"My sponsor was a living damper on my intolerance. But even more, he told me that it would be all right for me to doubt God, that A.A. was not a religious program and, to belong, I did not have to adhere to any set of beliefs.
"He suggested that for me a good starting point would simply be recognition of the fact that I had failed in running the world in short, acceptance of the fact that I was not God. He also suggested that I might try occasionally to act as if I believed. Somewhere I had heard that it is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than to think yourself into a new way of acting, and this made sense in the context of 'acting as if.'"
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 366
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
"Restore Us to Sanity"
Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have any idea how irrational they are, or, seeing their irrationality, can bear to face it. For example, some will be willing to term themselves "problem drinkers," but cannot endure the suggestion that they are in fact mentally ill.
They are abetted in this blindness by a world which does not understand the difference between sane drinking and alcoholism. "Sanity" is defined as "soundness of mind." Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior, whether the destruction fell on the dining-room furniture or his own moral fiber, can claim "soundness of mind" for himself.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 32-33
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Although financial recovery is on the way for many of us, we found
we could not place money first. For us, material well-being always
followed spiritual progress; it never preceded."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 127~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day
One of the finest things about A.A. is the sharing. Sharing is
a wonderful thing because the more you share the more you have.
in our old drinking days, we didn't do much sharing. We used to
keep things to ourselves, partly because we were ashamed, but
mostly because we were selfish. And we were very lonely because
we didn't share. When we came into A.A., the first thing we found
was sharing. We heard other alcoholics frankly sharing their
experiences with hospitals, jails, and all the usual mess that
goes with drinking. Am I sharing.?
Meditation for the Day
Character is developed by the daily discipline of duties done.
Be obedient to the heavenly vision and take the straight way. Do
not fall into the error of calling "Lord, Lord," and doing not
the things that should be done. You need a life of prayer and
meditation, but you must still do your work in the busy ways of
life. The busy person is wise to rest and wait patiently for
God's guidance. If you are obedient to the heavenly vision, you
can be at peace.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may be obedient to the heavenly vision. I pray if
I fall, I will pick myself up and go on.
Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012