"Now I see how monumental my
self-deception was. During that first thirteen years, my sobriety was not of the
high quality it seemed to be. During the two years that followed, I actually
convinced myself that it was a privilege to be able to drink. When I returned to
A.A., its precepts seemed entirely new to me, particularly the meaning of the
First Step, the 'atom bomb of the program.' Instead of taking the Steps and
forgetting them, this time I began living them daily, finding new meaning in
each one."
1973 AAWS, Inc.
Came
to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 96
"When working with a man and his family, you should take care not
to participate in their quarrels. You may spoil your chance of
being helpful if you do. But urge upon a man's family that he has been
a very sick person and should be treated accordingly. You should
warn against arousing resentment or jealousy. You should point out
that his defects of character are not going to disappear over night.
Show them that he has entered upon a period of growth. Ask them
to remember, when they are impatient, the blessed fact of his
sobriety."
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th Edition
Working With Others, pg.
100
*^Twenty
Four
Hours A
Day^*
A.A. Thought for the Day
Having found my way into this new world by the grace
of God and the help of A.A., am I going to take that first drink, when I know
that just one drink will change my whole world? Am I deliberately going back to
the suffering of that alcoholic world? Or am I going to hang onto the happiness
of this sober world? Is there any doubt about the answer? With God's help, am I
going to hang onto A.A. with both hands?
Meditation for the Day
I will try to make the world better and happier by my
presence in it. I will try to help other people find the way God wants them to
live. I will try to be on the side of good, in the stream of righteousness,
where all things work for good. I will do my duty persistently and faithfully,
not sparing myself. I will be gentle with all people. I will try to see other
people's difficulty and help them to correct it. I will always pray to God to
act as interpreter between me and the other person.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may live in the spirit of prayer. I pray that I may
depend on God for the strength I need to help me to do my part in making the
world a better place.
Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN
55012