~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Juggernaut
We who are alcoholics can consider ourselves fortunate indeed.
Each of us has had his own near-fatal encounter with the juggernaut of self-will,
and has suffered enough under its weight to be willing to look for something better.
So it is by circumstance rather than by any virtue that we have been driven to AA,
have admitted defeat, have acquired the rudiments of faith, and now want to make

a decision to turn our will and our lives over to a Higher Power.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 37-8
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Thought to Consider . . .

If faith without works is dead,
then willingness without action is fantasy.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
W H O  = Willingness, Honesty, Openmindedness

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Self-concern

From "'Selfish?'"

"Some A.A. speakers say, 'A.A. is a selfish program.'  The word 'selfish' ordinarily implies that one is acquisitive, demanding, and thoughtless of the welfare of others.  Of course, the A.A. way of life does not at all imply such undesirable traits.

"If we cannot or will not achieve sobriety, then we become truly lost, right in the here and now….Therefore, our own recovery and spiritual growth have to come first -- a right and necessary kind of self-concern."

c. 1967, As Bill Sees It, page 81

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
RESCUED BY SURRENDERING

Characteristic of the so-called typical alcoholic is a narcissistic egocentric core, dominated by feelings of omnipotence, intent on maintaining at all costs its inner integrity.  .  .  .  Inwardly the alcoholic brooks no control from man or God. He, the alcoholic, is and must be the master of his destiny.  He will fight to the end to preserve that position.

A.A.  COMES OF AGE, p.  311

The great mystery is: "Why do some of us die alcoholic deaths, fighting to preserve the 'independence' of our ego, while others seem to sober up effortlessly in A.A.?"  Help from a Higher Power, the gift of sobriety, came to me when an otherwise unexplained desire to stop drinking coincided with my willingness to accept the suggestions of the men and women of A.A.  I had to surrender, for only by reaching out to God and my fellows could I be rescued.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
All or Nothing?

Acceptance and faith are capable of producing 100 per cent sobriety. In fact, they usually do; and they must, else we could have no life at all. But the moment we carry these attitudes into our emotional problems, we find that only relative results are possible. Nobody can, for example, become completely free from fear, anger, and pride. Hence, in this life we shall attain nothing like perfect humility and love. So we shall have to settle, respecting most of our problems, for a very gradual progress, punctuated sometimes by very heavy setbacks. Our old-time attitude of "all or nothing" will have to be abandoned.

GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"But there was always the curious mental phenomenon that parallel
with our sound reasoning there inevitably ran some insanely trivial
excuse for taking the first drink. Our sound reasoning failed to hold
us in check. The insane idea won out. Next day we would ask
ourselves, in all earnestness and sincerity, how it could have happened."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 37~

*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

We got a kick out of the first few drinks, before we got stupefied by alcohol. For a while, the world seemed to look brighter. But how about the letdown, the terrible depression that comes the morning after? In A.A., we get a real kick: not a false feeling of exhilaration, but a real feeling of satisfaction with ourselves, self respect, and a feeling of friendliness toward the world. We got a sort of pleasure from drinking. For a while we thought we were happy. But it's only an illusion. The hangover the next day is the opposite of pleasure. In AA., am I getting real pleasure and serenity and peace?

Meditation for the Day

I will practice love, because lack of love will block the way. I will try to see good in all people, those I like and also those who fret me and go against the grain. They are all children of God. I will try to give love; otherwise, how can I dwell in God's spirit whence nothing unloving can come? I will try to get along with all people, because the more love I give away, the more I will have.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may do all I can to love others, in spite of their many faults.

I pray that as I love, so will I be loved.