One Day at a Time - Do You Know Bill W?

Thought I would put this up for anyone who wants to stop by and bs. Life, problems, whatever, anything related to alcohol or too much partying, what you did about it, and how you are dealing with it now. If that's you, c'mon in.:HappyWave:

I was on the fence about it, but my life story is already out in cyberspace anyway. No point in hiding now. Maybe some people can be helped by this, maybe not.

I had another place where I used to stop in, I miss some of those guys. There was some good stuff in that thread, one of the things that I liked about the place. Life goes on. I don't go to meetings that much anymore, but still try to take life one day at a time. I'll give it a shot and try to come here when I can.

Anyone who feels funny about putting things out on the internet, you can always pm. I'll help if I can.

Hey Dark, Thanks for getting this started. When I first came across a thread like this on another site, I thought it might help. That thread has thousands of posts and many, many guys have been helped. Coming to grips with a problem means knowing that alcohol or drugs are hurting your life, health and relationships. Maybe this is a place people can come to check out their thoughts. We drunks come with many backgrounds and stories. Some of mine make me laugh when I tell them but there is a sad ache of the life I missed living in a haze. Recovery started with a couple of simple words. "My name is Mick and I'm an alcoholic". :HappyWave:

Yup, Mick, my name is Dark, and I'm a recovering alcoholic.

Found this cool online site with thoughts for the day:

November 27, 2008

Thankfulness

How thankful I am today, to know that all my past failures
were necessary for me to be where I am now.
Through much pain came experience and, in suffering, I became obedient.
When I sought God, as I understand Him, He shared His treasured gifts.
Through experience and obedience, growth started,
followed by gratitude.
Yes, then came peace of mind -- living in and sharing sobriety.




For today, I am thankful for all the people who extended their hand to me in the beginning years. I was lost, and had no idea where to begin. I have gone back to those rooms from time to time, and many are no longer there. There's a completely new crop of people, like the new session of school in the fall.

But it's a lifelong "school" and learning experience for us. We can always learn from others.

I wanted to wish all the members here and their families a great Thanksgiving and Holiday Season! :HappyWave: This time of year I seem to notice others who are less fortunate. With the way the economy is going, I seem to see mopre people down on their luck. You can't help everyone, but a few words of kindness can go a long way. It feels good, and your kindness might be the spark that other person needed.

Just the other day, I was talking about some people who helped me years ago when I was down on my luck, One of them was in LE, Mr B. Those were some dark days back then, and he pulled me aside and said, Rich, you screwed up, but you'll make it out of this. Life goes on.

And it does, so I wanted to try and put some words out there for the people who may be suffering this Holiday Season. If your life looks like it can't get any worse, talk to someone, try to listen to the advice of others.

It can get better, and it will, if you work it. Don't give up, think of the people who will miss you if you're gone. :thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mick2360

Some of mine make me laugh when I tell them but there is a sad ache of the life I missed living in a haze.

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I couldn't have said that any better, Mick. We all have some outrageous war stories. I know the focus is on today, but when I think of all the quality time that I threw away living in that haze, wow. Good to keep the memory green. :clapping:

Lots of wisdom in understanding how addiction and mistakes helped make us the men that we are today. If you are suffering today, please believe me that it can get better. I remember the feeling of hopelessness and I expected it to change immediately when I tried to stop drinking. Sometimes I would fail and start to drink all over again; sometimes for a year, then a few months and gradually with longer periods of abstinence in between. AA was always an open door. People would show me the steps, encourage questions and provide guidance. Those of you who are fellow drunks probably know how I reacted to guidance but eventually, I was able to stop altogether. It has been sixteen years. The life that I have today is beyond my wildest dreams and I am very, very grateful for the chance for a life.

No matter where you are today, if you are doing things that hurt yourself and those that you love there is help. Jump on, make yourself known we can talk about the journey we know as recovery. There is no shame in recognizing that your life needs to change. Happy Thanksgiving. May your life get better from this day forward. :HappyWave:

Thought for the day:

November 28, 2008

On The Edge

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 anymore.
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 construct a ladder with Twelve Steps.






