Daily Reflections
June 12
FORMING TRUE PARTNERSHIPS
But it is from our twisted relations with family, friends, and society at large that many of us have suffered the most. We have been especially stupid and stubborn about them. The primary fact that we fail to recognize is our total inability to form a true partnership with another human being.
-TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 53
Can these words apply to me, am I still unable to form a true partnership with another human being? What a terrible handicap that would be for me to carry into my sober life! In my sobriety I will meditate and pray to discover how I may be a trusted friend and companion.
Twenty-Four Hours A
Day
June 12
A. A. Thought for the Day
When we came into A. A., we made a tremendous discovery. We found that we were sick persons rather than moral lepers. We were not such odd ducks as we thought we were. We found other people who had the same illness that we had, who had been through the same experiences that we had been through. They had recovered. if they could do it, we could do it. Was hope born in me the day I walked into A. A. ?
Meditation for the Day
“He that heareth these sayings and doeth them is like unto a man who built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the wind blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock.” When your life is built upon obedience to God and upon doing His will as you understand it, you will be steadfast and unmovable even in the midst of storms. The serene, steadfast, unmovable life – the rock home – is laid stone by stone – foundation, walls, and roof – by acts of obedience to the heavenly vision. The daily following of God’s guidance and the daily doing of His will shall build your house upon a rock.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that my life may be founded upon the rock of faith. I pray that I may be obedient to the heavenly vision.
Walk in Dry Places
June 12
Being right or
wrong
Honesty
Step Ten advises us to promptly admit it when we’re wrong. Perhaps there should be another Step warning us not to be too confident when we’re sure we’re right.
It’s true that there are many times when we are right. It’s also possible, however, that we might be only 99 percent right, and that tiny fractions of error could mean our downfall.
Something is also wrong when we find ourselves vigorously asserting that we’re right. We don’t have to “admit it” when we’re right because being right speaks for itself. In the long run, truth and right action don’t really have to be defended. Part of being right is the willingness to believe that we may be wrong, however hard that is to accept.
If I’m wrong today, I’ll admit it. If I’m right, I’ll refrain from announcing it with too much assurance.
Keep It Simple
June 12
The lust for power is not rooted in strength, but to weakness.
We believed Alcohol or other drugs could help us control our happiness. But now we’re learning to rely on faith for our happiness. Faith is about leaving things to our Higher Power’s control. Instead of wanting the control ourselves, we trust our Higher Power will help us handle things that come along.
In recovery, we work at having more faith. Faith in a Higher Power. Faith in the Steps. Faith in our groups. Faith that our lives will get better, if we don’t use chemicals and we work an honest recovery program. Faith makes life a lot easier.
Father Leo’s Daily
Meditation
June 12
POTENTIAL
“There is no meaning to life except the meaning man gives
his life by the unfolding of his powers.”
–Eric Fromm
My life was powerless when I was drinking. The drug alcohol stopped me from reaching my full potential – I was depressed, tired, angry, lonely and confused. Incredible as it may sound, I was the enemy to my life. By drinking alcohol, I fed the disease and made my life unmanageable.
Then I had a “moment” when I saw what I was doing to my life. The pain caused by drinking outweighed any advantages. I had hit my bottom. I began to change my life by refusing the first drink, and I began to experience a new vitality and potential. A new and creative life dawned. Friendships and relationships were possible again. God became understandable in His world. My power as a human being was unleashed in my sobriety.
Master, may I discover my potential in the loving decisions I undertake.
It is not enough to love those who are near and dear to us. We must show them that we do so.
–Lord Eric Avebury
Never say more than is necessary.
–Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The surest sign of wisdom is constant cheerfulness.
–Montaigne
Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, but only saps today of its strength.
–A. J. Cronin
“… when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present–love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure–the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”
–Sarah Ban Brethnach
Daily Inspiration
June 12
The more generous and kind we are, the more thoughtful and forgiving, the closer we come to awareness of God’s powerful love. Lord, let Your love take over in me and lead and guide me to goodness.
