*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 30, 2013* *Truth* *Truth is to inner space what sunshine is to a garden. In its absence, fear flourishes and imagination runs riot, conjuring up pursuing monsters where there are only paper dragons. . . Truth liberates. Truth heals. Truth unlocks the door to the glory of reality and gives us the means to live in harmony with reality. In return, it asks only that we surrender all lies and illusions and love What is. Why do we wait so long?* Th ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 29, 2013* *Ego* *I am still arrogant, egocentric, self-righteous, with no humility, even phony at times, but I'm trying to be a better person and help my fellowman. Guess I'll never be a saint, but whatever I am, I want to be sober and in AA. The word "alcoholic" does not turn me off any more; in fact, it is music to my ears when it applies to me.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous/ [Third Edition], p. 463 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Humility ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 28, 2013* *In His Hands* *Cling to the thought that, in God's hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have -- the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death and misery for them.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 124 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *A A* = **A**lways **A**wesome. Tha ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 27, 2013 *~ Scroll Down for Share ~* *Surrender* Beaten into complete defeat by alcohol, confronted by the living proof of release, and surrounded by those who can speak from the heart, we have finally surrendered. . . Enough willingness, enough open-mindedness -- and there it is!* /- The Language of the Heart,/ p. 246 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Avoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *K I S S* = **K**eep ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 26, 2013* *Living Sober* *Somewhat to our surprise, staying sober turns out not to be the grim, wet-blanket experience we had expected! While we were drinking, a life without alcohol seemed like no life at all. But for most members of AA, living sober is /really/ living -- a joyous experience. We much prefer it to the troubles we had with drinking. One more note: anyone can /get/ sober. We have done it lots of times. The trick is to stay and /l ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 25, 2013* *Our Big Book* *Thus we grow. And so can you, though you be but one man with this book in your hand. We believe and hope it contains all you need to begin. We know what you are thinking. You are saying to yourself: "I'm jittery and alone. I couldn't do that." But you can. You forget that you have just now tapped a source of power greater than yourself. To duplicate, with such backing, what we have accomplished is only a ma ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 24, 2013 *~ Scroll Down for Share ~* *Action* Step Three calls for affirmative action, for it is only by action that we can cut away the self-wil l which has always blocked the entry of God -- or, if you like, a Higher Power into our lives. . . Step Three represents our first attempt to do this.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 34 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *We surrender to win. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *S W A T* = **S**urrender, ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 23, 2013* *Turning it Over* *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 over to the care of God.* /- Daily Reflections,/ p. 227 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Learning is the very essence of humility; the two walk hand in hand.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *G O D* = **G**ood **O**rderly **D**irection. Thanks to all of you for sharing so g ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 22, 2013* *Fellowship* *In AA, afflicted men and women have recaptured the lost art of fellowship. We came together because we were in trouble. We leave our references and credentials at the door. . . We come together in the downright simple faith that every human being has a right to health in body, mind, and soul. Together we continue to strive for these great blessings in the Fellowship of AA.* /- Thank You For Sharing,/ p. 58 *Thought to ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 21, 2013* *The Ladder* *No one who drank as I did wakes up on the edge of the abyss one morning and says:Things look pretty scary; I think I'd better stop drinking before I fall in. I was convinced I could go as far as I wanted, and then climb back out when it wasn't fun any more. What happened was, I found myself at the bottom of the canyon thinking I'd never see the sun again. AA didn't pull me out of that hole. It did give me the tools to co ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 20, 2013 *~ Scroll Down for Share ~* *Step One* We admitted we were powerless over alcohol -- that our lives had become unmanageable.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 59 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *The distance is nothing; it is only the first step toward it that is difficult. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *H O W* = **H**onesty, **O**pen-mindedness, **W**illingness.* * *A Member Shares:* **Hi all, I'm Rick and an alcoholic. I haven't been sober long, and ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 19, 2013* *Forgiveness* *I must forgive injuries, not just in words, or as a matter of form, but in my heart. I do this not for the other persons' sake, but for my own sake. Resentment, anger, or a desire to see someone punished, are things that rot my soul. Such things fasten my troubles to me with chains.* /- Daily Reflections,/ p. 88 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Forgiveness of others is a gift to yourself.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* * ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 18, 2013* *Attitude* *Whatever is done is over. It cannot be changed. But my attitude about it can be changed through talking with those who have gone before and with sponsors. . . I won't have to wish the past away. I can change my feeling and attitudes, but only through my actions and the help of my fellow alcoholics.* /- Daily Reflections,/ p. 141 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?* *AA-related ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 17, 2013 *~ Scroll Down for Share ~* *Self-will* So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us! God makes that possible.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 62 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *If I self-forget I find. *AA-relate ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 16, 2013* *Rewards* *The simple contrast between active alcoholism and active sobriety has helped me to seek, listen and to apply the good principles of living, and I am rewarded with much more excitement and joy than was mine before AA sobriety.* /- Came To Believe . . .,/ p. 4 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *I saw, I felt, I believed.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *A B C* = **A**cceptance, **B**elief, **C**hange. Thanks to all of you for shar ...Continue Reading