"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 a new one. A.A. comes or age, p. 46 A thousand beatings by John Barleycorn did not encourage me to admit defeat. I believed it […]

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 attain. Then we shall need to find both the courage and grace to deal constructively with whatever fears remain. As Bill sees it, p. 61 […]

Fear and faith June 21 The achievement of freedom from fear is a lifetime undertaking, one that can never be wholly completed. When under heavy attack, acute illness, or in other conditions of serious insecurity, we shall all react to this emotion — well or badly, as the case may be. Only the self-deceived will […]

Today, I'm free June 22 This brought me to the good healthy realization that there were plenty of situations left in the world over which I had no personal power – that if I was so ready to admit that to be the case with alcohol, so I must make the same admission with respect […]

Trusting others June 23 But does trust require that we be blind to other people's motives or, indeed, to our own? Not at all; this would be folly. Most certainly, we should assess the capacity for harm as well as the capability for good in every person that we would trust. Such a private inventory […]

A spiritual kindergarten June 24 We are only operating a spiritual kindergarten in which people are enabled to get over drinking and find the grace to go on living to better effect. As Bill sees it, p. 95 When I came to A.A., I was run down by the bottle and wanted to lose the […]

A two-way street June 25 If we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions. But in no case does He render us white as snow and keep us that way without our cooperation. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 65 When I prayed, I used to omit a lot of things for which I needed […]

A gift that grows with time June 26 For most normal folks, drinking means conviviality, companionship and colorful imagination. It means release from care, boredom and worry. It is joyous intimacy with friends and a feeling that life is good. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 151 The longer I chased these elusive feelings with alcohol, the more […]

Conforming to the A.A. way June 27 We obey A.A.'s Steps and Traditions because we really want them for ourselves. It is no longer a question of good or evil; we conform because we genuinely want to conform. Such is our process of growth in unity and function. Such is the evidence of God's grace […]

Tthe determination of our founders June 28 A year and six months later these three had succeeded with seven more. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 159 If it had not been for the fierce determination of our founders, A.A. would have quickly faded like so many other so-called good causes. I look at the hundreds of meetings […]

A rippling effect June 29 Having learned to live so happily, we'd show everyone else how. . . . Yes, we of A.A. did dream those dreams. How natural that was, since most alcoholics are bankrupt idealists. . . . So why shouldn't we share our way of life with everyone? Twelve steps and twelve […]

Sacrifice = Unity = Survival June 30 The unity, the effectiveness, and even the survival of A.A. will always depend upon our continued willingness to give up some of our personal ambitions and desires for the common safety and welfare. Just as sacrifice means survival for the individual alcoholic, so does sacrifice mean unity and […]

The best for today July 01 The principles we have set down are guides to progress. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 60 Just as a sculptor will use different tools to achieve desired effects in creating a work of art, in Alcoholics Anonymous the Twelve Steps are used to bring about results in my own life. I […]

The heart of true sobriety July 02 We find that 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 Am I honest enough to accept myself as I am and let this be the "me" that I […]

EXPERIENCE: THE BEST TEACHER July 03 Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 87 Some say that experience is the best teacher, but I believe that experience is the only teacher. I have been […]

A natural faith July 04 . . . deep down in every man, woman and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations […]

A new direction July 05 Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly. . . . Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all our activities. Alcoholics anonymous, pp. 45, 85 I hear talk of the "weak-willed" alcoholic, but I am […]

Identifying fear . . . July 06 The chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear. . . . Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 76 When I feel uncomfortable, irritated, or depressed, I look for fear. This "evil and corroding thread" is the root of my distress: Fear of failure; fear of others' […]

. . . And letting go of it July 07 . . . primarily fear that we would lose something we already possessed or would fail to get something we demanded. Living upon a basis of unsatisfied demands, we were in a state of continual disturbance and frustration. Therefore, no peace was to be had […]

. . . And letting go of it July 07 . . . primarily fear that we would lose something we already possessed or would fail to get something we demanded. Living upon a basis of unsatisfied demands, we were in a state of continual disturbance and frustration. Therefore, no peace was to be had […]

I am an instrument July 09 Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 70 The subject of humility is a difficult one. Humility is not thinking less of myself than I ought to; it is acknowledging that I do certain things well, it is accepting a compliment graciously. God […]

Toward peace and serinity July 10 . . . when we have taken a square look at some of these defects, have discussed them with another, and have become willing to have them removed, our thinking about humility commences to have a wider meaning. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 74 When situations arise which […]

A turning point July 11 A great turning point in our lives came when we sought for humility as something we really wanted, rather than as something we must have. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 75 Either the A.A. way of life becomes one of joy or I return to the darkness and despair […]

Giving up the center stage July 12 For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all. . . . Without it, they cannot live to much useful purpose, or, in adversity, be able to summon the faith that can meet any emergency. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 70 Why do […]

HUMILITY IS A GIFT July 13 As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 72 When I first came to A.A., I […]