Brothers in our defects April 19 We recovered alcoholics are not so much brothers in virtue as we are brothers in our defects, and in our common strivings to overcome […]

Self-examination April 20 . . . we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 86 When […]

Self-examination April 20 . . . we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 86 When […]

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 […]

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, […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

"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, […]

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 […]

"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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Free at last May 10 Another great dividend we may expect from confiding our defects to another human being is humility – a word often misunderstood. . . . it […]

A new sense of belonging May 11 Until we had talked with complete candor of our conflicts, and had listened to someone else do the same thing, we still didn't […]

The past is over May 12 A.A. experience has taught us we cannot live alone with our pressing problems and the character defects which cause or aggravate them. If . […]

The easier, softer way May 13 If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 72 I certainly didn't leap at the opportunity to face […]

It's okay to be me May 14 Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. . . . they have turned to easier […]

Know God; know peace May 15 It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. . . . But with the alcoholic, whose […]

We forgive. . . May 16 Often it was while working on this Step with our sponsors or spiritual advisers that we first felt truly able to forgive others, no […]

. . . And forgive May 17 Under very trying conditions I have had, again and again, to forgive others – also myself. As Bill sees it, p. 268 Forgiveness […]

Freeedom to be me May 18 If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to […]

Giving without strings May 19 And he well knows that his own life has been made richer, as an extra dividend of giving to another without any demand for a […]

One day at a time May 20 Above all, take it one day at a time. As Bill sees it, p. 11 Why do I kid myself that I must […]

A list of blessings May 21 One exercise that I practice is to try for a full inventory of my blessings... As Bill sees it, p. 37 What did I […]

Step one May 22 WE . . . (The first word of the First Step) Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 21 When I was drinking all I could ever […]

Spiritual health May 23 When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 64 It is very difficult for me to come to terms […]

"Happy, joyous, and free" May 24 We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale […]

Progressive gratitude May 25 Gratitude should go forward, rather than backward. As Bill sees it, p. 29 I am very grateful that my Higher Power has given me a second […]

Our primary purpose May 30 The more A.A. sticks to its primary purpose, the greater will be its helpful influence everywhere. A.A. comes of age, p. 109 It is with […]

Readiness to serve others May 31 . . . our Society has concluded that it has but one high mission – to carry the A.A. message to those who don't […]

A changed outlook June 01 Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 84 When I was drinking, my attitude was totally selfish, totally self-centered; my […]

The upward path June 02 Here are the steps we took. . . . Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 59 These are the words that lead into the Twelve Steps. In their […]

On a wing and a prayer June 03 . . . we then look at Step Six. We have emphasized willingness as being indispensable. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 76 Steps Four […]

Letting go of our old selves June 04 Carefully reading the first five proposals we ask if we have omitted anything, for we are building an arch through which we […]

Entirely ready? June 05 "This is the Step that separates the men from the boys.". . . the difference between "the boys and the men" is the difference between striving […]

All we do is try June 06 Can He now take them all — every one? Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 76 In doing Step Six it helped me a lot to […]

Long-term hope June 07 Since most of us are born with an abundance of natural desires, it isn't strange that we often let these far exceed their intended purpose. When […]

Opening up to change June 8 Self-searching is the means by which we bring new vision, action, and grace to bear upon the dark and negative side of our natures. […]

Living in the now June 09 First, we try living in the now just in order to stay sober — and it works. Once the idea has become a part […]

Impatient? Try levitating June 10 We reacted more strongly to frustrations than normal people. As Bill sees it, p. 111 Impatience with other people is one of my principal failings. […]

Family obligations June 11 . . . a spiritual life which does not include. . . family obligations may not be so perfect after all. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 129 I […]

Forming true partnerships June 12 But it is from our twisted relations with family, friends, and society at large that many of us have suffered the most. We have been […]

Living our amends June 13 "Years of living with an alcoholic is almost sure to make any wife or child neurotic. The entire family is, to some extent, ill." Alcoholics […]

When the going gets rough June 14 It is a design for living that works in rough going. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 15 When I came to A.A., I realized that […]

Making A.A. your higher power June 15 ". . .You can . . . make A.A. itself your 'higher power.' Here's a very large group of people who have solved […]

Open-mindedness June 16 We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never […]

"Deep down within us" June 17 We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis it is only there that He may be found. . . […]

A fellowship of freedom June 18 . . . if only men were granted absolute liberty, and were compelled to obey no one, they would then voluntarily associate themselves in […]

"A.A. Regeneration" June 19 Such is the paradox of A.A. regeneration: strength arising out of complete defeat and weakness, the loss of one's old life as a condition for finding […]

Release from fear June 20 The problem of resolving fear has two aspects. We shall have to try for all the freedom from fear that is possible for us to […]