People talk about hitting bottom. I hit bottom many times, only I convinced myself each time it wasn't the bottom. I would screw up, feel terrible about it, and rationalize it wasn't that bad. People talk about banging your head against the wall and achieving the same results. I had to have my head smashed against a wall, and face death, before it was enough to scare me straight.

Words and logic from others did nothing, no matter how well-meaning they were. I had to learn life's hard lessons by myself. Remembering where I came from, and how hard it was to get out of there, helps me to keep my memory green and to stay sober today.

November 29, 2008

Escape Act

I was at a dead halt - spiritually, mentally, and physically.
Depression smothered my muffled thinking even more. . .
Thank God I never gave up on meetings,
so my Higher Power finally got through to me.
I realized I'd been playing the great escape act all this time.
I know now I have a lot of work to do.





I knew that routine well. The good thing was that meetings were kind of the thing that saved me from further trouble. At first people said make 90 in 90 days. So many people have trouble with that, they think: How the heck can I make so many, I have a life to live, I'm busy, dammit!

Letting something or someone take priority over out sobriety is part of the cunning, baffling, and powerful nature of our addictions.

There are times when meetings don't fit the person - guys will say to me, yeah I know I should be going, but the people at that one I go to down the street are a'holes.

Well, find another street, and another meeting. :D

November 30, 2008

Seeking Serenity

The program may not always be easy to practice,
but I had to acknowledge that my serenity had come to me
after working the Steps.
As I work the Steps in everything I do,
practicing these principles in all my affairs,
now I find that I am awake to God, to others, and to myself.


Thought to Ponder....

Serenity isn't freedom from the storm;
it is peace within the storm.






The thing about serenity for me, is that I don't view it as a goal or milestone. Otherwise it's too difficult. Instead I look at it as a gradual process.

The stuff about God I have been reading in the AA site I am doing the c&p from is a little heavy. Honestly, some of ythat turns me off at times. The way I look at these readings is to take what you want from them, and kind of minimize the rest.

I remember on another site there was a guy who was against the concept of meetings and God. He was so strongly set in his thinking, calling the meetings "brainwashing sessions". He was viewing people in recovery as being under some kind of mind control, so he naturally was against it. I think some of his resistance was hurting him in a negative sense because he closed his mind to all of the possibilities.

The cool thing about meetings and trying to recover is no one tells you exactly what to do unless you ask for advice. Just take what you want, leave the rest, that's what works for me.

There's a lot to be said for taking what you can and leaving the rest; except that alcoholics and addicts are notoriously willful men and women. It took me awhile to humble myself enough to put myself under the guidance of another person who had been successful in achieving sobriety. Mustering up that level of trust was difficult, just not as difficult as dealing with the wreckage caused by my ongoing drinking.

As far as the thought to ponder, now, fifteen years later, i know that I am not immune to the troubles of life. I do know to keep calm, do not drink and keep taking appropriate steps to whatever I am dealing with. Life gets better and when there is a loss to be dealt with, I know that I am in a better place to deal with it. When I was drinking, honor and dignity were about not losing face and never, never taking a step back. Now they mean showing up, doing my level best and treating others fairly no matter what the situation. Honor and dignity come from meeting the standards I have set for my life, not meeting the expectations of others. :HappyWave:

3 1/2 years sober today.

It's all grace.

December 1, 2008

One Among Many

As a lifelong know-it-all, people-pleaser, caretaker, mind-reader,
problem-fixer, and control freak,
I am incredibly susceptible to believing my own propaganda.
Of course, pretty soon someone lets me know that I am very dispensable,
and my input or advice isn't needed, thank you very much.
When I go to meetings, I am reminded that I am one among many.
This is truly a "we" program.





Some of the dangerous thinking we get into as alcoholics is that we are unique, and no one could possibly have the same problems as us due to our uniqueness. Uniqueness is to be prized when you are talking about creative pursuit, art, hobbies, stuff like that.

