5/7/12 "Today" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

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Apr 30, 2012, 8:49:29 AM4/30/12
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Step 7
http://www.recoverycartoons.com/steps/stepseven.shtml

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is May the 5th month, PLEASE share on the 5th step
If you haven’t done the 5th step with your sponsor
Please share on trust and integrity...

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you MUST join this club in order to
participate otherwise your emails will bounce

to share please visit
or email

A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
This is a SLAMMING, STRONG support group with
a whole lot of EXPERIENCE, LOVE and HOPE that is available to you.
This a message bulletin board meeting, where people post on the
weekly topic. It takes only 1 minute to enter a password and
username. Please go this page on the upper right hand corner and click
the join club link, sign in and go to the left hand side and click
messages to read what others have shared and click on the post link,
now you can share on the topic of the week or whatever you would like.
There is a lot of good experience, strength and hope in here as well
as newcomers who need our support and love, PLEASE stop by,
we will leave the light on in the room and there is coffee in the back :)
Thanks for your participation and support !!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

May 7
Today I choose to accept live on life's terms...all of it.
I am open to all I see, hear,
think and feeling the moment, without resistance.
I am opening to be fully alive
and enjoying the adventure.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy" 
Check out Ruth's collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
for inspirational messages email
ru...@ruthfishel.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today

Sitting here thinking
and watching time go by
Keeping the mind active
as year after year says goodbye
Somethings stay the same
others we must change
Only by looking inside
will we know what to rearrange
We are free to try new ideas
learn about ourselves a bit
Never forget our past
or we are doomed to repeat it
Have plans and dreams for tomorrow
we need them to learn and grow
But don't lose your focus
today is the day that counts you know
Today may hold joy and laughter
or maybe sorrow and pain
Live each moment for what it's worth
for never will we live it again

Ester Jean Mitchell
Copyright ©2005 Ester Mitchell
desertm...@yahoo.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Don't Use*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If anyone has any original recovery poetry that they
would like to share with us please copy and paste it into the body
of an email and send it to me, Thanks for your support and contributions.
What I can't do alone, We do together.
In loving service, Scott ~  YOUn...@gmail.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Glimpses Of God

Half The Person
http://www.wscribe.com/parables/pet.html

A Home Of One's Own
http://www.wscribe.com/parables/house.html

The Shape of Things to Come by Bill W.
http://www.silkworth.net/grapevine/thingstocome.html

Tommy D. GREAT MUSIC (one of my sponsees)
http://www.bluesbuddha.com/

Recovery Gifts, Bracelets, T-Shirts, Mugs and other GREAT gifts

CHECK out Ruth Fishel's new book
Peace in our Hearts, Peace in the World

intheooms.com- IN THE ROOMS (ITR), is the premier FREE online social network dedicated to the global recovery community for people seeking help, in recovery and their family, friends and allies of recovery worldwide.  Our mission is to augment or enhance traditional 12 step and other recovery programs by offering a place to not only find like minded people but also people who share the same interests, passions and hobbies. Our mantra is the acronym HITCH which is the Help, Inform, Touch, Connect and Heal. 

Ruth Fishel Books and Tapes 
http://www.ruthfishel.com/Books_and_CDs.html
for inspirational messages email
ru...@ruthfishel.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
May 7                                       Turning turmoil into peace

"With the world in such a turmoil, I feel I have been blessed to
be where I am."   Text, p. 155

   Some days it doesn't pay to turn on the news, we hear so many
stories about violence and mayhem. When we used, many of us 
grew accustomed to violence. Through the fog of our addiction, 
we rarely got too disturbed by the state of the world. When we 
are clean, however, many of us find we are particularly sensitive 
to the world around us. As recovering people, what can we do to 
make it a better place?      

 When we find ourselves disturbed by the turmoil of our world,
we can find comfort in prayer and meditation. When it seems like
everything is turned upside down, our contact with our Higher Power
can be our calm in the midst of any storm. When we are centered
on our spiritual path, we can respond to our fears with peace. And
by living peaceably ourselves, we invite a spirit of peace to enter our
world. As recovering people, we can affect positive change by doing
our best to practice the principles of our program.

