Daily Recovery Readings
April 11, 2017

Daily Reflection

A WORD TO DROP: “BLAME”

To see how erratic emotions victimized us often took a long time. We could perceive them quickly in others, but only slowly in ourselves. First of all, we had to admit that we had many of these defects, even though such disclosures were painful and humiliating. Where other people were concerned, we had to drop the word “blame” from our speech and thought.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 47

When I did my Fourth Step, following the Big Book guidelines, I noticed that my grudge list was filled with my prejudices and my blaming others for my not being able to succeed and to live up to my potential. I also discovered I felt different because I was black. As I continued to work on the Step, I learned that I always had drunk to rid myself of those feelings. It was only when I sobered up and worked on my inventory, that I could no longer blame anyone.

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

Big Book Quote

“We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. Commencing to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33~

Keep It Simple

Many of us as children, were taught to hide our pain, to act as if we had none. We look for ways to hide our pain. Alcohol and other drugs helped us do this. But the pain always returned. We were ashamed that we hurt. We thought we were the only one who hurt so badly. and, worst of all, we thought our pain meant we were bad people. Ours is a program of honesty. As we live life, there will be troubles, and there will be pain. But now we know that we don’t try to hide it. If we hide our wounds, they will not heal. We will listen to others pain and ask them to listen to ours. This will help us continue our journey in recovery.

Prayer for the Day:
God, help me be honest about my pain. Help me see pain not as a personal defect, but as a part of life.

Action for the Day:
I’ll share my pain with a friend, a family member, my group, or sponsor. I’ll ask them to do the same with me. I’ll think of pain as part of life.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

An old conflict between home and career is suddenly back on your plate, demanding resolution once and for all. But someone’s hidden agenda complicates matters as secretive Pluto squares the Libra Full Moon in your 4th House of Domestic Affairs. It may seem as if you’re forced into a no-win situation now because you can’t choose between your personal and professional life without damaging the other. Acknowledging how your family matters are interconnected with your job is a healthy start. Don’t push for a final answer yet; as screenwriter Syd Field wrote, “Confusion is the first step toward clarity.”

Daily Recovery Readings
April 10, 2017

Daily Reflection

The essence of all growth is a willingness to change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails.
— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 115

Sometimes when I’ve become willing to do what I should have been doing all along, I want praise and recognition. I don’t realize that the more I’m willing to act differently, the more exciting my life is. The more I am willing to help others, the more rewards I receive. That’s what practicing the principles means to me. Fun and benefits for me are in the willingness to do the actions, not to get immediate results. Being a little kinder, a little slower to anger, a little more loving makes my life better day by day.

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

Big Book Quote

“It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while.” ~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~

Keep It Simple

You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent their making their nest in your head.—Chinese proverb

Life is full of feelings. We can be happy, sad, mad, scared. These feelings can come and go quickly. Or we may hang on to them. As recovering addicts, we used to hang on to feelings that made us feel bad. We let them make”nest” in our hair. We used our feelings as excuse to drink or use other drugs. Now we’re learning to hang on to our good feelings. We can let go of anger, hurt, and fear. We can shoo away the birds of sadness and welcome the birds of happiness.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me become a “bird watcher.” Help me learn from my feelings. And help me let go of the bad one so I can be happy.

Action For the Day:
If I need to get rid of the sadness or anger that I’m hanging on to, I’ll get help from my sponsor, a counselor, or a clergy person.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Although you are quite capable of keeping up appearances at work, it is in your best interest to take off your mask now and let the real you shine. Sometimes you wonder if others will accept you if they know your true thoughts and feelings. Wearing your heart on your sleeve leaves you in a vulnerable position; however, there’s no need to reveal everything all at once. Taking it step by step helps to remove the pressure and lighten your load. As Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Honesty is the best policy.”

Daily Recovery Readings
April 8, 2017

Daily Reflection

FREEDOM FROM “KING ALCOHOL”

. . . let us not suppose even for an instant that we are not under constraint. . . . Our former tyrant, King Alcohol, always stands ready again to clutch us to him. Therefore, freedom from alcohol is the great “must” that has to be achieved, else we go mad or die.
— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 134

When drinking, I lived in spiritual, emotional, and sometimes, physical confinement. I had constructed my prison with bars of self-will and self-indulgence, from which I could not escape. Occasional dry spells that seemed to promise freedom would turn out to be little more than hopes of a reprieve. True escape required a willingness to follow whatever right actions were needed to turn the lock. With that willingness and action, both the lock and the bars themselves opened for me. Continued willingness and action keep me free—in a kind of extended daily probation—that need never end.

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

Big Book Quote

Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?

Well, that’s exactly what this book is about.”

