Daily Recovery Readings
October 24, 2018

Daily Reflection

“BY FAITH AND BY WORKS”

On anvils of experience, the structure of our Society was hammered out. . . . Thus has it been with A.A. By faith and by works we have been able to build upon the lessons of an incredible experience. They live today in the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, which — God willing — shall sustain us in unity for so long as He may need us.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 131

God has allowed me the right to be wrong in order for our Fellowship to exist as it does today. If I place God’s will first in my life, it is very likely that A.A. as I know it today will remain as it is.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends—this is an experience you must not miss.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 89~

Keep It Simple

Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle that fits them all.—Oliver Wendell Homes

Lying, above anything else, brings us close to getting crazy again. Lying is what addicts do.

In our addiction, our whole life was a lie.

Lying creates danger because it creates secrets. Secrets keep us from others. To stay sober, we need to stay close to people. We can’t make it on our own.

Lying creates danger because it creates shame. A lie, like a drink, may make us feel good for the moment. But in the long run, it creates shame.

Do we still lie to deal with the world? Lies are like drinks—one leads to another.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me to live today free of lies.

Action for the Day:
For the next twenty-four hours, I will tell no lies. If I do I’ll go back and do Step Ten. I will remember that lies can lead to relapse.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

If a once-exciting project has lately become energy sapping, it’s time to adopt a different approach. The right tactics should build enthusiasm, rather than drain it. The bottom line is you might be trying to do something solo that’s ideally a job for two or more. The Full Moon in your 11th House of Group Participation amplifies the urge to join up with others who are aiming for the same goal. A clever collaboration allows you to do more than you can on your own. Michael Jordan said, “Talent wins games. But teamwork and intelligence win championships.”

Daily Recovery Readings
October 23, 2018

Daily Reflection

WHAT WE KNOW BEST

“Shoemaker, stick to thy last!” . . . better do one thing supremely well than many badly. That is the central theme of this Tradition [Five]. Around it our Society gathers in unity. The very life of our Fellowship requires the preservation of this principle.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 150

The survival of A.A. depends upon unity. What would happen if a group decided to become an employment agency, a treatment center or a social service agency? Too much specialization leads to no specialization, to frittering of efforts and, finally, to decline. I have the qualifications to share my sufferings and my way of recovery with the newcomer. Conformity to A.A.’s primary purpose ensures the safety of the wonderful gift of sobriety, so my responsibility is enormous. The life of millions of alcoholics is closely tied to my competence in “carrying the message to the still-suffering alcoholic.”
From the book Daily Reflections

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. “How can I best serve Thee—Thy will (not mine) be done.” These are thoughts which must go with us
constantly.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 85~

Keep It Simple

It’s not dying faith that’s so hard, it’s living up to it.   ~~William Makepeace Thackeray

We may ask, “Do I have to do an Eighth or Ninth Step?” “Do I really need a sponsor?” “Hmm…can I get by without going to so many meetings?” Having faith means putting our questions aside. So…what do we do? We work the program. We accept that those who’ve gone before us were right. We accept the idea that we need others. Faith is knowing that others love and care for us. Faith is also about action. The main way we know that we have faith is by looking at our behavior. Ask yourself this: “Are my actions those of a person with faith?”

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me remove the questions that get in my way. Help me act like a person with faith.

Action for the Day:
I’ll list four parts of my program that I have faith in, such as, “I believe honesty is important to my sobriety.”

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

It’s so much more relaxing to channel passion through art than anything else today. Debate tends to get heated and romance is all kinds of unsettled. The rat race is a pressure-cooker. Given those considerations, it’s no giant surprise that you feel safe and cozy when engrossed in a creative world where you have all the control. Pour your heart and soul into making something beautiful, whether it’s with music, color, food, yarn, or words. Virtually any self-expressive activity suits you to a tee.

Daily Recovery Readings
October 21, 2018

Daily Reflection

TRUE TOLERANCE

Finally, we begin to see that all people, including ourselves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong, and then we approach true tolerance and see what real love for our fellows actually means.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 92

The thought occurred to me that all people are emotionally ill to some extent. How could we not be? Who among us is spiritually perfect? Who among us is physically perfect? How could any of us be emotionally perfect? Therefore, what else are we to do but bear with one another and treat each other as we would be treated in similar circumstances? That is what love really is.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Opinions vary considerably as to why the alcoholic reacts differently from normal people. We are not sure why, once a certain point is reached, little can be done for him. We cannot answer the riddle.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 22~

Keep It Simple

Life is what happens to us while we’re making other plans.  —Thomas LaMance

What happened to our years of drinking and using other drugs? They seemed to pass so quickly with so little to show for them. We had plans, but we didn’t get where we wanted to go. There was always “tomorrow.”

What a difference today! Now we work a program that helps us really live each day. We’re not losing time out of our lives anymore. Now every day is full of life: sights, sounds, people, feelings—those things we used to miss out on. We have the help of a Higher Power who makes every day important.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me do Your will for me today. I place this day in Your care.