Just for today:  I will enhance peace in the world by living, speaking, 
and acting peacefully in my own life. Page-133

Just For Today Daily Meditation is the property of Narcotics Anonymous ©
1991 by World Service Office Inc.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get Involved In Service*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If you are enjoying this daily recovery email,
Please pass on 12 Step Soul Food For The Spirit to your online friends,
"We can only keep what we have by giving it away."
If you have received this as a forward
and  would like to subscribe please email
me at YOUn...@gmail.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Food For Thought Meditation

Each Day a New Beginning (Women) Meditation

Touchtones (Men) Meditation

Meditation of the Day

Viking Thought of the Day

Elder's Meditation of the Day

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day

Daily Zen

Grapevine Story Today

Daily Motivator

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

True Brotherhood

We have not once sought to be one in a family, to be a friend among
friends, to be a worker among workers, to be a useful member of
society.  Always we tried to struggle to the top of the heap, or to hide
underneath it.  This self-centered behavior blocked a partnership 
relation with any one of those about us.  Of true brotherhood we had 
small comprehension.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.  53

This message contained in Step Four was the first one I heard loud 
and clear; I hadn't seen myself in print before!  Prior to my coming 
into A.A., I knew of no place that could teach me how to become a 
person among persons.  From my very first meeting, I saw people 
doing just that and I wanted what they had.  One of the reasons that 
I'm a happy, sober alcoholic today is that I'm learning this most 
important lesson.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
Daily Reflection In Loving Memory Of Scott Reeves

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ May 7th

A.A. Thought for the Day

It's very important to keep in a grateful frame of mind, if
we want to stay sober. We should be grateful that we're
living in a day and age when alcoholics aren't treated as
they often used to be treated before Alcoholics Anonymous
was started. In the old days, every town had its town drunk
who was regarded with scorn and ridiculed by the rest of the
townspeople. We have come into A.A. and found all the
sympathy, understanding, and fellowship that we could ask
for. There's no other group like A.A. in the world. Am I grateful?

Meditation for the Day

God takes our efforts for good and blesses them. God needs
our efforts. We need God's blessing. Together, they mean
spiritual success. Our efforts are necessary. We cannot merely
relax and drift with the tide. We must often direct our efforts
against the tide of materialism around us. When difficulties
come, our efforts are needed to surmount them. But God directs
our efforts into the right channels and God's power is necessary
to help us choose the right.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may choose the right. I pray that I may have God's
blessing and direction in all my efforts for good.

"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" is a © Copyrighted book of
Hazelden Foundation.  No portion of this publication may
be reproduced in any manner without the written
permission of Hazelden.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thought for the Day
May 7

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go
Melody Beattie ©

Letting Go of Fear

Fear is at the core of codependency. It can motivate us to control
situations or neglect ourselves.

Many of us have been afraid for so long that we don't label our 
feelings fear. We're used to feeling upset and anxious. It feels 
normal.

Peace and serenity may be uncomfortable.

At one time, fear may have been appropriate and useful. We 
may have relied on fear to protect ourselves, much the way 
soldiers in a war rely on fear to help them survive. But now, in 
recovery, we're living life differently.

It's time to thank our old fears for helping us survive, then wave 
good-bye to them. Welcome peace, trust, acceptance, and 
safety. We don't need that much fear anymore. We can listen to 
our healthy fears, and let go of the rest.

We can create a feeling of safety for ourselves, now. We are 
safe, now. We've made a commitment to take care of ourselves. 
We can trust and love ourselves.

God, help me let go of my need to be afraid. Replace it with a 
need to be at peace. Help me listen to my healthy fears and 
relinquish the rest.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden
Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be
reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the 
publisher.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It Wants You Too, by Alan Cohen
http://www.inlightimes.com/archives/2006/05/alan-cohen.htm

Planting Dream Seeds
http://www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/1997/May/0597-14.html

Death Denial
by Margaret Coberly, Ph.D., R.N.
http://www.innerself.com/Spirituality/death.htm


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Why Do I Feel So Tired?

by Debra Waterhouse, M.P.H., R.D.

