Voices of Recovery: A Daily Reader
December 31
“A life of ‘sane and happy usefulness’ is what we are promised as the result of working the Twelve Steps.”
—The Tools of Recovery, p. 6
“Who would want that?” That was my reaction to reading this line for the first time, nearly seventeen years ago. I wanted a slim body and plenty of money, not service to others. Today I am convinced that my Higher Power led me to Overeaters Anonymous. I got far more than I bargained for when I walked in the OA doors.
It had not occurred to me to try a spiritual solution to deal with what I thought was a physical problem. I had been compulsively overeating nearly all my life before coming to OA. I just didn’t know there was a name for what I did. I am very grateful that I have kept coming back to meeting regularly, week after week. My Higher Power continues to challenge me to love and accept myself just as I am today and to pass on the message that recovery from this disease is possible. “Sane and happy usefulness” to myself and others is something I value and strive for today, one day at a time.
It has been a unique experience for me to reach out to still-suffering compulsive overeaters and know that there is a solution in OA, if they want it.
Daily Reflections
December 31
Daily Resolutions
A New year: 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes—a time to consider directions, goals, and actions. I must make some plans to live a normal life, but also I must live emotionally within a twenty-four hour frame, for if I do, I don’t have to make New Year’s resolutions! I can make every day a New Year’s day! I can decide, “Today I will do this … Today I will do that.” Each day I can measure my life by trying to a little better, by deciding to follow God’s will and making an effort to put the principles of our A.A. program into action.
Twenty-Four Hours A Day
December 31
A.A. Thought For The Day
I shall be loyal in my attendance, generous in my giving, kind in my criticism, creative in my suggestions, loving in my attitudes. I shall give A.A. my interest, my enthusiasm, my devotion, and most of all, myself. The Lord’s Prayer has become part of my A.A. thoughts for each day: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Have I given myself?
Meditation For The Day
As we look back over the year just gone, it has been a good year to the extent that we have put good thoughts, good words, and good deeds into it. None of what we have thought, said, or done need be wasted. Both the good and the bad experiences can be profited by. In a sense, the past is not entirely gone. The result of it, for good or evil, is with us at the present moment. We can only learn by experience and none of our experience is completely wasted. We can humbly thank God for the good things of the year that has gone.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may carry good things into the year ahead. I pray that I may carry on with faith, with prayer, and with hope.
Walk In Dry Places
December 31
Has it been a Year of Growth?
Growth
As any year draws to a close, we should reflect on how we have grown in sobriety. We should also identify changes during the year that enabled us to overcome bad habits and to move closer to better patterns of living.
Though we never are guaranteed favorable outcomes, we should always remember that sobriety is its own reward. We want a full life of course, but it must begin with a decision to seek and to maintain sobriety at all costs.
We find that with sobriety, lots of other problems seem to solve themselves. Even if they don’t we have the tools to move forward and to achieve goals that always eluded us while we were drinking. Every year in sobriety is a year of growth.
I’ll be conscious today of recent improvements I’ve made in my life and all my affairs. With sobriety, these improvements will go on for a lifetime.
Keep It Simple
December 31
“May you live all the days of your life.”
—Jonathan Swift.
Tonight, at midnight, a New Year will begin. None of us know what the New Year will hold. But we can trust ourselves to hold on to the spirit of recovery as we go through the year. As a New Year is about to begin, we can rejoice in our new way of life. We can give our will and our life to our HP. By doing these things, we’ll be ready for the New Year.
PRAYER: Higher Power, I pray that I’ll start the New Year safe in Your loving arms. I pray that I’ll keep working my program.
ACTION: Tonight, at midnight, I’ll say the Serenity Prayer. I will think of all the others who have read this meditation book and who will join me in this prayer. We are a recovering community.
“Wherever you go, whomever you meet, look for an opportunity to help, to inspire, to lend support.”
—Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson“Most people search high and wide for the keys to success. If they only knew, the key to their dreams lies within.”
—George Washington Carver
Father Leo’s Daily Meditation
December 31
CHANGE
“It is not necessary to get away from human nature but to alter its inner attitude of heart and mind.”
