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AA Thought for the Day

September 22

A New Family
In the first few months, I didn't say much, but I listened. I listened to my sponsors,
to some guests from abroad who were old-timers, and to newcomers.
I learned mostly from the newcomers, with whom I could easily identify. It wasn't easy. I was in my late forties.
I had to reconstruct a life out of the ruins. It took time and it was extremely difficult and complicated.
It is a road that nobody can travel alone.
Finally I built up a new family and made up with what was left of the old one.
- AA Around the World, pp. 32-33

Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Faith
"While drinking, we were certain that our intelligence,
backed by will power, could rightly control our inner lives
and guarantee us success in the world around us.
This brave philosophy, wherein each man played God,
sounded good in the speaking,
but it still had to meet the acid test:
How well did it actually work?
one good look in the mirror was answer enough."
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 225

Thought to Consider . . .
Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
and the evidence of things not seen

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Finding Answers In The Heart

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Another Difficulty
From: "To Wives"
Still another difficulty is that you may become jealous of the attention he bestows on other people, especially alcoholics. You have been starving for his companionship, yet he spends long hours helping other men and their families. You feel he should now be yours. The fact is that he should work with other people to maintain his own sobriety. Sometimes he will be so interested that he becomes really neglectful. Your house is filled with strangers. You may not like some of them. He gets stirred up about their troubles, but not at all about yours. It will do little good if you point that out and urge more attention for yourself. We find it a real mistake to dampen his enthusiasm for alcoholic work. You should join in his efforts as much as you possibly can. We suggest that you direct some of your thought to the wives of his new alcoholic friends. They need the counsel and love of a woman who has gone through what you have.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 119

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"With the help of the Fellowship, the Twelve Steps, and a Higher Power ... I do not have to be a newcomer again."
Montpelier, Vt., March 2003
"Confessions of a Reluctant Newcomer"
Emotional Sobriety II

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family
back. This just isn't so. In some cases the wife will never come
back for one reason or another. Remind the prospect that his
recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his
relationship with God. We have seen men get well whose families have
not returned at all. We have seen others slip when the family came
back too soon."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 99~

One of the many doctors who had the opportunity of reading this
book in manuscript form told us that the use of sweets was often
helpful, of course depending upon a doctors advice. He thought
all alcoholics should constantly have chocolate available for its
quick energy value at times of fatigue. He added that occasionally in
the night a vague craving arose which would be satisfied by candy.
Many of us have noticed a tendency to eat sweets and have found this
practice beneficial.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 133~

Though they knew they must help other alcoholics if they would remain sober, that motive became secondary.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 159

Most of us would declare that without a fearless admission of our defects to another human being we could not stay sober.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 57

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

When we insisted, like infants, that people protect and take care of us or that the world owed us a living, then the result was unfortunate. The people we most loved often pushed us aside or perhaps deserted us entirely. Our disillusionment was hard to bear.
We failed to see that, though adult in years, we were still behaving childishly, trying to turn everybody - friends, wives, husbands, even the world itself - into protective parents. We refused to learn that overdependence upon people is unsuccessful because all people are fallible, and even the best of them will sometimes let us down, especially when our demands for attention become unreasonable.
We are now on a different basis: the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us do, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.

Prayer for the Day: My First Prayer - I surrender to Thee my entire life, O God of my understanding. I have made a mess of it, trying to run it myself. You take it, the whole thing, and run it for me, according to Your will and plan.