AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AA-Alive.net)
October 22, 2014
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Happy, Joyous, and Free
We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free.
We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us.
But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn't do it.
Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it
as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 133
Thought to Ponder . . .
True happiness is found in the journey, not the destination.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H J F = Happy, Joyous, Free.
A Member Shares:
Hi all, Claudia here, an alcoholic. I had to go to the dictionary because I had a hard time separating the meanings of happy and joyous. Here are the definitions: Happy: feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. Joy: full of happiness and joy. I guess what I get from that is that happy is an emotion, something that I “feel” .. usually, if I’m doing or experiencing something I like. On the other hand, joyous is a state of mind. I can be joyous even in the midst of trial or tragedy. It really is two different aspects of being free to me. I used to be like a ship rocking to and fro on the waves of life. Today, as a direct result of working the Twelve Steps in ALL my affairs, a sponsor who tells me the truth and desires to see me grow, and because of the relationship I have with my God / Higher Power, I know balance in my life. My life, and how I handle it every day, is no longer defined by my circumstances. Things can be really difficult but I can maintain serenity and peace. I’m really grateful for that because while drinking I was like a Jekyll and Hyde. While one day something might happen and I took it in stride, another day, the same thing happens and I’d wig out. It was, for me, the epitome of the insanity discussed in Step One. The slogans of AA are a great help here and they really work: "Live and let Live," "Easy Does It," "But for the Grace of God," "Think, Think, Think" and "First things First." Taking the first word of each tells me, "Live Easy But Think First." I can do that today because living this program has taught me how to pause. That brief interlude where I can make a choice to act (or not act) rather than react is the brief interlude I need to continue to live my life happy, joyous and free. Thanks all for teaching me how.
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(All shares are reproduced with the kind permission of the person sharing)
Thanks to all of you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength and hope in carrying the AA message.
Blessings in sobriety to all,
In love and service,
joanna b
dailythought@aa-alive.org
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