AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 29, 2026  Changes We can try to stop making unreasonable demands upon those we love. We can show kindness where we had shown none. With those we dislike we can begin to practice justice and courtesy, perhaps going out of our way to understand and help them. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 93  Thought to Ponder . . . Courtesy, kindness, justice, and love are the keynotes by which we may come into harmony with practically an ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 28, 2026  Practice These Principles "Sobriety is my sole responsibility. After all, I'm a pretty fine chap, expect for my drinking. Give me sobriety, and I've got it made!" As long as our friend clings to this comfortable alibi, he will make so little progress with his real life problems and responsibilities that he stands in a fair way to get drunk again. This is why A.A.'s Twelfth Step urges that we 'practice these principles in all our affa ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 27, 2026  We Grow Henry Ford once made a wise remark to the effect that experience is the thing of supreme value in life. That is true only if one is willing to turn the past to good account. We grow by our willingness to face and rectify errors and convert them into assets. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 124  Thought to Ponder . . . If you are unwilling to change, you've already reached your maximum potential.   AA- ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 26, 2026  Transformed By Humility Everywhere we saw failure and misery transformed by humility into priceless assets. We heard story after story of how humility had brought strength out of weakness. In every case, pain had been the price of admission into a new life. But this admission price had purchased more than we expected. It brought a measure of humility, which we soon discovered to be a healer of pain. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Ste ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 25, 2026  Safe and Protected We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality—safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 24, 2026  Attitude and Outlook 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. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 84  Thought to Ponder . . . Happiness and peace of mind are al ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 23, 2026  The Real Test It's usually pretty easy for me to be pleasant to the people in an A.A. setting. At home or at work, though, it can be a different story. It is in situations arising in both of those areas that the little day-to-day frustrations are most evident, and where it can be tough to smile or reach out with a kind word or an attentive ear. It's outside of the A.A. rooms that I face the real test of the effectiveness of my walk through A.A. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 22, 2026  RestoredCircumstances made him willing to believe. He humbly offered himself to his Maker—then he knew. Even so has God restored us all to our right minds. To this man, the revelation was sudden. Some of us grow into it more slowly. But He has come to all who have honestly sought Him. When we drew near to Him He disclosed Himself to us! - Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 57  Thought to Ponder . . . I came; I came to; I came to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 21, 2026  Step Three We thought well before taking this step making sure we were ready; that we could at last abandon ourselves utterly to Him We found it very desirable to take this spiritual step with an understanding person, such as our wife, best friend, or spiritual adviser. But it is better to meet God alone than with one who might misunderstand. The wording was, of course, quite optional so long as we expressed the idea, voicing it without reserva ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 20, 2026  A Total Liability When first challenged to admit defeat, most of us revolted. We had approached A.A. expecting to be taught self-confidence. Then we had been told that so far as alcohol is concerned, self-confidence was no good whatever; in fact, it was a total liability. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 22  Thought to Ponder . . . I can’t find a solution if I don’t know what’s wrong.   AA-related 'Alconym' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 19, 2026  Causes and Conditions Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us. Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions. Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory. This was Step Four. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 64  Thought to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 18, 2026  Lay Aside Prejudice Instead of regarding ourselves as intelligent agents, spearheads of God’s ever advancing Creation, we agnostics and atheists chose to believe that our human intelligence was the last word, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and end of all. Rather vain of us, wasn’t it? We, who have traveled this dubious path, beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized religion. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 49 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 17, 2026  Seen the Truth 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. If we are planning to stop drinking, there must be no reservation of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we will be immune to alcohol. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 33  Thought to Ponder . . . I can ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 16, 2026  To Look SquarelyWe 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. Without a willing and persistent effort to do this, there can be little sobriety or contentment for us. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 43  Thought to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy aa-alive.net) October 15, 2026  A Most Precious Asset And what is time to me now? It is a most precious asset. I have the luxury of being able to cherish the memory of yesterday, to live today with serenity, to wait for tomorrow. I find great contentment in just knowing where I was and where I am. And I am grateful; grateful for the existence of Alcoholics Anon- ymous; grateful to my God for leading me to the doors of AA and to himself; grateful for hope. I am grateful for th ...Continue Reading