But the more I distanced myself from other peopel because they didn't drink the same thing I did, or ingest the same substances I did, the more I was isolating myself.

A good friend once said to me he couldn't possibly be an alcoholic because he went to a better school than me, and didn't grow up hanging out with street people like I did. He looked as alcoholics as winos in the streets, and only viewed addicted people as those with needles in their arms, or the ones you see hanging outside the methadone clinics. Those were the "messed up" ones. Since he didn't have those same circumstances in his life, he was ok.

He's dead now, partly because he didn't want to open up about his alcoholism and other things bothering him.

An intelligent guy, too intelligent for his own good. Anyone ever recall hearing that phrase? :huh:

So I know that no matter what my different experiences are, I am the same as every recovering alcoholic and addict out there. Deep down, we all go through some of these same feelings of isolation, desperation, remorse, self-doubt, and feelings of powerless from time to time.

One of the things that sticks with me is when I first went to meetings they had all these corny phrases. Now they ring true in my head at certain times. The one that comes to mind after today's reading is:
"Together, we can do something I cannot do alone"
Alcoholism is sometimes described as "self-will run riot".

Sometimes it's good to tune in and not only hear, but listen to the experiences of others. It helped me. If you're willing to listen, it can help you too. :thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mick2360

There's a lot to be said for taking what you can and leaving the rest; except that alcoholics and addicts are notoriously willful men and women. It took me awhile to humble myself enough to put myself under the guidance of another person who had been successful in achieving sobriety. Mustering up that level of trust was difficult, just not as difficult as dealing with the wreckage caused by my ongoing drinking.

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Mick, your point about alcoholics and addicts being notoriously willful is more accurate than what I said, and right on the money.

Many alcoholics will not humble themselves to the advice of complete strangers. They say the first thing we should do when hitting a meeting is shut up and listen. Alcoholics who want help need to realize that the advice being given to them comes from not from theory, but from the school of hard knocks.

So my advice about taking what you want and leaving the rest came from that other site where G started that thread. Once in a while, someone would come in and slam the thread, or AA, because they felt we were brainwashed, or they didn't agree with the principles and practices of AA., or the mention of God, etc, etc

Some would say those people need to suffer more before they are ready to listen. If they're still arguing with people who have years of sobriety, maybe they arent ready? That's where the shades of grey come in. I believe everyone deserves a second chance to repair their lives. Some don't see it as a chance, they come in kicking and screaming.

Bottom line, I agree they should listen to everything they're told, but how do you deal with people who are still active and negative on 90% of the program, or negative on it because they hear "God" mentioned too much? I feel they should come in anyway and look around, even if they aren't ready. You never know what will rub off, or when someone will come back and say - "Ya know, that thing you were talking about just hit me, now I understand...":D

yeah it's funny how over there one guy would say "too much God stuff" and another would say "you're worshipping the group and not God at all."

maybe cuz there's so many members it's like instant argument no matter what is said.

Jon, Great to see you here! Keep coming back! :D

Dark, There is a lot of disagreement over various aspects of a twelve step program. I was lucky; I was sick enough and desperate enough to follow advice. It saved my life. We come from different angles on the God aspect of the program. Acknowledging that and putting it aside, agreeing to disagree if you will, there is still a lot I can learn from you. How can I not respect a man who carries a googan bucket with such confidence and dignity? :HappyWave:

BE the bucket

A Sixth Sense

A genuine sense of humor touches, tastes, hears, sees,
and even smells the world in a unique way, a kind and colorful way.
This new sixth sense AA meetings have given me is a blend of awe, wonder,
and gratitude -- a magic potion, you could say.
Behind this glow of laughter and acceptance is the light of forgiveness.
A sense of humor transforms restless, irritable, and discontented sobriety
into quality sobriety.
"We aren't a glum lot," the Big Book says. Now I know why.


Thought to Ponder....

Take time to laugh -- it is the music of the soul.