You cannot ask too much if you use your blessings ceaselessly. Lord, help me to reflect on and live in Your spirit.
Elder’s Meditation
of the Day
June 12
“The faces of our future generations are looking up to us from the earth and we step with great care not to disturb our grandchildren.”
–Traditional Circle of Elders
The leaves, when they are finished with their life on the trees, will return to the Earth. The leaves that return to the Earth are the future trees. So inside the Mother Earth are the future forests. The human, when finished with its life on the Earth, will return to the Earth. So in the Earth are our future grandchildren. Knowing this, we should be respectful of the place where our future generations live. Only take from the Earth what you need. Every time you pick a plant or Medicine, leave an offering and leave a prayer. Be respectful and walk in a sacred way.
Great Spirit, teach me to respect the place of future generations.
Journey to the
Heart
June 12
Recharge Your Battery
Rest when you’re tired. Take a break when life stales. Take time to recharge your battery.
Energy isn’t something you have– it’s something you are. To give and give, to put out without taking in, depletes your battery. It drains you, runs you down. Running on a low battery is no longer necessary, because now we know how to live differently.
Taking time to rest, renew, and refresh yourself isn’t wasted time. Recharge. Choose what energizes you. Nature. A song. The voice of a friend. A nap. A hot bath. A cup of tea. A favorite program. A movie that makes you laugh or cry. A walk. A run. A prayer. A poem. A book that speaks to your soul.
Actions that emerge from an energized source are easier, go further, accomplish more. Let your work and love come from a vital spirit.
Today’s Gift
June 12
The more a diamond is cut, the more it sparkles.
—Anonymous
There is something of value to be found even in the worst of things. Consider the oyster. When a grain of sand penetrates an oyster’s shell, it irritates the oyster, making it uncomfortable. The oyster relieves the pain by coating the sand with a soothing liquid. When this liquid hardens, a pearl is formed. The very process that healed the oyster creates a precious jewel for others to cherish and admire.
The way in which we deal with our own frustrations – painful though they may be – can make a difference. Pearls can be formed from our experiences, making us wiser and stronger, or grains of sand – anger, bitterness, resentment–can remain embedded inside us. The choice is ours.
How can I turn my irritations into pearls today?
Touchstones
Meditations For Men
June 12
Originality is unexplored territory. You get there by carrying a canoe – you can’t take a taxi.
—Alan Alda
We are on an adventure trip in this program. Each of us is a wilderness that is only partly explored and mapped. We can’t know exactly what we will find along the way, but we can expect to find some great and moving beauty, some spectacular experiences, as well as awesome and frightening ones, and some soft, pleasant rest spots. Any day will have a mixture of various feelings.
This program is not a map of the uncharted territory. It is a guide for survival in the wilderness. It tells us how to orient ourselves when there are no familiar landmarks and how to learn and grow from the experience. The more time we spend in this wilderness, exploring the mystery of living, the more comfortable we become with it and the greater appreciation we have for its unique beauty.
Today, I pray for the courage to explore the original person I was created to be.
Daily TAO
June 12
Navigation
Do you know
Where you are
On your journey?
Tao’s movement has been compared to the flow of rivers. Its vastness has been compared to that of oceans. Some people are content to float here and there with the tide, but for others such passivity is impossible. We have to navigate.
Like early explorers on the high seas, we know where we want to go. That’s when studying precedence is important. The wisdom of those who went before us is like a map. The truths regarding Tao are like the stars. We determine our goals, and we set out according to what we know what we learn. The future is always uncertain; that is why it is important to objectively evaluate where we are on our spiritual path.
If you are confronted with a pivotal decision and cannot think of any other way to act, write down all the good things and all the bad things about a given situation. Also include how much more you want to do. See if staying your course will give you what you want. If not, change, no matter how deeply that will disrupt your routine. Some people never know where they are in life. and that is one of the biggest reasons they are unhappy.