Daily Reflections
June 10
IMPATIENT? TRY LEVITATING
We reacted more strongly to frustrations than normal people.
-AS BILL SEES IT, p. 111
Impatience with other people is one of my principal failings. Following a slow car in a no-passing lane, or waiting in a restaurant for the check, drives me to distraction. Before I give God a chance to slow me down, I explode, and that’s what I call being quicker than God. That repeated experience gave me an idea. I thought if I could look down on these events from God’s point of view, I might better control my feelings and behavior. I tried it and when I encountered the next slow driver, I levitated and looked down on the other car and upon myself. I saw an elderly couple driving along, happily chatting about their grandchildren. They were followed by me–bug eyed and red of face–who had no time schedule to meet anyway. I looked so silly that I dropped back into reality and slowed down. Seeing things from God’s angle of vision can be very relaxing.
Twenty-Four Hours A
Day
June 10
A. A. Thought for the Day
If we have had some moral, religious, or spiritual training, we’re better prospects for A. A. When we reach the bottom, at this crucial moment when we’re thoroughly licked, we turn instinctively to whatever decency is left in us. We call upon whatever reserves of morality and faith are left down deep in our heart. Have I had this spiritual experience?
Meditation for the Day
The world wonders when it sees a person who can unexpectedly draw large and unsuspected sums from the bank for some emergency. But what the world has not seen are the countless small sums paid into that bank, earned by faithful work over a long time. And so is the bank of the spirit. The world sees the person of faith make a demand on God’s stores of power and the demand is met. The world does not see what that person has been putting in, in thanks and praise, in prayer and communion, in small good deeds done faithfully, steadily over the years.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may keep making deposits in God’s bank. I pray that in my hour of need, I may call upon these.
Walk in Dry Places
June 10
Expecting quick
results
Acceptance
Most human progress comes slowly, though we see exciting breakthroughs at various times. The same is true in the lives of individuals. Though a few people do make exciting leaps forward, most of us must be content with gradual, steady improvements.
Our problem as compulsive people is in wanting quick results all the time. In fact, one of the things that reinforced our addition was the continuous need for a quick fix. We saw life as something that should be taken in frantic gulps. When a sudden break or advantage appeared, it never really satisfied us. There was always the hunger for more.
We can find real satisfaction, however, in accepting progress in small stages. If we are having small gains here and there, we are on the road to improvement. A surprising amount can be accomplished when we are moving continuously ahead, one small step at a time.
The old fable of the tortoise and the hare still applies in human affairs. If we continue to move ahead, even at a slow speed, we will reach our goals.
I’ll be content today with whatever progress I can make. If I’m expecting too many quick results, I might be setting myself up for disappointment.
Keep It Simple
June 10
Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.
—Clementine Pappleford
At meetings, we meet people who have what we want. Our old way is to think these people are better or luckier than us. Our old way is to wish we were like them. But our program tells us how to work to change, not just wish for it. There is a big difference!
There are many ways to work for recovery. We practice the Steps. We attend meetings, and we help out at meetings. We welcome new members. We call our sponsor often. And we sponsor others when we’re ready. It takes more than a wishbone. It takes courage and hard work, with the help of our Higher Power.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me know that wishing is lost energy. I must work at recovery. As I do today’s work, guide me.
Action for the Day: Today, I’ll do an extra bit of work on my recovery. I’ll call a group member. I’ll read. I’ll spend extra time in prayer and meditation.
There are glimpses of heaven in every act, or thought, or word that raises us above ourselves.
–Arthur Stanley
When everything seems to go wrong, just P. U. S. H. !
When the job gets you down, just P. U. S. H. !
When people don’t react the way you think they should, just P. U. S. H. !
When your money looks funny and the bills are due, just P. U. S. H. !
When you want to give up because it looks hopeless, just P. U. S. H. !
P. U. S. H – Pray Until Something Happens!!!!!
–Randy Walker
“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”
–Marianne Williamson
“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in Gods hands, that I still possess.”
