Daily Reflection

MAY 31
READINESS TO SERVE OTHERS
. . . our Society has concluded that it has but one high
mission—to carry the A.A. message to those who don't
know there's a way out
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 151
The "Light" to freedom shines bright on my fellow
alcoholics as each one of us challenges the other to grow.
The "Steps" to self-improvement have small beginnings,
but each Step builds the "ladder" out of the pit of despair to
new hope. Honesty becomes my "tool" to unfurl the
"chains" which bound me. A sponsor, who is a caring
listener, can help me to truly hear the message guiding me
to freedom.
I ask God for the courage to live in such a way that the
Fellowship may be a testimony to His favor. This mission
frees me to share my gifts of wellness through a spirit of
readiness to serve others.

Daily Reflection

MAY 30
OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE
The more A.A. sticks to its primary purpose, the greater
will be its helpful influence everywhere.
A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 109
It is with gratitude that I reflect on the early days of our
Fellowship and those wise and loving "foresteppers" who
proclaimed that we should not be diverted from our primary
purpose, that of carrying the message to the alcoholic who
still suffers.
I desire to impart respect to those who labor in the field
of alcoholism, being ever mindful that A.A. endorses no
causes other than its own. I must remember that A.A. has
no monopoly on miracle-making and I remain humbly
grateful to a loving God who made A.A. possible.

Words Of Wisdom From His Holiness Dalai Lama

We are, you might say, “brainwashed” into thinking that money is the source of happiness, while what we really need to know is that inner peace is something that comes from within.

Daily Reflection

MAY 29
TRUE TOLERANCE
The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to
stop drinking.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 139
I first heard the short form of the Third Tradition in the
Preamble. When I came to A.A. I could not accept myself,
my alcoholism, or a Higher Power. If there had been any
physical, mental, moral, or religious requirements for
membership, I would be dead today. Bill W. said in his
tape on the Traditions that the Third Tradition is a charter
for individual freedom. The most impressive thing to me
was the feeling of acceptance from members who were
practicing the Third Tradition by tolerating and accepting
me. I feel acceptance is love and love is God's will for us.

Daily Reflection

MAY 28
EQUAL RIGHTS
At one time or another most A.A. groups go on rulemaking
benders. . . . After a time fear and intolerance subside, [and
we realize] We do not wish to deny anyone his chance to
recover from alcoholism. We wish to be just as inclusive as
we can, never exclusive.
"A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED," pp. 10, 11, 12
A.A. offered me complete freedom and accepted me into
the Fellowship for myself. Membership did not depend
upon conformity, financial success or education and I am
so grateful for that. I often ask myself if I extend the same
equality to others or if I deny them the freedom to be
different. Today I try to replace my fear and intolerance
with faith, patience, love and acceptance. I can bring these
strengths to my A.A. group, my home and my office. I
make an effort to bring my positive attitude everywhere
that I go.
I have neither the right, nor the responsibility, to judge
others. Depending on my attitude I can view newcomers to
A.A., family members and friends as menaces or as
teachers. When I think of some of my past judgments, it is
clear how my self-righteousness caused me spiritual harm.

Daily Reflection

MAY 27
NO MAUDLIN GUILT
Day by day, we try to move a little toward God's perfection.
So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt. . . .
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 15
When I first discovered that there is not a single "don't" in
the Twelve Steps of A.A., I was disturbed because this
discovery swung open a giant portal. Only then was I able
to realize what A.A. is for me:
A.A. is not a program of "don'ts, but of "do's." A.A. is not
martial law; it is freedom. A.A. is not tears over defects,
but sweat over fixing them. A.A. is not penitence; it is
salvation. A.A. is not "Woe to me" for my sins, past
and present. A.A. is "Praise God" for the progress I am
making today.