(Editor's Note: While this article and the book it is excerpted from are written for women, the information it contains pertains to both genders. Men, as well as women, will greatly benefit from reading and following the advice given.)
Chances are, this question has crossed your mind more than once today. You felt the wave of fatigue come crashing over your body, and the question hit you like a ton of bricks. But having neither the energy to figure out why nor the time to let yourself be tired, you grabbed another cup of coffee and forced yourself to move on to number 14 of 32 on today's to-do list.

If you could take the time to ponder this question, what would be your answer?

    * "I must not be organized enough." Organized? With the amount you have to accomplish each day, even Martha Stewart couldn't keep her day planner organized by the minute, her desk clear of clutter, and her sock drawer lined up by color.
    * "Maybe I'm premenstrual." While it's true that your fatigue level increases during PMS, you can't possibly be premenstrual all month long. You're actually in the middle of your cycle and should be at the peak of your energy, not the pit.
    * "I'm menopausal, so I'm supposed to be tired." True again, but are you supposed to be this exhausted? Hot flashes can drain your energy, but you feel like you've been run over by a train.
    * "Maybe I have chronic fatigue syndrome." Less than 1 percent of our fatigued population can be clinically diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (or as it's called now, chronic fatigue immunodeficiency syndrome). For the rest of us, fatigue is not an illness. It's a chronic feeling of exhaustion caused by doing too much and resting too little.
    * "I must be fighting something." Occasionally an intruder virus may be zapping your energy, but if it's not flu season, most likely the only thing you're fighting is your fatigue.

Daily, relentless fatigue is not due to viral invasion, an illness, organizational impairment, PMS, or menopause (although these can certainly intensify it). It's due to the reality that you're overworked, overstressed, overextended, and overwhelmed -- and underrested, undernourished, underjoyed, and under a dark cloud. You feel tired all the time because you are tired all the time. And you're not alone.

The undisputed medical fact is: We're in a female energy crisis. At any given time of day or night, 80 percent of all women report fatigue. We drag ourselves out of bed, unrefreshed and anxious about the day, then rush through our day as we fall farther and farther behind schedule, and finally collapse in bed worn out and worried about tomorrow. Every woman I know personally and professionally makes some reference to how stressed, spent, worn-out, unhappy, or disconnected she feels. And those who don't come right out with a verbal declaration of their exhausted state of existence give more subtle signs. I can hear it in their labored speech or see it in their strained faces -- the same dark circles and furrowed brow that are sometimes familiar from my own reflection.

Since "the mirror doesn't lie" is a widely accepted adage, let's use it. Go into the bathroom or take out your compact to view your face of fatigue. Do you look enthusiastically alive or dead tired? Even the best makeup job can't cover up fatigue. As you walked to the bathroom, did your steps come with ease or excruciating effort? When you're worn out, even a short journey can feel like a monumental feat.

It's impossible to look, feel, or act vital when you are exhausted from stressful days, endless schedules, and/or sleepless nights. In the most basic sense, energy is life. It gives us the passion and enthusiasm to actively live. Without it, we passively go through the monotonous motions of life without truly living. It's no wonder that only 24 percent of us say that we have a good life, that more than 50 percent say that we feel sad more often than we feel happy, and that one in four women will experience major depression in their lifetimes. We feel depleted and defeated by our exhausting lives.

I have been helping women for almost twenty years by writing books, giving seminars, and providing counseling, and what saddens me most is that the majority of women I come across have resigned themselves to a life that lacks happiness, a heart that lacks passion, a soul that lacks spirit, eyes that lack sparkle, and a body that lacks nourishment. "That's just the way it is," they tell me. "I don't have the time, energy, or desire to be anything but exhausted. Maybe when the kids are out of the house, maybe when I'm twenty pounds thinner, maybe when my ship comes in, maybe when I win the lottery, maybe in my next life -- things will be different and I'll have the time and energy to take care of myself."

Well, maybe your kids will live with you longer than you'd like, perhaps your body was meant to be a bit larger than that of an emaciated model, maybe your ship has sunk at sea, maybe you'll be one of the 999,999,999 who don't win the jackpot, perhaps this life is it. What then? Another ten or twenty or thirty years will go by and instead of wondering where your energy has gone, you'll wonder where your life has gone.