–Martin Luther
Father Leo’s Daily
Meditation
June 10
LAUGHTER
“God cannot be solemn, or he would not have blessed man with the incalculable gift of laughter.”
–Sydney Harris
I think the way to understand God is to begin to understand man! Sometimes we forget that we bear the “image” of God – and this is not so much physical as emotional, our inner selves, the soul. So much of what I feel, what hurts me, what causes me distress and pain I believe also affects God. Also the gifts, the creative intelligence and spiritual sacrifice that has characterized so many people in history reflects something of God. Involved in this is “laughter”. I believe that laughter is derived from God and is part of the spiritual gift He has bequeathed to every one of us: we need only discover it.
“Let go – and let God.” Sometimes we need to get out of our own way so that we can begin to laugh.
You gave the gift of laughter to be used. May it be used in the precious art of healing.
Daily Inspiration
June 10
It is not as significant to have a good life, but rather to do good things with your life. Lord, I am grateful for the talents with which You have blessed me and I pray that they will not go unused.
Gossip betrays trust. The harm done is often irreparable. Lord, may I never be responsible for hurting anyone through my conversations.
Elder’s Meditation
of the Day
June 10
“Each day, whatever I am doing, I am always praying and thinking of God.”
–Thomas Yellowtail, CROW
Have you ever tried going through your day and carrying on a conversation with the Creator? Many of our Elders live in prayer. They talk to the Creator like the Creator is their best friend. It is easiest to do this if we pray in the morning and ask the Great Spirit to direct our thinking. When the Creator is involved in guiding our lives, we will have less stress, anxiety, and tension. Maybe this is something we would like to try today.” Oh, Creator, look at the Sun, how beautiful you have made it. Oh, look at this child, isn’t she just beautiful! Well, Creator, I’m not sure how I should do this task, what do you think? This person is starting to irritate me; I need your help to redirect my thinking. Thanks for returning me to a peaceful mind.” Remember, the Creator also has a sense of humor.
Grandfather, Grandmother, let me walk in prayer.
Today’s Gift
June 10
Whoever I am or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach.
—John W. Gardner
It’s easy to forget how important we each are – to our parents, to other family members, to our friends. We are in this world, even in our particular family, because we are important and necessary in the lives of others. It’s easy to feel not so important though, especially when we think we’re not good enough at anything we try. School or work comes easy for some. Maybe not us. Athletics come easy to others. Maybe it’s helping around the house that’s easiest. Each of us is very good at some things. And it’s okay to not be good at everything.
How can I show my talent today?
Touchstones
Meditations For Men
June 10
We learn more by seeing someone play good tennis than by reading a book about how to play good tennis.
—W. Timothy Gallwey
In our program we learn from each other. Most of us would rather have thought our problems through on our own or read about them without having to ask for help. Recovery requires us to break this old habit. We can no longer say at a meeting, “I had some problems this week, but I’ve worked them out now” or “I know what I have to do.” The change for us is to ask for help from other men in this program. We need to say, “What do you think about my problem?” or “Would you be willing to talk to me for a while?”
Having a sponsor is an important way of getting to know how another man applies his program to his life. We need to select a sponsor we admire, who has learned the Steps well and who truly lives them. Then we need to spend time with our sponsor outside of meetings, perhaps while drinking a cup of coffee or going for a walk. By associating with others who are diligent about recovery, we will learn more than we could any other way.
Today, I will make personal contact with others in this program.
Daily TAO
June 10
Truth
There are three levels of truth:
Experience, reasoning, and knowing.
All other assertions should be rejected.
The first type of truth is experience. Once you have experienced something, you know it. No person can persuade you otherwise.
The second type of truth gained by reasoning. In this case, the truth cannot be immediately verified because the subject is too small (like atomic particles) or too large (like the movement of planets through time) or too abstract (like ideas). something may be true, but its truth is borne out by analysis rather than physical testing.
Either of these two types of truths has a range of validity. They are relative. Therefore, though truths are superior to falsehood, opinions, beliefs, and superstition, they each have limits. There is a third type of truth that is different from these two.