Daily Reflections
June 7
LONG-TERM HOPE
Since most of us are born with an abundance of natural desires, it isn’t strange that we often let these far exceed their intended purpose. When they drive us blindly, or we willfully demand that they supply us with more satisfactions or pleasures than are possible or due us, that is the point at which we depart from the degree of perfection that God wishes for us here on earth. That is the measure of our character defects, or, if you wish, of our sins.
-TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 65
This is where long-term hope is born and perspective is gained, both of the nature of my illness and the path of my recovery. The beauty of A. A. lies in knowing that my life, with God’s help, will improve. The A. A. journey becomes richer, the understanding becomes truth, the dreams become realities and today becomes forever.
Twenty-Four Hours A
Day
June 7
A. A. Thought for the Day
Alcoholism is a progressive illness. We go through the three stages of social drinking, trouble drinking, and merry-go-round drinking. We land in hospitals and jails. We eventually lose our homes, our families, and our self-respect. Yes, alcoholism is a progressive illness and there are only three ends to it–the insane asylum, the morgue, or total abstinence. Will I choose not to take the first drink?
Meditation for the Day
You not only can live a new life but you also can grow in grace and power and beauty. Reach ever forward and upward after the things of the spirit. In the animal world, the very form of an animal changes to enable it to reach that upon which it delights to feed. Your whole character changes as you reach upward for the things of the spirit for beauty, for love, for honesty, for purity, and for unselfishness. Reaching after these things of the spirit, your whole nature becomes changed so that you can best receive and delight in the wonders of the abundant life.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may reach forward and upward. I pray that my character may be changed by this reaching upward for the things of the spirit.
Walk in Dry Places
June 7
Deciding outcomes
Guidance
No matter how limited our opportunities may be, we always have choices and decisions to make. With any choice or decision, it’s only good sense to make the one that seems likely to have the best outcome.
If we’re following our program, however, we should not be dismayed when outcomes turn out to be unfavorable or take turns that disappoint us. We can see only dimly into the future, and we have no way of knowing what will eventually come about as a result of our choices.
We do know that the meeting of the first two AA members actually came about as a result of a business disappointment. We can always find other examples of disappointing outcomes that proved to be good breaks as time passed.
This is not an attempt to rationalize bad situations, if God is in charge of our lives, we need not fear what each outcome might be.
Though I will choose and decide as sensibly as possible, I’ll not be excessively concerned about outcomes. My long-term good is assured as I follow God’s plan in my life.” For those who love God, all things work together for good.”
Keep It Simple
June 7
Forgiveness is the way to true health and happiness.
-Gerald Jampolsky
We can’t afford to hold grudges. We have all felt hurt by others at times. But when we stay angry at another person, it hurts us. It keeps our wounds open. It takes our energy away from healing.
We can forgive now. We know that living our program of honesty and love make us safe. We don’t have to be afraid. We don’t have to be angry. We don’t have to let old hurts stand in our way. We let them go. We empty the angers from the hearts to clear the way for love.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me forgive the people I’m still angry with. Help me see that each of those people taught me something about myself.
Action for the Day: Am I holding on to anger and resentment? If so, I’ll make a list today, and I’ll talk with my sponsor about ways to let go of them.
God’s gracious gifts can be experienced by all who believe, and we can fully enjoy its blessings without diminishing their enjoyment by others. Knowing God and His limitless provisions, we are never deprived, even though others are drawing on them, too. Joy, assurance, peace and the awareness of God’s presence are just a few of the many benefits that are given without measure for everyone to enjoy. We need only accept our gifts. Remember, the well of God’s blessings will never run dry.
–Our Daily Bread
We must be the change we wish to see in the world.
–Mahatma Gandhi
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
–Confucius (551 – 479 B. C. ) Philosopher
Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.
–Khalil Gibbon (1883 – 1931) Poet
Our greatest glory consists not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.
–Oliver Goldsmith
“We learn the magical lesson that making the most of what we have turns it into more.”
–Codependent No More
Father Leo’s Daily
Meditation
June 7
GREED
“One of the weakness of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish our needs from our greeds.”