Needless to say, fatigue can be a real downer -- in more ways than one. And despite the dismal topic, I want to give you some light heartedness to lift your spirits and a positive approach to a negative subject. Every cloud has a silver lining -- even the dark cloud of fatigue -- and my goal is to help you find that silver lining, solve your personal fatigue crisis, and enjoy the journey to enhanced energy, balance, and peace. In other words, I want to help you give yourself the gift of living.

If you are like many of my female friends, clients, and colleagues, you may be excited about the prospect of enhancing your energy and restoring your vitality. "Quick! Tell me now! What pills should I be taking? I've heard about ginseng, should I try it? How about B12 injections? Which energy bar is the best? Tell me what to do!"

My female circle knows me better than to ask about quick-fix megadoses, potions, drinks, injections, or bars. But you may not, so let me introduce you to the philosophies that guide everything I do.

    * A woman's body is a miracle of engineering -- from our premenstrual tension to our menopausal memory loss, from our food cravings to our mood swings, and from our expanding fat cells to our extreme fatigue -- explanations exist for everything our bodies experience.
    * Listen to and trust the wisdom of your female body -- it's the expert in directing you down the path of health, vitality, and longevity.
    * You are responsible for your own health and well-being -- not me, a book, a pill, your partner, your homeopath, your doctor, or your therapist. You have to take charge to recharge your energy.
    * There are no quick fixes or magical cures -- if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Historically, women's concerns have always been a magnet for the purveyors of unproven remedies and miracle cures -- whether it be for PMS, menopause, aging, or weight loss. Just look to the diet industry as an example. For the past forty years, we have been presented with diet after diet, gimmick after gimmick, pill after pill, each leading us to believe that it is the magical solution to weight loss.

Let's learn from the past. We have forty years of gimmicks, but we also have forty years of weight-loss research to prove that quick weight-loss diets don't keep their promises -- but they certainly do keep piling the pounds on quickly. Since we started dieting in the 1960s, the average woman has added twenty-five pounds to the scale. We haven't lost any weight by dieting, but we have lost a lot of energy. Instead we've gained weight and increased our level of fatigue. Could there be a correlation here? As our dieting efforts and weights have climbed, our energy levels and vitality have plummeted. Maybe this is why they are called "crash diets."

It should come as no surprise that fatigue has recently tied with weight as a woman's primary concern -- and the market is already flooded with products that claim to "banish fatigue" or "boost energy." Manufacturers are quick to respond to women's concerns, and their claims are convincing. What woman wouldn't be tempted by the promise of youthful energy, sustained stamina, everlasting vitality -- and sometimes permanent weight loss at the same time? But promise is not proof. Some of the so-called energy enhancers may give you a temporary surge like a cup of coffee or a candy bar would. But also like caffeine and sugar, your body will probably be more fatigued afterward. These "energy enhancers" may work in a pinch, but they are external solutions to internal imbalances. They mask your fatigue for a while, fooling you into thinking you have more energy. But the fatigue is still there, just waiting for the adrenaline rush to be over.

If women aren't going from health food store to health food store searching for energy enhancers, then they are going from doctor to doctor looking for a medical cause of their fatigue. Although it's true that fatigue is a symptom of almost every illness and that prolonged exhaustion can sometimes be an indicator of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, sleep apnea, low thyroid functioning, low blood sugar, iron deficiency, depression, mononucleosis, allergies, fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue immunodeficiency syndrome, the vast majority of the time fatigue is simply fatigue -- a warning sign from your body that something is amiss and out of balance. More energy is being expended than is being replenished -- and you'd better refuel quickly. And as you will discover, a woman's fatigue warning system is more advanced and more persistent than a man's. Our brain chemicals, hormones, and blood supply are all involved in making sure that we "feel" our fatigue, acknowledge it, and do something about it.

When you feel tired, accept the fact that you are tired. Your body is communicating with you -- trying to get your attention about the fuel gauge approaching empty and telling you that energy in is not equaling energy out. It's informing you that you have one of two choices:

   1. Either expend less energy by doing less -- taking a break, rescheduling an appointment, taking a nap, meditating for a while, saying no to unsatisfying obligations, canceling a date with a draining friend, or letting the laundry sit in the basket until tomorrow.
   2. Or replenish more by eating a nutritious meal, having a snack, drinking a glass of water, taking a brisk walk, getting a good night's sleep, inhaling a few deep breaths, basking in some sunshine, or inviting some intimacy, fun, laughter, and play into your life.

