WE BECOME WILLING . . . At the moment we are trying to put our lives in order. But this is not an end in itself. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 77 How easily I can become misdirected in approaching the Eighth Step! I wish to be free, somehow transformed by my Sixth and Seventh Step work. Now, more than ever, I am vulnerable to my own self-interest and hidden agenda. I am careful to remember that self-satisfaction, which sometimes comes through the...
LIVING IT The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 83 When new in the program, I couldn't comprehend living the spiritual aspect of the program, but now that I'm sober, I can't comprehend living without it. Spirituality was what I had been seeking. God, as I understand Him, has given me answers to the whys that kept me drinking for twenty years. By living a spiritual life, by asking God for help, I have...
A PRAYER FOR ALL SEASONS God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, Courage to change the things we can, And wisdom to know the difference. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 125 The power of this prayer is overwhelming in that its simple beauty parallels the A.A. Fellowship. There are times when I get stuck while reciting it, but if I examine the section which is troubling me, I find the answer to my problem. The first...
GIVING BACK . . . he has struck something better than gold. . . .He may not see at once that he has barely scratched a limitless lode which will pay dividends only if he mines it for the rest of his life and insists on giving away the entire product. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 129 My part of the Seventh Tradition means so much more than just giving money to pay for the coffee. It means being accepted for myself by belonging to a group. For the...
ANONYMOUS GIFTS OF KINDNESS As active alcoholics we were always looking for a handout in one way or another. "THE TWELVE TRADITIONS ILLUSTRATED," p. 14 The challenge of the Seventh Tradition is a personal challenge, reminding me to share and give of myself. Before sobriety the only thing I ever supported was my habit of drinking. Now my efforts are a smile, a kind word, and kindness. I saw that I had to start carrying my own weight and to allow...