They say laughter is the best medicine. If we can laugh at out troubles and disappointmentments in life, sometimes that is all that is needed to take stock, regroup, and move on.

The life of an alcoholic is marked by resentments and jealousies. I have dealt with many people who held irrational jealousies. There have been times when my resentments prevented relationships from being the best they could be with other people. Learning to let go of these is not easy, but it is a healthy process.

And laughter is like a natural medicine. I love to laugh, make fun of me anytime you want, I ball bust people whenever I can. :laugh:

Life is so short that it's no fun to go throughout it serious all the time. Fun is precious as long as we are not hurting or disrespecting anyone else at the expense of our fun. They say it takes more muscles to frown than smile, so pass along a good joke to a friend today, it may be the one thing that brightens their day. You never know when will be your last day on earth - live it like it is. :thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DarkSkies

The life of an alcoholic is marked by resentments and...irrational jealousies.

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yeah that was me.

still struggle with the irrational part. and resentments. not so much jealousies anymore. but i know as soon as i say that, i'll be given a chance to eat my words.

at least i won't deal with it by going off somewhere with a half case.

thanks for the heads up

December 3, 2008

Carry The Message!

Carry this message to other alcoholics!
You can help when no one else can.
You can secure their confidence when others fail.
Remember they are very ill.
Life will take on new meaning.
To watch people recover, to see them help others,
to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you,
to have a host of friends -- this is an experience you must not miss.
We know you will not want to miss it.





What this means to me is that I must help others. If they don't ask, there is nothing I can do. If they do ask, I am obligated. There were so many people who helped me in the beginning of my recovery. I was in my darkest hours then. It can't get any darker than that.

Even though life today is no picnic, it's better than where I was. I didn't know how to ask for help, I didn't want help, and I thought I was beyond help. Today, I still have trouble asking for help, sometimes I let my pride get in the way. But that's the foolishness of beeing an alcoholic or in addiction, we deny we need help when we need it most.


As I said, many helped me in the beginning. I could not have done it without them and my willingness to try this concept of "surrender". People continue to help me to this day, sometimes when I least expect it. This blows me away. I am continually amazed by the generosity of people, many whom were once strangers and have become friends.

In this same manner I am obligated to help others. Someone asks, and I must do the best I can to deliver the message. I have to think of the gratitude I have toward those strangers who were williing to help me, and pay it forward. I know there are people reading this who might benefit. Some might read it for entertainment, waiting for me to screw up or whatever. I have already screwed up more than most earth people out there. I take a risk putting all this stuff on the internet, but I don't care. Some have pm'd or emailed me and said this is a good thread. I wish more people might jump in, even if they don't think of themselves as alcoholics, but that's up to them.

Meanwhile, I will try to put the message and these daily thoughts out there. If anyone had any issues they are dealing with, and feels putting it out there is too personal, you can always pm me privately. I will do whatever I can to provide help, advice, or try to give you any resources you need.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jonthepain

yeah that was me.

still struggle with the irrational part. and resentments. not so much jealousies anymore. but i know as soon as i say that, i'll be given a chance to eat my words.

at least i won't deal with it by going off somewhere with a half case.

thanks for the heads up

---

You said it, Jon. The life of an alcoholic is like a tribute to Murphy's Law sometimes, whatever can go wrong will go wrong. The last 2 days have been one fiasco ofter another for me, but like you said, at least we won't be drinking over it. :thumbsup:

I have the same struggles with resentments and jealousies, I think we wouldn't be human if life was perfect for us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mick2360

How can I not respect a man who carries a googan bucket with such confidence and dignity? :HappyWave:

---

Hey man I told ya I was easy to find. Here's the pic, effumall. :2flip: ;)

December 4, 2008

Powerless

I did not know that it was physically impossible for me to drink moderately.
I did not know that my body's drinking machinery had worn out,
and that the parts could not be replaced.
I did not know that just one drink made it impossible
for me to control my behavior and conduct and my future drinking.
I did not know, in short, that I was powerless over alcohol.
My family and my friends sensed or knew these things about me
long before I did.




