~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Vision
"Vision is, I think, the ability to make
good estimates,
both for the immediate and for the more
distant future.
Some might feel this sort of striving
to be a sort of heresy, because
we AA's are constantly telling ourselves,
'One day at a time.' But that valuable principle really refers to our mental and
emotional lives
and means chiefly that we are not to
foolishly repine over
the past nor wishfully day-dream about the future. . .
Vision is therefore the very essence of
prudence, an essential
virtue if ever there was one. Of course we shall often miscalculate the future in whole or in part, but that is better than to refuse to think at
all."
Bill
W., 1962
c. 1962AAWS, Twelve Concepts for
World Service, 26th printing, p. 40
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Thought to Consider . . .
Right actions for the future are the
best apologies for wrong ones in the past.
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*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T I M E = Things I Must Earn
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Gratitude
From "Accepting God's Gifts:"
"It is necessary for all of us to
accept whatever positive
gifts we receive with a deep humility,
always bearing in
mind that our negative attitudes were
first necessary as
a means of reducing us to such a state
that we would be
ready for a gift of the positive ones
via the conversion
experience. Your own alcoholism and the
immense
deflation that finally resulted are
indeed the foundation
upon which your spiritual experience
rests."
c. 1967, As Bill Sees It, page 168
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A POWERFUL TRADITION
In the years before the publication
of the book "Alcoholics Anonymous," we had no name. . .by a narrow
majority the verdict was for naming our book "The Way Out." . . .One
of our early lone members. . . found exactly twelve books already titled
"The Way Out.". . . So "Alcoholics Anonymous" became first
choice. That's how we got a name for our book of experience, a name for
our movement and, as we are now beginning to see, a tradition of the greatest
spiritual import.
"A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED." pp. 35-36
Beginning with Bill's momentous
decision in Akron to make a telephone call rather than a visit to the hotel
bar, how often has a Higher Power made itself felt at crucial moments in our
history! The eventual importance that the
principle of anonymity would acquire was but dimly perceived, if at all, in
those early days. There seems to have been an element of chance even in the
choice of a name for our Fellowship.
God is no
stranger to anonymity and often appears in human affairs in the guises of
"luck", "chance," or "coincidence." If
anonymity, somewhat fortuitously, became the spiritual basis for all of our
Traditions, perhaps God was acting anonymously on our behalf.
©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Do It Our Way?
In praying,
our immediate temptation will be to ask for specific solutions to specific problems,
and for the ability to help other people as we have already thought they should
be helped. In that case, we are asking God to do it our way. Therefore, we
ought to consider each request carefully to see what its real merit is. Even
so, when making specific requests, it will be well to add to each one of them
this qualification: ". . . if it be Thy will."
TWELVE AND TWELVE, p.
102
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Selfishness self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of
our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms
of fear, self-delusion, self-
seeking, and self-pity, we step on the
toes of our fellows and they
retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us,
seemingly without provocation,
but we invariably find that at some
time in the past we have made
decisions based on self which later
placed us in a position to be hurt."
~Alcoholics
Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought
for the Day
I am
not so envious of other people, nor am I so jealous of other people's
possessions and talents. When I was drinking, I was secretly full of jealousy
and envy of those people who could drink normally, who had the love and respect
of their families, who lived a normal life and were accepted as equals by their
friends. I pretended to myself that I was as good as they were, but I knew it
wasn't so. Now I don't have to be envious any more. I try not to want what I
don't deserve. I'm content with what I have earned by my efforts to live the
right way. More power to those who have what I have not. At least, I'm trying.
Have I got rid of the poison of envy?
Meditation
for the Day
"My
soul is restless till it finds its rest in Thee." A river flows on, until
it loses itself in the sea. Our spirits long for rest in the spirit of God. We
yearn to realize a peace, a rest, a satisfaction that we have never found in
the world or its pursuits. Some are not conscious of their need, and shut the
doors of their spirits against the spirit of God. They are unable to have true
peace.
Prayer for
the Day
I pray
that I may feel the divine unrest.
I pray that my soul may find its rest in God.