—J. F. Newton
An understanding of sobriety and serenity that has proved helpful to me is that we are not only changing but involved in change. We determine the results of the change.
I can change for good or bad. I can stay sober or drink. I can be cheerful and creative or negative and destructive. My attitude determines the results of my changing life.
Spirituality has been given, but it also needs to be nurtured. I need to surround myself with loving and honest people if I am to allow my spirituality to grow in my life. My continued willingness is essential to my sobriety and serenity.
Thank You for making me with a mind and heart that together create the action.
Daily Inspiration
December 31
To have courage, think courageous, act courageous, and pray to God for courage. Lord, You are full of love for all who come to You.
Abundance is God’s to give, so shut out all limited thoughts. Lord, my faith in You and my faith in the talents and abilities You have given me makes me able to achieve my goals.
Elder’s Meditation of the Day
December 31
“They must give themselves to Wakan’ Tanka and live a spiritual life. They will have the peace that frees them from fear.”
—Frank Fools Crow, LAKOTA
There are two wills available for us: self will and God’s will. Our choice is: figure it out ourselves, or have the Creator involved in our lives. If we are honest with ourselves and look at past experiences, what are our lives like when we try to figure it out ourselves? Is there fear, confusion, frustration, anger, attacking others, conflict, fault finding, manipulation, teasing others, belittling others or devaluation? If these things are present, they indicate that we are choosing self will. What is it like if we turn our will over to the Creator? What are the results if we ask the Great Spirit to guide our life? Examples are: freedom, choices, consequences, love forgiveness, helping others, happiness, joy, solutions, and peace. Which will I choose today, self will or God’s will?
Creator, I know what my choice is. I want You to direct my life. I want You to direct my thinking. You are the Grandfather. You know what I need even before I do. Today I ask You to tell me what I can do for You today. Tell me in a way I can understand and I will be happy to do it.
Today’s Gift
December 31
“Finish each day and be done with it. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Two of the most useless phrases in the English language are “what if” and “if only.” We waste so much time and energy thinking about what we might have done and wishing we had acted or reacted differently. We imagine how things might have turned out “if only . . .”
All of us make mistakes. To go back and wonder and wish about our yesterdays prevents us from living fully today. Each day is a fresh chance; a new beginning. We can only squeeze what we can out of the moment and let the drops fall where they may. Some will evaporate and some will form rainbows.
Can I forget about yesterday and start a fresh new day?
Touchstones Meditations For Men
December 31
“Dawns another year, Open it aright; Thou shalt have no fear In its fading light.”
—Joseph Krauskopf
New Year’s Eve is a good time to reflect upon the closing year and set our direction for the year ahead. This day reminds us that every day of the year is lived just one at a time. Looking back, we can see a year’s change in ourselves. We see the progress we have made as men on our journey. Perhaps we see how much stronger we are emotionally. Maybe we see relationships that have developed because of our growing ability to love. Certainly all of us have some things we regret and some changes we mourn. They too have their place today.
As we begin the coming year, let us review our relationship with each of the Steps. We may perceive aspects of our program that call for more attention. One or two particular Steps may speak to our needs at this time or may have been overlooked in this past year. On this last day of the year, we can again turn our lives and will over to the care of a loving God.
I look to the New Year with a renewed commitment to the Steps.
Daily TAO
December 31
CONTINUATION
Upon completion comes fulfillment.
With fulfillment comes liberation.
Liberation allows you to go on.
Even death is not a true ending.
Life is infinite continuation.
Always finish what you start. That alone is discipline and wisdom enough. If you can follow that rule, then you will be superior to most people.
When you come to the end of a cycle, a new one will begin. You might say that completion actually begins somewhere in the middle of a cycle and that new beginnings are engendered out of previous actions.
Completing a cycle means fulfillment. It means that you have achieved self-knowledge, discipline, and a new way of understanding yourself and the world around you. You cannot stop there, of course. New horizons are always there. But you can reach out for those new vistas with fresh assurance and wisdom.
With each turn of the wheel you go further. With each turn of the wheel you free yourself from the mire of ignorance. With each turn of the wheel comes continuation.