–Don Robinson
I was a greedy drunk. A greedy man. Spoiled, selfish and demanding. I felt that the world owed me a living and if I did not get my way, I sulked, cried or tried to hurt people. And this greedy attitude to life only made me sad, dull and boring. Greed, in this sense, could not work because what I was craving would never satisfy me.
Then I learned how to “let go”. Instead of demanding, I learned how to wait. Instead of consuming large amounts of alcohol, I practiced abstinence. Instead of expecting life on my terms, I went with the natural flow of life. I became happy, joyous and free. A miracle? Yes. I accepted my “needs” and with the acceptance came the satisfaction.
Lord, only when I accept my hunger for You am I truly satisfied.
Daily Inspiration
June 7
Your thoughts can be your worst enemy if you let them run away with you. Lord, free me to enjoy each moment of my day no matter what circumstances surround me.
Be honest with yourself in every situation. Lord, help me recognize that my needs, feelings and my being are important just as they are in all others.
Elder’s Meditation
of the Day
June 7
“If there is a shadow of a doubt someplace, that will cause a weakness.”
–Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA
In the Spiritual World there is a spiritual Law. The Law says; like attracts like. This means whatever mental picture we hold inside our minds we will attract from the Universe. To make this Law work we must maintain a constant picture. If we picture or vision something, and along with this picture we have doubting thoughts, our vision will not happen and we will get EXACTLY what we picture or vision. The Law always works. A doubting vision will not materialize what we want. A vision without doubt will always happen. This is a spiritual Law.
My Maker, today, let my vision become strong.
Today’s Gift
June 7
The human brain forgets ninety percent of what goes on.
—Jan Milner
There were two women who shared a house and raised their daughters, two toddlers, together. Then one of the women got transferred to another city and moved with her daughter.
Ten years later, they had a reunion. The mothers asked their
kids what they remembered about living together. Did they remember all the
books? No. Did they remember a mom in the kitchen every morning, fixing eggs
and toast? No.
What they remembered was playing in the pink bathtub for hours, pulling the
pink shower curtain shut for privacy. And the morning the mothers sneaked in,
turned off the lights, threw plastic cups and spoons over the curtain and
cried, “It’s raining spoons!” They laughed and laughed.
We are lucky in this life – our minds think laughter is what’s worth remembering.
What laughter from yesterday can I remember today?
Touchstones
Meditations For Men
June 7
A shortcut is often the quickest way to some place you weren’t going.
—Classic Crossword Puzzles
We try shortcuts when we are in a hurry. The founders of this program tell us many people tried to find an easier, softer way because this one seemed too hard and too slow. Shortcuts to growth lead to dead ends and detours. Many men have experimented with shortcuts like “the geographical cure,” “controlled use,” “get rid of this partner and try someone else,” “abstinence without the spiritual part of recovery,” or “selecting some of the Steps and bypassing others.”
The shortest road to one’s own spirituality is the long road we see before us. We may wish for something more to our liking. But that is not an option for those of us who choose to grow toward full manhood. We deal with one day’s – or one hour’s – part of the road at a time. Maybe we see a job we have to do, a challenge to face, an unfinished talk with someone. Our task is to take this day and, in partnership with our Higher Power, see it in the light of our spiritual path.
I pray for faithfulness to this program. I will avoid shortcuts, allowing my spirituality to grow and deepen.
Daily TAO
June 7
Dying
Leaden blankets
weigh her down,
White hanks drape her leathery face.
Caught in the numbness of narrowing time,
Eyes blinded by gauze,
Robotic sighs echo into her coma.
Metallic hiss of breathing machine is
the
Strange violence of modern compassion.
What do we do when those we care deeply about are dying, while we go on living and working? We might be tempted to indulge in our own feeling of injustice, sadness, or fear, but we should think first of those who are dying. We have a responsibility to be with them.
Don’t let others die lonely. No matter how ironic your living may compare with their dying, act for them as they can no longer act. If they reach out for some way to cope with their impending end, you need not have flowery words. Merely being with them, perhaps reaching out to hold hands, is eloquence enough. Death may be near, but any amount of time before it comes is precious.