*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 2, 2016* *Imperfection* Perfection would limit me; imperfection offers me the freedom of a million potentials. All the excitement and interest and wonder of adventure are mine to explore, ever-new, ever-changing, ever-becoming. Thank God, as a result of AA and sobriety, I am liberated from /dreaming/ the impossible dream and free, finally, to start /living/ the possible dream. /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 1], p. 61 *Thought to Ponder . . .* Give me ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 1, 2016* *Pickles* We are also convinced, after the countless attempts we made to prove otherwise, that alcoholism is incurable—just like some other illnesses. It cannot be “cured” in this sense: We cannot change our body chemistry and go back to being the normal, moderate social drinkers lots of us seemed to be in our youth. As some of us put it, we can no more make that change than a pickle can change itself back into a cucumber. /- Living Sober,/ p. 8 * ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 31, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Powerlessness Beaten into complete defeat by alcohol, confronted by the living proof of release, and surrounded by those who can speak to us from the heart, we have finally surrendered.* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 174 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Avoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *H O W** = **H**onesty, **O**pen-mindedness, **W**illingness. ** *A Member Shares: I'm Lori, a real alcoh ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 30, 2016* *Sponsors* A sponsor is simply a sober alcoholic who can help solve only one problem: how to stay sober. And the sponsor has only one tool to use—personal experience, not scientific wisdom. Sponsors have /been/ there, and they often have more concern, hope, compassion, and confidence for us than we have for ourselves. /- Living Sober,/ p. 27 *Thought to Ponder . . .* A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor is much like a ship without a rudder. *AA ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 29, 2016* *Challenges* Life is meant to be lived by facing the challenges it brings. Otherwise, I’m not living, just existing. God didn’t give me this gift of sobriety to sit in a rocking chair, imagining myself as some wise old woman who has arrived somewhere. There is no easier, softer way. /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 3], p. 320 *Thought to Ponder . . .* Sobriety is a gift, the price of which is eternal vigilance. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *B E ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 28, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Twelve Steps A.A.’s Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 15 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *The Twelve Steps -- a manuscript for rational living. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *S T E P S** = **S**olutions **T**hrough **E**ach **P**ow ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 27, 2016* *Ground Glass* “The moral inventory is a cool examination of the damages that occurred to us during life and a sincere effort to look at them in a true perspective. This has the effect of taking the ground glass out of us, the emotional substance that cuts and inhibits.” /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 140 *Thought to Ponder . . .* My perspective will change my perception. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *H O W* = **H**onest, **O**pen-minded, **W**illing. Th ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 26, 2016* *Unity* The Twelve Steps of our AA program are not crammed down anybody’s throat. They are not sustained by any human authority.  Yet we powerfully unite around them because the truth they contain has saved our lives, has opened the door to a new world. Our experience tells us these universal truths work. The anarchy of the individual yields to their persuasion. /- The Language of the Heart,/ p. 8 *Thought to Ponder . . .* There is no strength ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 25, 2016* *Face the Music* “Are you really placing recovery first, or are you making it contingent upon other people, places, or circumstances? You may find it ever so much better to face the music right where you are now, and, with the help of the AA program, win through. Before you make a decision, weigh it in these terms.” /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 251 *Thought to Ponder . . .* In order to recover, we need to uncover. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *P R O G R ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 24, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Essentials We find the no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. /Willingness, honesty and open-mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable./* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 568 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *AA is spiritual, is the eye of the hurricane, is my refuge and my comfort. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *H O W** = **H**onesty, **O**pen-mindedness, **W**illingness. ** *A Me ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 23, 2016* *Listening* Sometimes, the body can speak an eloquent language all its own. I see and feel that at meetings.  So coming to regular meetings of AA is a priceless experience for me on a great many levels – mental, spiritual, social, emotional, and now possibly physical. Listening quietly is already a joy to me, and if it calms me down and lowers my blood pressure in the process, that’s just another great reason to keep coming back. /- Thank You Fo ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 22, 2016* *Guilt* Don’t, please, thrash around too long in guilt. Learn what you can from past negative experiences, and move on. Guilt is insidious and counterproductive. You are a perfect child of God.  It shines through in your sobriety. I see it, and so do others.  Make yourself see it. /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 1], p. 86 *Thought to Ponder . . .* Guilt is in the past; worry is the future.  Both are manifestations of ego. *AA-rel ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 21, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ The First One If we do not take the first drink, we never get drunk. Therefore, instead of planning never to get drunk, or trying to limit the number of drinks or the amount of alcohol, we have learned to concentrate on avoiding only one drink: the first one.* /- Living Sober,/ p. 5 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *The first drink has the last say. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *J F T** = **J**ust **F**or **T**oday. ** *A Member Sh ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 20, 2016* *A Lesson* I spent most of my life worrying about myself, thinking that I was unwanted, that I was unloved. I’ve learned since being in AA that the more I worry about me loving you, and the less I worry about you loving me, the happier I will be. /- Experience, Strength and Hope,/ p. 218 *Thought to Ponder . . .* Happiness and peace of mind are always here, open and free to anyone. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *H J F* = **H**appy, **J**oyous, **F** ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 19, 2016* *The AA Group* We constantly remind ourselves and each other that the reason we are here is to help the new person find what we have discovered through the Steps – not to glorify ourselves, not to discuss at nauseating length our own opinions or feelings, but to give to others what has been given to us. . . It took some of us a very long time to discover these simple truths. But our AA experience is now so fulfilling, so positive, so full of harmonio ...Continue Reading