Action for the Day:
Be on the lookout today for signs of life!

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

There are no guarantees that every life experience will ultimately make sense. No matter the angle of observation, some things just don’t logically fit together in any context, and yet there they are like two peas in a pod. The events and relationships that stand out like a sore thumb for all the wrong reasons tend to gobble up more than their fair share of mental and emotional energy. The truth is some mysteries stubbornly insist upon remaining mysterious.

Daily Recovery Readings
October 21, 2018

Daily Reflection

NOTHING GROWS IN THE DARK

We will want the good that is in us all, even in the worst of us, to flower and to grow.

AS BILL SEES IT, p. 10

With the self-discipline and insight gained from practicing Step Ten, I begin to know the
gratifications of sobriety — not as mere abstinence from alcohol, but as recovery in every
department of my life.

I renew hope, regenerate faith, and regain the dignity of self-respect. I discover the word
“and” in the phrase “and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.”
Reassured that I am no longer always wrong, I learn to accept myself as I am, with a new
sense of the miracles of sobriety and serenity.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude. We all had to place recovery above everything, for without recovery we would have lost both home and business.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Employers, pg. 143~

Keep It Simple

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.—Anonymous

Nobody’s always wrong. Nobody’s all bad. And that includes us.

Sometimes, we really get down on ourselves. When we do Step Four, we sometimes see only our faults. When we make our Step Ten checkup, we see only our mistakes. We can’t afford to do this. We need to see our strengths too. But even our faults have a good side. Are you stubborn? Good—be stubborn, you know how to hang on to feelings. So, hang on to the good feelings instead of the bad ones.

Each of us is good and wise. What’s good about us got twisted by our disease. But now we can get the kinks out. We are sober, and we have a program to help us.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me to see the good in myself and others.

Action for the Day:
I’ll take another look at my faults today. How can I use them in good ways?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

An unlikely encounter may trigger a craving for more excitement in your world. This fascinating interaction inspires you to reconsider your priorities now. Ironically, you might search for an objective outsider for advice and end up face to face with someone you know very well. Or it could play out with genuine surprise when scrolling through social media or conversing online, you discover a friend shares one of your interests. Either way, it’s delightful to realize you may have found a perfect companion for an amazing adventure. Anticipation gives you a good reason to smile inside.

Daily Recovery Readings
October 20, 2018

Daily Reflection

SOLACE FOR CONFUSION

Obviously, the dilemma of the wanderer from faith is that of profound confusion. He thinks himself lost to the comfort of any conviction at all. He cannot attain in even a small degree the assurance of the believer, the agnostic, or the atheist. He is the bewildered one.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 28

The concept of God was one that I struggled with during my early years of sobriety. The images that came to me, conjured from my past, were heavy with fear, rejection and condemnation. Then I heard my friend Ed’s image of a Higher Power: As a boy he had been allowed a litter of puppies, provided that he assume responsibility for their care. Each morning he would find the unavoidable “byproducts”of the puppies on the kitchen floor. Despite frustration, Ed said he couldn’t get angry because “that’s the nature of puppies.” Ed felt that God viewed our defects and shortcomings with a similar understanding and warmth. I’ve often found solace from my personal confusion in Ed’s calming concept of God.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“We began to see that the world and its people really dominated us. In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill. How could we escape? We saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how? We could not wish them away any more than alcohol.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~

Keep It Simple

We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves.—Eric Hoffer

When we’re not honest with others, we’re not being honest with ourselves. In recovery, we’re taught how to heal our hearts. We admit we’re wrong, and we do it quickly. We let our spirit have the loudest voice. This way, lies lose power over us. We find a way to be true to our spirit.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, You have a soft, quiet voice inside me. Help me, through meditation, to hear You better. Yours is the voice to follow.

Action for the Day:
I’ll listen to my Higher Power. I’ll list any lies I’ve been telling myself and others lately. Then I’ll find someone I trust and tell that person what I’ve lied about.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

It’s said that great minds think alike, but your brilliance is unique today. Others cannot fail to be dazzled by the originality expressed through your decorating choices, party planning, fashion sense, or other standout talents. And if not, that’s okay with you, so long as you impress yourself. Work with tradition like it’s putty in your creative hands, bringing it to a place that’s ahead of its time. Something new is ready to take flight. Dare to be a trendsetter and care not who follows.

Daily Recovery Readings
August 6, 2018

Daily Reflection

DRIVEN

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.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62

My selfishness was the driving force behind my drinking. I drank to celebrate success and I drank to drown my sorrows. Humility is the answer. I learn to turn my will and my life over to the care of God. My sponsor tells me that service keeps me sober. Today I ask myself: Have I sought knowledge of God’s will for me? Have I done service for my A.A. group?

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“But my friend sat before me, and he made the pointblank declaration that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. His human will had failed. Doctors had pronounced him incurable. Society was about to lock him up. Like myself, he had admitted complete defeat. Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead, suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than
the best he had ever known!”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill’s Story, pg. 11~

Keep It Simple

Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave you. . . ~Alcoholics Anonymous

We don’t have to fear people. They can’t wreck our spirit. We don’t have to fear money problems. We won’t have to starve to death. Our Higher Power will lead us on a safe path through life.