Actually you do have a third (and most effective) choice: Do less and energize more. But I don't want to overwhelm you with too much before you even get into this book. We'll take it one small, non-fatiguing step at a time. Many women argue that they absolutely, positively, hands-down cannot under any circumstances do less. They have homes, businesses, churches, organizations, infants, toddlers, teenagers, partners, employees, employers, parents, in-laws, siblings, friends, and pets who are depending on them. Will the house clean itself? Who's going to do the grocery shopping? Pay the bills? Submit the report? Complete the project? Chair the committee? Give the kids a bath? Supervise homework? Cook dinner? Invest their parents' retirement funds? Help that friend in need? Take the dog to the vet?

Whether we're indispensable or codependent is a matter of debate. And we'll discuss that later. But for now, if you feel you cannot shed some things from your hectic life, you can still understand, acknowledge, and address your fatigue. You can still replenish the massive amounts of energy you're expending each day -- simply and naturally -- by tapping into your 8 sources of natural energy.

1. Food: Sink Your Teeth into Caloric Energy. To give 100 percent, you have to get 100 percent -- all the calories, carbos, protein, fat (yes, some fat is energizing!), vitamins and minerals, meals, and snacks you need to replenish your body.

2. Water: Take a Sip of Hydraulic Energy. Cool, refreshing, thirst-quenching water fights fatigue. When your body is water deprived, you're energy deprived. But when your body is properly hydrated, your energy is quickly restored.

3. Fitness: Power Your Body with Physical Energy. A strong, fit, muscular body has the power to run faster than a speeding bullet, leap across tall buildings, lift a powerful locomotive ... well, maybe not quite ... but it does have the stamina to react, think, problem-solve, carry the groceries, vacuum the house, and make it to your appointment on time -- often with energy to spare.

4. The Great Outdoors: Surround Yourself with Natural Energy. Go ahead, fool with Mother Nature. Take advantage of her fresh air, sunshine, flowers, plants, rivers, lakes, mountains, and beaches. Then make your home and work environment pleasing to your soul and energizing to your spirit by bringing nature to you.

5. Sleep: Recharge Your Battery with Restorative Energy. Nothing restores the body and mind more than a good night's sleep, and a nap can be rejuvenating if it's short and satisfying.

6. Intimacy: Tap into Your Sensual Energy. Loving and being loved can fuel your soul. A close friendship, a loyal pet, a touch, a hug, a kiss, and, of course, passionate sex can all lift your spirits. But being loving and kind to yourself may be the most powerful energizer of all.

7. Joy: Tickle Your Soul with Comic Energy. A one-minute laugh rejuvenates you more than a twenty-minute walk. A smile (even a forced one) can lift your mood. Being silly, playing jokes, and having fun is not just for kids -- it's for your soul.

8. Balanced Stress: Calm Your Chaotic Energy. You can't live without stress, and sometimes it's a source of positive energy: anticipating a new challenge, getting excited about a new experience, or looking forward to a change in routine. But the negative stressors often zap our excitement: an overwhelming to-do list, endless obligations, and constant worry. Achieving balanced stress is the life-affirming goal.

When was the last time you focused on replenishing your energy with these 8 natural sources? When was the last time you enjoyed the taste of fat without guilt? Stopped everything and ate immediately when your body sent hunger signals? Sipped ice water on a leisurely afternoon? Walked on the beach to breathe in the fresh sea air? Drove to the mountains to behold the beauty of Mother Nature? Slept in an extra hour? Asked for a hug? Gave a hug? Made love in the afternoon? Laughed until you cried? Spontaneously called a friend for a drink? Done nothing without the guilt that you should be doing something?

If it's been longer than twenty-four hours, I strongly suggest that you stop everything right now and do one of the above to replenish your body. Instead of trying to override your fatigue by drinking coffee, taking supplements, ignoring it, working through it -- outsmart it by recognizing what it is, what your body is trying to tell you, and what you need to do (or not do) to energize your body, mind, and soul.

