can be spiritual in the sharing of myself. The sharing of self joins me to the human race and brings me closer to God, as I understand Him. From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Twenty-Four Hours A Day A.A. Thought for the Day But even faith is not the whole story. There must be service. We must give this thing away if we want to keep it. The Dead Sea has no outlet and it is stagnant and full of salt. The Sea of Galilee is clear and clean and blue, as the Jordan River carries it out to irrigate the desert. To be of service to other people makes our lives worth living. Does service to others give me a real purpose in life? Meditation for the Day Seek God early in the day, before He gets crowded out by life's problems, difficulties, or pleasures. In that early quiet time gain a calm, strong confidence in the goodness and purpose in the universe. Do not seek God only when the world's struggles prove too much and too many for you to bear or face alone. Seek God early, when you can have a consciousness of God's spirit in the world. People often only seek God when their difficulties are too great to be surmounted in any other way, forgetting that if they sought God's companionship before they need it, many of their difficulties would never arise. Prayer for the Day I pray that I may not let God be crowded out by the hurly-burly of life. I pray that I may seek God early and often. From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day © Copyright 1975 by Hazelden Foundation NA - Just for Today Accepting life Page 174 "Some things we must accept, others we can change. The wisdom to know the difference comes with growth in our spiritual program." Basic Text, p. 95 It's relatively easy to accept the things we like - it's the things we don't like that are hard to accept. But remaking the world and everyone in it to suit our tastes would solve nothing. After all, the idea that the world was to blame for all our problems was the attitude that kept us using - and that attitude nearly killed us. In the course of working the steps, we begin to ask ourselves hard questions about the roles we ourselves have played in creating the unacceptable lives we've lived. In most cases, we've found that what needed changing was our own attitude and our own actions, not the people, places, and things around us. In recovery, we pray for wisdom to know the difference between what can and can't be changed. Then, once we see the truth of our situation, we pray for the willingness to change ourselves. Just for Today: 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. From the book Just for Today © Copyright 1991-2013 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Thought for Today "Don't bleed before you get a wound" The best thing to do when it is raining is let it rain ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  Program or Fellowship by Larry R. A meeting that I go to every Sunday with-out fail Is filled with good sobriety, the make up only male We recited the preamble, stated our names and meditated From there the meeting’s open, no set topic designated   I’ve found in meetings just for men their shares are much more private To tell us things about their lives in this securer climate We talk of marriage, jobs and kids, reveal our inner feelings Then hear that we are not unique, this knowledge aids our healing   And in this meeting, there’s a man, our Sunday morning guru He has more sober time than most, he’s one we all look up to The wisdom that he shares each week helps each of us to think That we still have a lot to learn about what made us drink   A statement that he’s often made at first, I thought was strange He said he disagreed with how we signified AA Most often we used program when referring to our plan But prefers a fellowship, an alcoholic clan   I had not joined AA to be a part of any club I only came to learn how I could stay out of the pub I was not looking for new friends, associate or buddy I needed to see how this worked, twas only here to study   My plan had not work out that well, I had to change my thinking I’d gone to meetings for some time, yet I continued drinking I told this to another guy that asked me if I had a sponsor I told him no, I did not have one, he said that’s why you wonder   This journey does not start with I, instead it starts with WE To combat old John Barleycorn and finally set you free You need to join the fellowship to keep your hopes afloat The best way is to get into the middle of the boat   I asked that he explain to me exactly what that meant These sayings that you fellows use confuse to some extent Imagine that you’re on a boat, the waves start to collide Your chance of staying safe is if you sit on the inside   The same hold true with alcohol, when you go it alone The bottle’s there to pick you off, sobriety is blown You need the help of other drunks to make sure you don’t slip There’s something there to help you out, it’s called the fellowship   A light went on, and from that day, I made the choice to act To get a sponsor, make some friends, become part of the pack Meet with them outside the rooms, for lunch or football games Get numbers when I need to call for times when I feel strained   A program is a set of steps you take to reach a goal And I need that to keep me safe, secure and in control But more than that, I need to know, before I lose my grip I have a most important gift, the AA fellowship. Larry R. Buddha/Zen Thoughts Joseph Goldstein on "Non-Self" -- from Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Vol. VI, #3 The Buddha described what we call "self" as a collection of aggregates - elements of mind and body - that function interdependently, creating the appearance of a woman or a man. We then identify with that image or appearance, taking it to be "I" or "mine," imagining it to have some inherent self-existence. For example we get up in the morning, look in the mirror, recognize the reflection, and think, "Yes, that's me again." We then add all kinds of concepts to this sense of self: I'm a woman or a man, I'm a certain age, I'm a happy or unhappy person -- the list goes on and on. When we examine our experience, though, we see that there is not some core being to whom experience refers; rather it is simply "empty phenomena rolling on." It is "empty" in the sense that there is no one behind the arising and changing phenomena to whom they happen. A rainbow is a good example of this. We go out after a rainstorm and feel that moment of delight if a rainbow appears in the sky. Mostly, we simply enjoy the sight without investigating the real nature of what is happening. But when we look more deeply, it becomes clear that there is no "thing" called "rainbow" apart from the particular conditions of air and moisture and light. Each one of us is like that rainbow - an appearance, a magical display, arising out of our various elements of mind and body. Native American "For me, the essence of a medicine man's life is to be humble, to have great patience, to be close to the Earth, to live as simply as possible, and to never stop learning." --Archie Fir Lame Deer, LAKOTA The Medicine people focus on their Being, not their doing. After all, we are human beings not human doings. The Medicine people are very patient and consciously trying to live a live of humility. Medicine people are servant leaders. Their main purpose is to serve the needs of others. By this service attitude, they become the leaders people listen to and the leaders the people want to follow. The Medicine people say everyone is their teacher. Maybe we should try to live this way ourselves; humble, patient, honoring the Earth and listening to our teachers. Grandfather, today, let me know all people are my teachers and I am the student. Walk in Dry Places Solving our common problem Recovery Twelve Step programs bring together people who admit certain behaviors that society often views with pity or contempt. Some of these behaviors, such as alcoholism and gambling, are heavily stigmatized. Though we often talk about "our common problem", the thing we have most in common with each other is that we're human beings who share the human condition. No one is really immune from the similar problems that beset us. That's why somebody once remarked, only in half-jest, that "alcoholics are like normal people, only more so." We have to remember that the people around us are no different from us in that they are subject to such feelings as pride, resentment, self-pity, and discouragement. Our common problem is really that we're human beings who need a spiritual life in order to become our true selves. This can turn a problem into a new life if we accept the program. Today I'll look upon all people with understanding and acceptance. Everyone shares the same feelings that drive me, and everyone deserves my warmth and understanding. Big Book Chapter 7    Working With Others (pg 100 & top 101) Both you and the new man must walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress. If you persist, remarkable things will happen. When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands were better than anything we could have planned. Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances! When working with a man and his family, you should take care not to participate in their quarrels. You may spoil your chance of being helpful if you do. But urge upon a man’s family that he has been a very sick person and should be treated accordingly. You should warn against arousing resentment or jealousy. You should point out that his defects of character are not going to disappear over night. Show them that he has entered upon a period of growth. Ask them to remember, when they are impatient, the blessed fact of his sobriety. If you have been successful in solving your own domestic problems, tell the newcomer’s family how that was accomplished. In this way you can set them on the right track without becoming critical of them. The story of how you and your wife settled your difficulties is worth any amount of criticism. Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn’t think or be reminded about alcohol at all. Our experience shows that this is not necessarily so.