Daily Reflection

MAY 26
TURNING NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE
Our spiritual and emotional growth in A.A. does not depend
so deeply upon success as it does upon our failures and
setbacks. If you will bear this in mind, I think that your slip
will have the effect of kicking you upstairs, instead of down.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 184
In keeping with the pain and adversity which our founders
encountered and overcame in establishing A.A., Bill W.
sent us a clear message: a relapse can provide a positive
experience toward abstinence and a lifetime of recovery. A
relapse brings truth to what we hear repeatedly in
meetings—"Don't take that first drink!" It reinforces the
belief in the progressive nature of the disease, and it drives
home the need for, and beauty of, humility in our spiritual
program. Simple truths come in complicated ways to me
when I become ego driven.

Daily Reflection

MAY 25
PROGRESSIVE GRATITUDE
Gratitude should go forward, rather than backward.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 29
I am very grateful that my Higher Power has given me a
second chance to live a worthwhile life. Through
Alcoholics Anonymous, I have been restored to sanity. The
promises are being fulfilled in my life. I am grateful to be
free from the slavery of alcohol. I am grateful for peace of
mind and the opportunity to grow, but my gratitude should
go forward rather than backward. I cannot stay sober on
yesterday's meetings or past Twelfth-Step calls; I need to
put my gratitude into action today. Our co-founder said our
gratitude can best be shown by carrying the message to
others. Without action, my gratitude is just a pleasant
emotion. I need to put it into action by working Step
Twelve, by carrying the message and practicing the
principles in all my affairs. I am grateful for the chance to
carry the message today!

Daily Reflection

MAY 24
"HAPPY, JOYOUS AND FREE"
We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free.
We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is vale of
tears, though it once was just that for many f us. But it is
clear that we made our own misery, rod didn't do it. Avoid
then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble
comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to
demonstrate His omnipotence.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 133
For years I believed in a punishing God and blamed him
for my misery. I have learned that I must lay down the
"weapons" of self in order to pick up the "tools" of the
A.A. program. I do not struggle with he program because
it is a gift and I have never struggled when receiving a gift.
If I sometimes keep struggling, it is because I'm still
hanging onto my old ideas and " . . . the results are
nil."

Daily Reflection

MAY 23
SPIRITUAL HEALTH
When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out
mentally and physically.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 64
It is very difficult for me to come to terms with my
spiritual illness because of my great pride, disguised by my
material successes and my intellectual power. Intelligence
is not incompatible with humility, provided I place
humility first. To seek prestige and wealth is the ultimate
goal for many in the modern world. To be fashionable and
to seem better than I really am is a spiritual illness.
To recognize and to admit my weaknesses is the
beginning of good spiritual health. It is a sign of spiritual
health to he able to ask God every day to enlighten me, to
recognize His will, and to have the strength to execute it.
My spiritual health is excellent when I realize that the
better I get, the more I discover how much help I need from
others.

Daily Reflection

MAY 22
STEP ONE
WE . . . (The first word of the First Step)
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 21
When I was drinking all I could ever think about was "I, I,
I," or "Me, Me, Me." Such painful obsession of self, such
soul sickness, such spiritual selfishness bound me to the
bottle for more than half my life.
The journey to find God and to do His will one day at a
time began with the first word of the First Step . . . "We."
There was power in numbers, there was strength in
numbers, there was safety in numbers, and for an alcoholic
like me, there was life in numbers. If I had tried to recover
alone I probably would have died. With God and another
alcoholic I have a divine purpose in my life . . . I have
become a channel for God's healing love.

Daily Reflection

MAY 21
A LIST OF BLESSINGS
One exercise that I practice is to try for a full inventory of
my blessings. . . .
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 37
What did I have to be grateful for? I shut myself up and
started listing the blessings for which I was in no way
responsible, beginning with having been born of sound
mind and body. I went through seventy-four years of living
right up to the present moment. The list ran to two pages,
and took two hours to compile; I included health, family,
money, A.A. —the whole gamut.
Every day in my prayers, I ask God to help me
remember my list, and to be grateful for it throughout the
day. When I remember my gratitude list, it's very hard to
conclude that God is picking on me.