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 45

Keep It Simple

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day a time. –Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln did great things for the United States. He took life One Day at a time.. He broke the future into manageable pieces. We can do the same. We can live in the present and focus on the task at hand.

Spirituality comes when we focus this way. When we stay in the present we find choice. And we worry less about the future. Still, we must have goals.

We must plan for the future.

Goals and plans help us give more credit to the present than to the future. And when we feel good about the present, we feel good about the future.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me focus. Help me keep my energy in the present. Have me live life One Day at a Time.

Action for the Day:
When I find myself drifting into the future, I’ll work at bring myself back to the present.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Finding peace and quiet at home might not be as fulfilling as you wish today. You need to connect with people outside your immediate environment when interactive Mercury stands still in your 11th House of Groups. Nevertheless, satisfaction remains elusive if you burn more energy than you have available. Nothing is gained by trying to experience all the fun in one day since your desire for social contact will only continue to grow. Your superpower is self-control when it comes to making the good times last.

Daily Recovery Readings
April 8, 2017

Daily Reflection

AN INSIDE LOOK

We want to find exactly how, when, and where our natural desires have warped us. We wish to look squarely at the unhappiness this has caused others and ourselves. By discovering what our emotional deformities are, we can move toward their correction.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 43

Today I am no longer a slave to alcohol, yet in so many ways enslavement still threatens—my self, my desires, even my dreams. Yet without dreams I cannot exist; without dreams there is nothing to keep me moving forward.

I must look inside myself, to free myself. I must call upon God’s power to face the person I’ve feared the most, the true me, the person God created me to be. Unless I can or until I do, I will always be running, and never be truly free. I ask God daily to show me such a freedom!

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

Big Book Quote

“Neither could we reduce our self centerdness much by wishing or trying on our own power. We had to have God’s help.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62

Keep It Simple

It’s a simple formula: Do your best and somebody might like it.—Dorothy Baker

Our program is a selfish program. It tells us to let go of what others think. We’re staying sober for ourselves, not for anyone else. Our body
and our spirit are at stack. And we know what we need to do to stay sober. If we fell shaky about going to a party, we don’t go—no matter who gets upset. If our job makes it hard to stay sober, we get a different one—no mater who it upsets. It’s simple we must take good care of ourselves before we can be good to others. In doing this, we learn how to be a friend, a good parent, a good spouse. we have to care for ourselves to have good relationships. Do I believe it okay to be selfish when it comes to my program?

Prayer for the Day :
Higher Power, help me do what is best for my recovery, no matter what others think.

Action for the Day:
I will remind myself that staying sober is simple. I don’t use chemicals. And I work the program.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You are determined to do everything you can to accomplish your agenda today. However, a close friend or partner might take you to task, demanding that you justify your choices. Steer clear of an emotional trap; you are not required to explain every little decision. Err on the side of caution now, especially if you sense that sharing your dreams will leave you feeling too vulnerable. Act on your gut instincts rather than second-guessing them. As the Chinese proverb advises, “The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.”

Daily Recovery Readings
April 7, 2017

Daily Reflection

A WIDE ARC OF GRATITUDE

And, speaking for Dr. Bob and myself, I gratefully declare that had it not been for our wives, Anne and Lois, neither of us could have lived to see A.A.’s beginning.
— THE A.A. WAY OF LIFE, p. 67

Am I capable of such generous tribute and gratitude to my wife, parents and friends, without whose support I might never have survived to reach A.A.’s doors? I will work on this and try to see the plan my Higher Power is showing me which links our lives together.

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

Big Book Quote

“Once we have taken this step, withholding nothing, we are delighted. We can look the world in the eye. We can be alone at perfect peace and ease. Our fears fall from us. We begin to feel the nearness of our Creator. We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 75

Keep It Simple

To make the world a friendly place One must show it a friendly face.
—James Whitcomb Riley

We are beginning to learn that we get what we expect. Why? If we believe that people are out to get us, we’ll not treat them well. We will think it’s okay to “get them” before they “get us.” Then, they’ll be angry and want to get even. And on it goes. It’s great when we can meet the world with a balance. We are honest people. We can expect others to be fair with us. We get the faith, strength, and courage to do this because of our trust in our Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, I put my life in Your care. Use me to spread Your love to others.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll spread friendliness. I will greet people with a smile.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

A simple mood change could turn your day upside down, pulling you into intriguing and complex relationship dynamics. No matter how positive you are feeling about the future, you are driven to express unresolved feelings for the sake of clearing the air. Meanwhile, professional success seems elusive now, progress slips into the shadows every time you approach it. Temporarily set logic aside and listen to your intuition today; tapping into other dimensions works in your favor.