This took me a long time to accept. When I came in the rooms, I was so beaten and depressed I was willing to try, so I listened. Truly understanding the concept was difficult for me. For a long time, I had been independent, made my own money, and made my own decisions. Giving this up to a concept of powerlessness felt funny. It felt stupid. But that's the only way to mmove forward in a positive direction - to admit we are powerless over the addictions that grip us, and seek ways of moving forward with this in mind.

I thank God for my alcoholism. It caused me to do a lot of harm to others and like dark's post points out, people around me knew the depth of my drinking problem long before I did. After all, I had the anesthesia of alcohol and denial to deaden me to what my behavior was doing to others.

Mostly, I remember the shame. I would black out and say or do things that i didn't recollect. I would have to call a friend and ask what I did or if I owed anyone an apology. I started losing my car and had to get a ride to check my hangouts. I was the life of the party until, more and more, I was the last one standing, watching the sun come up all alone. And there was the sickness, the shakes and the horrible headaches. I started to get up early to hit a bar on the way into work, hanging out with the third shift guys, drinking a beer to kill the shakes and the sickness. It was along way from the good times but I was at it so long it seemed normal. :(

So why would anyone in their right mind thank God for such a thing? Listen; I wake up in the middle of the night, the hours when I used to be awake drinking and I sit in my wife's sun room. My family is sleeping, trusting in me to take care of them and they have never known me to let them down in a major way. My daughter, who is fifteen has never smelled liquor on my breath, seen me wired on cocaine or zoned out from weed. My wife trusts and loves me. These things were once beyond my comprehension, let alone my grasp. I am blessed and honored by the love of my family today.

Recovery, for me, began with a few false starts but each failure was really a lesson and they built to longer periods between drinks. With the help of AA and a network of sober friends, the weeks stretched into months and then years. If you are just starting, it is a program of trust; trusting that others who have been where you stand can show you the path. Give it a try. :HappyWave:

I hear ya, brother. At times my shame was so intense I thought about killiing myself, and figured the easiest ways to do it so there wouldn't be too much of a mess for anyone who came and found me when I was dead. The cycle of addiction and remorse was slowly killing me, and I couldn't stop. Each time I screwed up, crashed a car, or did some other monumentaly stupid thing, I was able to quit for awhile out of fear. Soon after, I was back at it again. The shame worked for awhile, but my addictions always took over again.

Isn't it amazing how some of the simplest things today can cause us to pause, and look at them with gratitude?

Well put, man. :clapping:

December 5, 2008

Humility

We first reach for a little humility,
knowing that we shall perish of alcoholism if we do not.
After a time, though we may still rebel somewhat,
we commence to practice humility because this is the right thing to do.
Then comes the day when, finally freed in large degree from rebellion,
we practice humility because we deeply want it as a way of life.


This is a great concept to discuss. As alcoholics and addicts, we are powerful. No one can tell us what to do, we know best.:rolleyes: Then we screw up, hit another bottom, and feel remorse. But to give up our "powerful" ways of thought, to grasp the concept of powerlessness, to humble ourselves and practice humility, no effen way! :argue:

It has been said that ego is one of the biggest obstacles to recovery. I know that for a fact, ego stood in my way for many years. I was only able to practice humility when I was beaten down and at the end of my rope. My way was not working, so I reluctantly was willing to try another.

Yet, I did, and have seen some people die because they wouldn't practice humility and humble themselves. I have seen some of them go out after years of sobriety because they became too powerful for humility. Thankfuully some of them made it back into the rooms, but some did not.:(

We are taught from an early age to have pride - pride in ourselves, our school, our communities, what we do; in short, to be exceedingly prideful individuals. Look out for #1.

Pride killed my best friend. The week before Christmas. He had quit for a season but it got him again and killed him. Damn I miss him, but not half as much as his wife and kids.

mick, that was a beautiful, inciteful post. thanks.

