Cultivating faith April 21 "I don't think we can do anything very well in this world unless we practice it. And I don't believe we do A.A. too well unless we practice it. . . . We should practice . . . acquiring the spirit of service. We should attempt to acquire some faith, which […]

New soil . . . New roots April 22 Moments of perception can build into a lifetime of spiritual serenity, as I have excellent reason to know. Roots of reality, supplanting the neurotic underbrush, will hold fast despite the high winds of the forces which would destroy us, or which we would use to destroy […]

A.A. is not a cure-all April 23 It would be a product of false pride to claim that A.A. is a cure-all, even for alcoholism. As Bill sees it, p. 285 In my early years of sobriety I was full of pride, thinking that A.A. was the only source of treatment for a good and […]

Learning to love yourselfs April 24 Alcoholism was a lonely business, even though we were surrounded by people who loved us. . . . We were trying to find emotional security either by dominating or by being dependent upon others. . . . We still vainly tried to be secure by some unhealthy sort of […]

Entering a new dimension April 25 In the late stages of our drinking, the will to resist has fled. Yet when we admit complete defeat and when we become entirely ready to try A.A. principles, our obsession leaves us and we enter a new dimension—freedom under God as we understand Him. As Bill sees it, […]

Happiness is not the point April 26 I don't think happiness or unhappiness is the point. How do we meet the problems we face? How do we best learn from them and transmit what we have learned to others, if they would receive the knowledge? As Bill sees it, p. 306 In my search "to […]

Joyful discoveries April 27 We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come, if your own house is in order. But obviously you cannot […]

Two "magnificient standards" April 28 All A.A. progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words: humility and responsibility. Our whole spiritual development can be accurately measured by our degree of adherence to these magnificent standards. As Bill sees it, p. 271 To acknowledge and respect the views, accomplishments and prerogatives of others and […]

Group autonomy April 29 Some may think that we have carried the principle of group autonomy to extremes. For example, in its original "long form," Tradition Four declares: "Any two or three gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that as a group they have no other affiliation."* . . . […]

A great paradox April 30 These legacies of suffering and of recovery are easily passed among alcoholics, one to the other. This is our gift from God, and its bestowal upon others like us is the one aim that today animates A.A.'s all around the globe. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 151 The great […]

Healing heart and mind May 01 Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 55 Since it is true that God comes to me through people, I can see that by keeping people at a distance I also keep God at […]

Lighting the dark past May 02 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 No longer is my past an autobiography; it is […]

Cleaning house May 03 Somehow, being alone with God doesn't seem as embarrassing as facing up to another person. Until we actually sit down and talk aloud about what we have so long hidden, our willingness to clean house is still largely theoretical. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 60 It wasn't unusual for me […]

"Entirely honest" May 04 We must be entirely honest with somebody if we expect to live long or happily in this world. Alcoholics anonymous, pp. 73-74 Honesty, like all virtues, is to be shared. It began after I shared ". . . whole life's story with someone . . ." in order to find my […]

The forest and the trees May 05 . . . what comes to us alone may be garbled by our own rationalization and wishful thinking. The benefit of talking to another person is that we can get his direct comment and counsel on our situation. . . Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 60 I […]

"Hold back nothing" May 06 The real tests of the situation are your own willingness to confide and your full confidence in the one with whom you share your first accurate self-survey. . . .Provided you hold back nothing, your sense of relief will mount from minute to minute. The dammed-up emotions of years break […]

Respect for others May 07 Such parts of our story we tell to someone who will understand, yet be unaffected. The rule is we must be hard on ourself, but always considerate of others. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 74 Respect for others is the lesson that I take out of this passage. I must go to […]

A resting place May 08 All of A.A.'s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our natural desires . . . they all deflate our egos. When it comes to ego deflation, few Steps are harder to take than Five. But scarcely any Step is more necessary to longtime sobriety and peace of mind […]

Walking through fear May 09 If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 76 When I had taken my Fifth Step, I became aware that all my defects of character stemmed from my need to feel secure and loved. To use […]