Daily Recovery Readings
April 6, 2017

Daily Reflection

A LIFETIME PROCESS

We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn’t control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn’t make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people. . . .
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 52

These words remind me that I have more problems than alcohol, that alcohol is only a symptom of a more pervasive disease. When I stopped drinking I began a lifetime process of recovery from unruly emotions, painful relationships, and unmanageable situations. This process is too much for most of us without help from a Higher Power and our friends in the Fellowship. When I began working the Steps of the A.A. program, many of these tangled threads unraveled but, little by little, the most broken places of my life straightened out. One day at a time, almost imperceptibly, I healed. Like a thermostat being turned down, my fears diminished. I began to experience moments of contentment. My emotions became less volatile. I am now once again a part of the human family.

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

Big Book Quote

“…with us, to drink is to die.”

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

Keep It Simple

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.—Chinese proverb

We’re going down a new-road—in our recovery and in our lives. We don’t know the road. We only know we’re on the right one, because our Higher Power led us here. We ask for help from those who already know the road. We ask our sponsor, “How far is it until I get done feeling guilty?”

“How far to self-love?” “How bumpy is the road when I’m at Step Four?” We need people who have been in the program. They tell us where to slow down because this part of the trip is beautiful.

Someday, maybe today, we too will be called on to guide others.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, You’ve put me on this road. You’ve also put others on this road. Let them be my guide. Let my guides become my friends.

Action for the Day: Today,
I’ll find someone who has been in the program two or more years longer than me. I’ll ask that person what the road ahead is like.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You’re still riding on the incoming waves of positive energy, but you’re starting to fear that it won’t last forever. Fortunately, you may be close enough to reaching success that you’re not willing to walk away from it now. Nevertheless, you can refresh your attitude and recommit to your relationships by indulging in a healthy dose of gratitude. Count your blessings while you consider the words of Marcel Proust: “Love is space and time measured by the heart.”

Daily Recovery Readings
April 5, 2017

Daily Reflection

TRUE BROTHERHOOD

We have not once sought to be one in a family, to be a friend among friends, to be a worker among workers, to be a useful member of society. Always we tried to struggle to the top of the heap, or to hide underneath it. This self-centered behavior blocked a partnership relation with any one of those about us. Of true brotherhood we had small comprehension.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 53

This message contained in Step Four was the first one I heard loud and clear; I hadn’t seen myself in print before! Prior to my coming into A.A., I knew of no place that could teach me how to become a person among persons. From my very first meeting, I saw people doing just that and I wanted what they had. One of the reasons that I’m a happy, sober alcoholic today is that I’m learning this most important lesson.

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

Big Book Quote

“When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Page 64~

Keep It Simple

Go outside, to the fields, enjoy nature and the sunshine, go out and try to recapture happiness in yourself and in God.—Anne Frank

Many of us look at the joy and beauty of the program with caution. It was different from our addictive joy. Was it to be trusted? When we started working the Steps, we found inner joy and beauty. As we let go and gave in to the program, we found more happiness. We found joy in ourselves, our friends, our Higher Power, and those around us. Our self-pity changed to self-respect. We were truly out in the sunshine. We were no longer lost in misery. We know how to walk through misery to find joy.

Prayer for the Day:
May I become better friends with myself. Higher Power, let me see the world through Your innocent, yet wise and loving eyes

Action for the Day:
Today I’ll work to make my life and the lives of others more joyful. I’ll greet myself and others with much joy.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You feel invincible because everything you do now furthers your cause without running into resistance. Powerful allies show up to encourage your dreams today, and you would be wise to ask them to be a part of your team. Warrior Mars in your 11th House of Groups conspires with domineering Pluto, infusing you with a robust air of authority. Using this power for the good of all solidifies your reputation for kindness by leaving waves of positive energy in your wake.

Daily Recovery Readings
April 4, 2017

Daily Reflection

CRYING FOR THE MOON

“This very real feeling of inferiority is magnified by his childish sensitivity and it is this state of affairs which generates in him that insatiable, abnormal craving for self-approval and success in the eyes of the world. Still a child, he cries for the moon. And the moon, it seems, won’t have him!”

— THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 102

While drinking I seemed to vacillate between feeling totally invisible and believing I was the center of the universe. Searching for that elusive balance between the two has become a major part of my recovery. The moon I constantly cried for is, in sobriety, rarely full; it shows me instead its many other phases, and there are lessons in them all. True learning has often followed an eclipse, a time of darkness, but with each cycle of my recovery, the light grows stronger and my vision is clearer.

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

Big Book Quote

“If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, Page 83~

Keep It Simple

Pray without resentment in your heart. —The Little Red Book

Resentment is anger that we don’t want to turn over to our Higher Power.