December 6, 2008

Healing Ourselves

We realize now that we were excessively self-centered,
chiefly concerned about our feelings, our problems,
other people's reactions to us, and our own past and future.
Therefore, trying to get into communication with and help other people
is a recovery measure for us, because it helps take us out of ourselves.
Trying to heal ourselves by helping others works,
even when it is an insincere gesture.
Try it some time.

Thought to Ponder....

Trust God. Clean house. Help others.


Some of these thoughts for the day I have been putting up have begun to ring trrue for me. A few days ago I put up a quote about surrender, and last night surrender, character defects and defects of character were talked about. Good stuff, keeps my memory green and reminded me how hard it was for me to surrender. I know I would not have given it a thought if I didn't feel my life was over and I was at the end of my rope.

As for helping others, last night I went to a meeting where I ran into some people I helped. One acknowledged in his story how me and other friends were there for him through thick and thin. The story made me feel good because there were times I almost gave up on helping, it didn't seem like he wanted to help himself.

I also saw some familiar faces of people I used to run with, and now they're sober and working the program. One friend thanked me, said it was due to me he came into the rooms. I feel uncomfortable someone putting that on my head.

God's in charge, I told my friend the reason I tried to help him was selfish - I ddn't want to see another friend die. I've seen too many friends and acquaintances die from this disease and the problems related to it. I know many more will die, but I'm tired of seeing it among those I know. Not when there is hope in the form of meetings, step work, and recovery.

It felt good to hear some of the familiar phrases. Some have viewed them as brainwashing, whatever. They do make sense to me. They're common sense ideas, wrapped in the principles of the program.

One of them is:
If you do what you always did, you'll get what ya always got.:clapping: Simple, but effective.


I will always try to help a suffering alcoholic or addict who asks.
Help someone today if you can, and help make the world a better place. Too much anger and resentment out there.

My name is Jimmy, I have 11 years, 3 months, and 13 days clean and sober.:HappyWave:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jimmy z

My name is Jimmy, I have 11 years, 3 months, and 13 days clean and sober.:HappyWave:

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Hey Jimmy! Welcome. It is really nice to see you here. :)

Hey Jimmy Z what's up! Thanks for stopping by. :HappyWave:

AA Thought for the Day

December 7, 2008

Source of Strength

When World War II broke out, this spiritual principle had its first major test.
AA's entered the services and were scattered all over the world.
Would they be able to take discipline, stand up under fire,
and endure the monotony of war?
Would the kind of dependence they had learned in AA carry them through?
Well, it did. They had even fewer alcoholic lapses or emotional binges
than AA's safe at home did.
Whether in Alaska or on the Salerno beachhead,
their dependence upon a Higher Power worked.
And far from being a weakness,
this dependence was their chief source of strength.


Thought to Ponder....

A Green Beret's Prayer:
LORD let me be . . .
Wise enough to know when I am wrong,
Strong enough to see where I am weak,
and Brave enough to face myself when I am afraid.



I like the above prayer. Kinda like the serenity prayer, but with the added line about fear. For me, fear is a good motivator and thing to have. As a fisherman, you need to have fear of the sea, especially when out by yourself at night. Too many fellow fishermen have been taken by the sea this year and last.

As a recovering alcoholic or addict, I need to have fear of what my life could become if I don't keep my memory green, one day at a time. I tend to stay away from talking about how much recovery time I have, don't want to jinx myself. I have seen friends who have years of recovery go out again, so you never know how this disease will affect you. It really is cunning, baffling, and powerful. The only disease that tells you you don't have a disease. Fear is a good thing to keep in mind. When we are so powerful we are not aware we should have fear, I think that becomes dangerous.

Thanks to all the soldiers who have served our country, and are serving now. Where would we be without them? :clapping:

December 8, 2008

Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

The length of time of our sobriety is not as important as
the quality of it. A person who has been in A.A. for a number
of years may not be in as good mental condition as a person
who has only been in a few months. It is a great
satisfaction to have been an A.A. member for a long time
and we often mention it. It may sometimes help the newer
members, because they may say to themselves, if they can do
it I can do it. And yet the older members must realize
that as long as they live they are only one drink away
from a drunk. What is the quality of my sobriety?

