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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Communicate

"From the beginning, communication in AA has been no ordinary transmission of helpful ideas

and attitudes. It has been unusual and sometimes unique. Because of our kinship in suffering, and because our common

means of deliverance are effective for ourselves only when constantly carried to others, our channels of contact have always

been charged with the language of the heart."

Bill W., July 1960
(c)1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 243
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Thought to Consider . . .

To help each other, is to help ourselves.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
Y A N A = You Are Not Alone

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

Honesty

STEP FIVE: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

"More realism and therefore more honesty about ourselves are the great gains we make under the influence of Step Five. As we took inventory, we began to suspect how much trouble self-delusion had been causing us. This had brought a disturbing reflection. If all our lives we had more or less fooled ourselves, how could we now be so sure that we weren't still self-deceived? How could we be certain that we had made a true catalog of our defects and had really admitted them, even to ourselves? Because we were still bothered by fear, self-pity, and hurt feelings, it was probable we couldn't appraise ourselves fairly at all. Too much guilt and remorse might cause us to dramatize and exaggerate our shortcomings. Or anger and hurt pride might be the smoke screen under which we were hiding some of our defects while we blamed others for them. Possibly, too, we were still handicapped by many liabilities, great and small, we never knew we had. "Hence it was most evident that a solitary self-appraisal, and the admission of our defects based upon that alone, wouldn't be nearly enough. We'd have to have outside help if we were surely to know and admit the truth about ourselves--the help of God and another human being."

1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pgs. 58-59

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
ONE DAY AT A TIME

Above all, take it one day at a time.

AS BILL SEES IT, p.11

Why do I kid myself that I must stay away from a drink for only one day, when I know perfectly well I must never drink again as long as I live? I am not kidding myself because one day at a time is probably the only way I can reach the long-range objective of staying sober.

If I determine that I shall never drink again as long as I live, I set
myself up. How can I be sure I won't drink when I have no idea what the future may hold?

On a day-at-a-time basis, I am confident I can stay away from a drink for one day. So I set out with confidence. At the end of the day, I have the reward of achievement. Achievement feels good and that makes me want more!

*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Defects and Repairs

More than most people, the alcoholics leads a double life. He is very much the actor. To the outer world he presents his stage character. This is the one he likes his fellows to see. He wants to enjoy a certain reputation, but knows in his heart he doesn't deserve it.
<<<>>>
Guilt is really the reverse side of the coin of pride. Guilt aims at
self-destruction, and pride aims at the destruction of others.
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"The moral inventory is a cool examination of the damages that occurred to us during life and a sincere effort to look at them in a true perspective. This has the effect of taking the ground glass out of us, the emotional substance that still cuts and inhibits."

1. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 73
2. GRAPEVINE, JUNE 1961
3. LETTER, 1957

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"I suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness and
levity. But just underneath there is deadly earnestness. Faith has
to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us, or we perish."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 16~

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

If we get up in a meeting and tell something about ourselves in order to help the other person, we feel a whole lot better.
It's the old law of the more you give the more you get. Witnessing and confession are part of keeping sober. You
never know when you may help somebody. Helping others is one of the best ways to stay sober yourself And the satisfaction
you get out of helping a fellow human being is one of the finest experiences you can have. Am I helping others?

Meditation for the Day

Without God, no real victory is ever won. All the military victories of great conquerors have passed into history. The
world might be better off without military conquerors. The real victories are won in the spiritual realm. "He that
conquers himself is greater than he who conquers a city." The real victories are victories over sin and temptation,
leading to a victorious and abundant life. Therefore, keep a brave and trusting heart. Face all your difficulties in
the spirit of conquest. Remember that where God is, there is the true victory.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that the forces of evil in my life will flee before God's presence.

I pray that with God I will win the real victory over myself.