Sometimes we want to keep our anger. Maybe we want to “get even.” it’s hard to be spiritual and full of anger at the same time. When we hold on to anger, it turns into self-will. We get angry from time to time. This is normal. But we now have a program to help us let go of anger. We also know that stored-up anger can drive us back to alcohol and other drugs. Instead of trying to “get even,” let’s work at keeping anger out of our hearts.

Prayer for the Day:
I pray without anger in my heart. Higher Power, I give You my anger. Have me work for justice, instead of acting like a judge.

Action For the Day:
I’ll list any resentments I now have. I’ll talk about them at my next meeting. This is the best way to turn resentments over to my Higher Power.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

A quick and easy way to stabilize your mood swings is to relentlessly work toward making your dreams come true. Your perspective changes and your emotions begin to settle down when you are focusing on the potential of the future. Nevertheless, asking others for feedback is especially useful since you can still misread someone’s intentions when it comes to your plans. Get as many people involved in your project as possible. Many hands lighten the work for all.

Daily Recovery Readings
April 3, 2017

Daily Reflection

ACCEPTING OUR HUMANNESS

We finally saw that the inventory should be ours, not the other man’s. So we admitted our wrongs honestly and became willing to set these matters straight.
— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 222

Why is it that the alcoholic is so unwilling to accept responsibility? I used to drink because of the things that other people did to me. Once I came to A.A. I was told to look at where I had been wrong. What did I have to do with all these different matters? When I simply accepted that I had a part in them, I was able to put it on paper and see it for what it was-humanness. I am not expected to be perfect! I have made errors before and I will make them again. To be honest about them allows me to accept them-and myself-and those with whom I had the differences; from there, recovery is just a short distance ahead.

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

Big Book Quote

“We feel we are on the Broad Highway, walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, Page 75~

Keep It Simple

Rest is the guardian of health.—Melba Colgrave

Now that we are sober, we’re feeling better than we have in years. We’re busy too. We attend meetings and visit friends. We have work,
school, families, and homes to keep up with.

It’s easy to forget to rest. We forgot that our bodies and minds need time off. We need plenty of sleep each night. And we need a lazy weekend now and than to let our bodies recover from to go,
go, go of daily life.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me listen to my body. Remind me to slow down and rest now and then.

Action for the Day:
How much have I rested lately? Have I gotten enough sleep each night? What can I do in the next two days to rest my body, mind, and spirit?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You might respond to a moral dilemma at work by remaining quiet and hoping the ill winds will blow by quickly. However, your silence does not indicate a lack of a viable plan; it only reveals your fear of potential rejection. You are worried that the support you need could fall short of your expectations once you go out on a limb. But inaction is a luxury you can’t afford. Albert Einstein wrote, “The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”

Daily Recovery Readings
April 2, 2017

Daily Reflection

CHARACTER BUILDING

Demands made upon other people for too much attention, protection, and love can only invite domination or revulsion. . . .
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 44

When I uncovered my need for approval in the Fourth Step, I didn’t think it should rank as a character defect. I wanted to think of it more as an asset (that is, the desire to please people). It was quickly pointed out to me that this “need” can be very crippling. Today I still enjoy getting the approval of others, but I am not willing to pay the price I used to pay to get it. I will not bend myself into a pretzel to get others to like me. If I get your approval, that’s fine; but if I don’t, I will survive without it. I am responsible for speaking what I perceive to be the truth, not what I think others may want to hear.

Similarly, my false pride always kept me overly concerned about my reputation. Since being enlightened in the A.A. program, my aim is to improve my character.

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

Big Book Quote

“We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, Page 46~

Keep It Simple

To know all things is not permitted.— Horace

In recovery, we give up trying to be perfect. We give up trying to know everything. We work at coming to know and accept our short-comings. In Step Four and Five, we look at our good points and our bad points. In Step Six, we become ready to have our Higher Power remove our “defects of character.” Then in Step Seven we ask our Higher Power to remove our “shortcomings.” Recovery is about coming to accept that we’re not prefect. We admit that
trying to be perfect got in the way of being useful to ourselves, our Higher Power, and those around us. Pretending to be prefect doesn’t allow us to be real. It’s also boring and no fun—you never get to mess up.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, You will let me know what I need to know. Allow me to claim my mistakes and shortcomings.

Action for the Day:
I will work at being okay today. Not prefect, just okay.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You might have plans for a peaceful day of rest and relaxation, but pressing circumstances require you to assume responsibility rather than avoid it. Thankfully, you’re capable of evaluating the current dynamics and taking necessary action before things grow out of hand. If you fall into the trap of silence when there’s something to be said or done today, it will be more difficult later on to get what you want. Elton John said, “Live for each second without hesitation.”