Meditation For The Day

"And greater works than this shall ye do." We can do
greater works when we have more experience of the new way
of life. We can have all the power we need from the Unseen
God. We can have His grace, His spirit, to make us effective
as we go along each day. Opportunities for a better world
are all around us. Greater works can we do. But we do not
work alone. The power of God is behind all good works.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may find my rightful place in the world.
I pray that my works may be made more effective by the
grace of God.



________________________

The length of time of our sobriety is not as important as the quality of it.


I think the above thoughts make a lotta sense. We can jinx ourselves by focusing too much on how much time we have under our belts. After all, the program is one day at a time.

Some of the quality of recovery is said to come from working the steps. I did mine, but I could always benefit from re-visiting them. Looking at things again, after a few years of sobriety, helps to put things in different perspectibe. It's good to have that perspective today, and be able to accept things that people in the program tell me. It's free advice, and they want to help you through constructive feeddback, if you are willing. :thumbsup:

good to see you jimmy

A friend sent me this thought today. 2 years ago he was a walking corpse, and now he chairs a meeting, is working the program. He just celebrated 2 years. Good deal, I'm proud of him. :thumbsup:




Make a difference

Your time is never wasted when you're truly making a difference. Every productive effort adds value to your world.

Don't worry about what's in it for you. If you're making a difference, if you're making a positive contribution to life, there's always something in it for you.
Though there may not seem to be any direct or immediate rewards, your efforts will most certainly be rewarded. The longer you're willing to wait for those rewards, the bigger they will be.
Many times your efforts will pay off in ways you could not have foreseen. Keep being creative, keep being productive, keep being effective, and keep being your best.
It may sometimes seem that no one appreciates the work you're doing. When you feel that way, then raise your efforts to an even higher level, for at some point someone will definitely take notice.
Be sincere in your efforts and in your desire to make a valuable, meaningful positive difference. And know that the rewards will always come.

I truly believe, " ya can't keep it, unless ya give it away" . There comes a point and time in recovery, when enough knowledge is acquired by one, to help the newcomers. Work the steps, and as always, meeting makers, make it.:)

^ Hey Jimmy, it's interesting you would say that, because today's thought for the day is "Pass it on" Ya must be psychic. :HappyWave:


December 9, 2008

Pass It On

I'll never forget the first time I met Bill Wilson.
I was a couple of months sober
and so excited, so thrilled to actually meet the co-founder
that I gushed all over him with what my sobriety meant to me
and my undying gratitude for his starting AA.
When I ran down, he took my hand in his and said simply,
'Pass it on.'




I try to do this whenever I can. There is a fine line beteewn passing and preaching. Some people do not want to hear, or are not ready for, the message and the practices and principles. That's ok. Some people have known me for years, and out of the blue called and said: "Hey, that AA thing you're involved in, does it really work? What's it all about?" That's the time for me to pass it on, and of course, whenever I meet a newcomer at a meeting.

I like what you guys are doing here. I don't feel like going into detail right now, but you are helping people. Keep up the good work. :clapping: :HappyWave:

That's what it's all about.

:) Hi Rich, They are some basic fundamental principles that I believe, and use in my daily walk.

December 10, 2008

Humility

On his desk, Dr. Bob had a plaque defining humility:
"Perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble.
It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore;
to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me.
It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised,
it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door
and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness,
when all around and about is seeming trouble."

Thought to Ponder....

The storm has passed. I've learned a little more about peace.
It was inside all the time.


"Perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble.
It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore;
to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me...


I would say that the above quote is what I have had the most difficulty with. It's better for me now than it once was, but it's still a struggle sometimes. Never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore... wow what a concept! The people I admire the most have a good handle on humility. They lead their lives by example, and I admire that example. As for me, I would say I am able to achieve that maybe 50% of the time. This is one area where I definitely need work.