Food, water, fitness, nature, sleep, intimacy, joy, and balanced stress -- this is where real energy comes from; these are the areas in your life that will give you the vitality and enthusiasm you are searching for, not just for the next hour but for the next million hours. And you don't have to search any farther than your kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, family room, and backyard. They are within arm's reach, just waiting for your grasp.
This article is excerpted from Outsmarting Female Fatigue, ?2001, by Debra Waterhouse, M.P.H., R.D.. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Hyperion, New York. http://www.hyperionbooks.com

About the Author
Debra Waterhouse is an internationally recognized nutritionist and best selling author of Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell, Why Women Need Chocolate, Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell, as well as other books. As an expert in women's health and a leader in the anti-dieting movement, she has been featured on numerous radio and television programs. Through her private practice, seminars, and workshops, she has inspired hundreds of thousands of women break free from the trap of dieting and body dissatisfaction and start feeding and respecting their bodies they were born with. Visit her website at http://www.waterhousepublications.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods,
and two of them fell into a deep pit.
All the other frogs gathered around the pit.
When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the
unfortunate frogs they would never get out.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to
jump up out of the pit.
The other frogs kept telling them to stop,
that they were as good as dead.
Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other
frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down
and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard
as he could.
Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop
the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even
harder and finally made it out.
When he got out, the other frogs asked him,
"Why did you continue jumping? Didn't you hear us?"
The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He
thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches two lessons:

!. There is power of life and death in the tongue.
An encouraging word to someone who is down can
lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can
be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you
say. Speak life to those who cross your path.
The power of words ... it is sometimes hard to
 understand that an encouraging word can go such a long
 way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another
 of the spirit to continue in difficult times.

Special is the individual who will take the time to
encourage another.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Legacy of Recovery
with Bill Wilson

The Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole.

Many of us, upon first seeing those words, asked ourselves the question "Can it be just that simple?" -- and then heard a voice inside us answer "Yes."

Bill's application of AA principles to ever-changing circumstances was another of his remarkable talents. Day in and day out, letters would arrive at his desk asking for his "last word" on a matter of AA policy. And, in answer after answer Bill would fall back upon the basic principles of AA's three Legacies, tempered by wisdom, humor, perspective, and regard for the feelings of others.

One warm example occurred in 1968 when a well-meaning AA wrote to Bill, in deep concern, about an influx of youthful hippies or flower children to local AA groups, along with their distinctive manner of dress, sexual mores, and other unorthodox behavior, including the use of drugs. The writer feared that this particular invasion might be "a very real threat to our wonderful, God-given program."

Bill's reply was typical of his use of AA principles to meet new challenges.

"Your letter about the hippie problem, so-called, was mighty interesting to me. I doubt that we need to be alarmed about this situation, because there have been precedents out of the past. All sorts of outfits have tried to move in on us, including communists and heroin addicts, prohibitionists and do-gooders of other persuasions.

"Nearly all of these people, who happened to have an individual problem with alcohol, not only failed to change AA, but, in the long run, AA changed them. I have a number of them among my closest friends today, and they are among the best AA's I know.

"You also have some people who are not alcoholics, but are addicts of other kinds. A great many AAs have taken pity on these people, and have actually tried to make them full-fledged AA's. Of course, their identification with alcoholics is no good at all, and the groups themselves easily stop this practice in the normal course of AA affairs.

"Thoughtful AAs, however, encourage these sponsors to bring addicts to open meetings, just as they would any other interested people. In the end, these addicts usually gravitate to other forms of therapy. They are not received on the platform in open meetings unless they have an alcohol problem, and closed meetings are, of course, denied them. We know that we cannot do everything for everybody with an addiction problem.

"There has also occurred lately a new development centering upon hippies who have LSD or marijuana troubles -- not so much stronger stuff. Many of these kids appear to be alcoholics also, and they are flocking into AA, often with excellent results.

"Some weeks ago, there was a young people's convention of AAs. Shortly thereafter, four of these kids visited the office. I saw one young gal prancing down the hall, hair flying, in a mini-skirt, wearing love beads and the works. I thought, 'Holy smoke, what now!' She told me she was the oldest member of the young people's group in her area -- age twenty-two! They had kids as young as sixteen. I was curious and took the whole party out to lunch.