Our Higher power wants us to be safe, happy, and wise. Our Higher power wants us to feel loved.

We’ll learn to trust our Higher Power. And we’ll learn to trust the happiness we find in our new way of life. People may still hurt us, but there will be much more love to carry us through.

Prayer For the Day:
Higher Power, I know You protect me and care for me. Help me stop worrying.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll list four fears I have. I will talk with my sponsor about how to turn these over to my Higher Power.

Each Day a New Beginning

They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm. –Dorothy Parker

Variety in experiences is necessary for our continued growth. We mistakenly think that the “untroubled” life would be forever welcome. It’s the deep waves of life that teach us to be better swimmers.

We don’t know how to appreciate the calm without the occasional storm that pushes us to new limits of ourselves. The calm following the storm offers us the time we need to become comfortable with our new growth. We are ever changing, refining our values, stepping gingerly into uncharted territories. We are forever in partnership in these new territories, let us not forget.

We long for challenge even in the midst of the calm that blesses us. Our inner selves understand the journey; a journey destined to carry us to new horizons; a journey that promises many stormy seasons. For to reach our destination, we must be willing to weather the storms. They are challenges, handpicked for us, designed to help us become all that we need to be in this earthly life.

The mixture of the calm with the storm is not haphazard. Quite the contrary. My growth is at the center of each. I will trust its message.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

It is nice to have a private cave to retreat to when things get too hectic, and right now that is your haven. Journaling, reading, or planning for the future is time well spent. As you take a step back, clarity emerges. External pressure or guilt can cause you some stress if you feel it is your responsibility to make sure others are happy. Instead of reacting over-emotionally, you can center yourself in the knowledge that in order to have something to give, you need to give to yourself first.

Daily Recovery Readings
August 5, 2018

Daily Reflection

LISTENING DEEPLY

How persistently we claim the right to decide all by ourselves just what we shall think and just how we shall act.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 37

If I accept and act upon the advice of those who have made the program work for themselves, I have a chance to outgrow the limits of the past. Some problems will shrink to nothingness, while others may require patient, well-thought-out action. Listening deeply when others share can develop intuition in handling problems which arise unexpectedly. It is usually best for me to avoid impetuous action. Attending a meeting or calling a fellow A.A. member will usually reduce tension enough to bring relief to a desperate sufferer like me. Sharing problems at meetings with other alcoholics to whom I relate, or privately with my sponsor, can change aspects of the positions in which I find myself. Character defects are identified and I begin to see how they work against me. When I put my faith in the spiritual power of the program, when I trust others to teach me what I need to do to have a better life, I find that I can trust myself to do what is necessary.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“If God can solve the age-old riddle of alcoholism, He can solve your problems too.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Wives, Page 116~

Keep It Simple

You’re only human, you’ve suppose to make mistakes.  —Billy Joel

Listen to the kind voice inside. Listen to the voice that tells you you’re good enough. Listen to the voice that tells you it’s okay to make mistakes—you’ll learn from them. Listen to the voice that tells you to go to your meeting even though it’s cold outside and you’re tired. Listen and
let this voice become more and more clear. Listen, and welcome it in your heart. Talk with the voice.

Ask it questions and seek it out when you need a friend. This voice is your Higher Power. Listen as your Higher Power speaks to you. Listen as your Higher Power tells you what a great person you are.

Prayer for the Day:
I pray to the gentle, loving voice that lives in me. Higher Power, You’ve always been kind to me.
You’ve always loved me. Help me to remember You’re always there—inside me.

Action for the Day:
I will take time from my busy day to listen and talk with the loving voice that lives inside me.

Each Day a New Beginning

The bottom line is that I am responsible for my own well-being, my own happiness. The choices and decisions I make regarding my life directly influence the quality of my days.

–Kathleen Andrus

There is no provision for blaming others in our lives. Who we are is a composite of the actions, attitudes, choices, decisions we’ve made up to now. For many of us, predicaments may have resulted from our decisions to not act when the opportunity arose. But these were decisions, no less, and we must take responsibility for making them.

We need not feel utterly powerless and helpless about the events of our lives. True, we cannot control others, and we cannot curb the momentum of a situation, but we can choose our own responses to both; these choices will heighten our sense of self and well-being and may well positively influence the quality of the day.

I will accept responsibility for my actions, but not for the outcome of a situation; that is all that’s requested of me. It is one of the assignments of life, and homework is forthcoming.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You can be stubborn for better or for worse. Figuring out which principles are worth upholding and which to relinquish can heal rifts in your relationships. People tend to push your buttons and if you let them, time and energy can be wasted focusing on the wrong concerns. Whatever goes around comes around. Rest assured that if others do you wrong, it is their loss. Knowing who is worth your love and who isn’t is priceless.