"Well, they were absolutely wonderful. They talked (and acted) just about as good a kind of AA as I've seen anywhere. I think all of them said they had had some kind of drug problem, but had kicked that, too. When they first came around, they had insisted on their own ideas of AA, but in the end they found AA plenty good enough as it was. Though they needed their own meetings, they found interest and inspiration in the meetings of much older folks as well.

"Perhaps, as younger people come into AA, we shall have to put up with some unconventional nonsense -- with patience and good humor, let's hope. But it should be well worth the attempt. And also, if various hippie addicts want to form their own sort of fellowship along AA lines, by all means let us encourage them. We need deny them only the AA name, and assure them that the rest of our program is theirs for the taking and using -- any part or all of it.

"For these reasons, I feel hopeful and not a bit scared by this trend. Of course, I'm no prophet. I may be mistaken, so please keep me posted. This is a highly interesting and perhaps significant development. I certainly do not think it ought to be fought. Instead, it ought to be encouraged in what we already know to be workable channels.

"In affection ... Bill"


© AA Grapevine, March, 1971
reprinted with permission of the AA Grapevine, Inc.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sometimes....

Sometimes in life we bleed,
Sometimes in life we cry.
Sometimes in life we get kicked around,
Sometimes in life we die.

Sometimes in life we laugh,
Sometimes in life we smile.
Sometimes in life we connect with love,
If only for a while

And then comes the miracle,
And then comes the blessing.
To find that simple key to life,
And solutions to your lesson.

Sometimes in life we dream,
Sometimes in life we fly.
Sometimes in life we find our joy,
All you gotta do is try.

I'm so grateful to the program of Narcotics Anonymous
for teaching me how to live in the sometimes....Just For Today!
Live in peace, light, and love,
and KNOW that you are blessed.

Meg
mm1...@hotmail.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs,
and returns home to find it.
George Moore

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We must release the old to make room for the new.
Alan Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Love knows no place it cannot go and
no person it cannot bring rest.
Gerald G. Jampolsky, MD, Teach Only Love

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We must become artists in living.  
To live by inspiration means to sense the divine touch in everything;
to enter into the spirit of things;
to enter into the joy of living.
Ernest Holmes, This Thing Called Life

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Appreciation is a wonderful thing;
it makes what is excellent in others,
belong to us as well.
Voltaire

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Whatever you do, you need courage.  
Whatever course you decide upon,
there is always someone to tell you you are wrong.
There are always difficulties arising which tempt you
to believe that your critics are right.  
To map out a course of action and follow it to the end,
requires some of the same courage which a soldier needs.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If you relapse you might not die,
you might just suffer....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I have another run,
but I might not have another recovery.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If I use,
I lose.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I used drugs,
Then they used me!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Take A Moment To GIVE (NO COST)*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

CLICK for FREE to Help people in Haiti

FREE Rice

Click to GIVE @ the STOP HIV Site

Click to GIVE @ the Hunger Site

Click to GIVE @ the Breast Cancer Site

Click to GIVE @ the Rain Forest Site

Click to GIVE @ the Animal Rescue Site

Track Your Impact in GIVING

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adult Children of Alcoholics

Al-Anon/Alateen 

Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps

Clutterer’s Anonymous

Cocaine Anonymous World Services

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page

Crystal Meth Anonymous

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…

Depressed Anonymous

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program

Eating Disorders Anonymous

Emotions Anonymous 

Families Anonymous 

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page

Hepatitis C Anonymous

HIV Anonymous

The Marijuana Anonymous

Methadone Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage

Earth Group N.A. online meetings

Nar-Anon is a family support group

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page

Overeaters Anonymous

Parents Anonymous

Rape Survivors Anonymous

Recovering Couples Anonymous

Sexaholics Anonymous

Sex Addicts Anonymous

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous

Shoplifters Anonymous

Spenders Anonymous 

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous

Workaholics Anonymous

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this. So far we reaching over 17,000 recovering people in 66 countries including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China , Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.

Even if your country is listed please email me, and let me know where you are from

Stay in the Light, 
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ cleandate 10/27/88
YOUn...@gmail.com
    

       ==  ==      "we are each of us angels 
  <^\()/\()/^>       with but one wing,  
      \/  \/  \/       and can only fly by 
       /  \/  \        embracing each other"
       `""``""`

Scott’s Daily Blog
http://intherooms.com/younmenhp
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