My birthday. 49 years old, wow. I can’t believe it. Tonight we will have cake from Milkboy in NY and dine at Mikado in Cherry Hill with good friends. I am a very lucky man.
DAILY REFLECTIONS
SEPTEMBER 4
RECONSTRUCTION
YES, THERE IS A LONG PERIOD OF RECONSTRUCTION AHEAD.
-ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS , P. 83
The reconstruction of my life is the prime goal in my recovery as I avoid taking that first drink, one day at a time. The task is most successfully accomplished by working the Steps of our Fellowship. The spiritual life is not a theory; it works, but I have to live it. Step Two started me on my journey to develop a spiritual life; Step Nine allows me to move into the final phase of the initial Steps which taught me how to live a spiritual life. Without the guidance and strength of a Higher Power, it would be impossible to proceed through the various stages of reconstruction. I realize that God works for me and through me. Proof comes to me when I realize that God did for me what I could not do for myself, by removing that gnawing compulsion to drink. I must continue daily to seek God’s guidance. He grants me a daily reprieve and will provide the power I need for reconstruction.
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY
SEPTEMBER 4
A.A. Thought For The Day
“We must be careful never to show intolerance or hatred of drinking as an institution. Experience shows that such an attitude is no help to anyone. We are not fanatics or intolerant of people who can drink normally. Every prospect is relieved when he finds we are not witch burners. Temperate drinking is O.K., but we alcoholics can’t get away with it. And no alcoholic likes to be told about alcohol by anyone who hates it. We shall be of little use if our attitude is one of bitterness or hostility.” Do I have a tolerance for those who can drink normally?
Meditation For The Day
Do not become encumbered by petty annoyances. Never respond to emotional upsets by emotional upset. Try to keep calm in all circumstances. Try not to fight back. Call on the grace of God when you feel like retaliating. Look to God for the inner strength to drop these resentments that drag you down. If you are burdened by annoyances, you will lose your inward peace and the spirit of God will be shut out. Try to keep peaceful within.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may do the things that make for peace. I pray that I may have a mission of conciliation.
WALK IN DRY PLACES
SEPTEMBER 4
WHAT DO WE DESERVE?
GOOD EXPECTATIONS
We hear about people who snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Some of us do that even in sobriety, experiencing failure just as success seems imminent.
At times, we may just be suffering from a bad situation that is all around us. But if we do seem to be having one bad break after another, we should look more carefully within ourselves for causes. We may be punishing ourselves, or pushing away our good simply because we do not feel worth of it.
If we discover that this process is working in our lives, we must begin changing these false patterns immediately. Having forgiven ourselves and others, and having made amends, we need no punishment. We will work to succeed in all of our activities, with a reasonable expectation of success most of the time. We will expect and deserve the best.
I’ll carry with me today a belief that I deserve to succeed and will take all necessary action to earn my success.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
SEPTEMBER 4
IN MY VIEW, WE OF THIS WORLD ARE PUPILS IN GREAT SCHOOL OF LIFE.
-BILL W.
Our addiction has taught me much. It has taught us how far we can get from ourselves, our Higher Power, and those who love us.. Hopefully, we’ve learned we can’t go it alone. Do I allow myself to learn from the bad things that happened?
Recovery has much to teach us too. We need to be students of life. We need to be open to learning. Our spirits can grow if we’re willing to do three things: First, we listen. Second, we think about what we’ve learned. Third, we turn what we’ve learned into action. Listening, combined with thought and action, will help us learn life’s best lessons.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, You’ll test me so I can learn. Help me accept the tasks You give me. And help me learn from them.
Action for the Day: I will view today as a class. I will do three things—listen, think, act.
Xtra Thoughts
September 4
Today is the blocks with which we build.
–Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
All of the animals except man know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.
–Samuel Butler
Today I am letting go of all judgments. I am releasing all negative emotions. I am quietly going within and trusting my inner spirit and I will know what is right for me.
–Ruth Fishel
” Let us continue to search our own minds for the hidden places where we still deny love. Perhaps we learned loveless attitudes from our parents, or from experiences in the past. Wherever we picked up judgmental attitudes, they do not serve us now. They do not serve God or the creation of a new world, and serving God is our only goal. To serve God is to think with love. In prayerful request, let us give up all thoughts that are not of love. ”
–Marianne Williamson
Someone once wrote: “Happiness is always a by-product. You don’t make yourself happy by chasing happiness. You make yourself happy by being a good person.” The happiest people I know are people who don’t even think about being happy. They just think about being good neighbors, good people. And then happiness sort of sneaks in the back window while they’re busy doing good.
–Rabbi Harold Kushner
FATHER LEO’S DAILY MEDITATION
SEPTEMBER 4
HUMILITY
“HUMILITY IS TO MAKE A RIGHT ESTIMATE OF ONE’S SELF.”
– CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON
To see yourself as a good person is part of the program of humility. To see your gifts and recognize your achievements is what it is to be a humble person. “God does not make junk.” Therefore, we should not act or behave towards ourselves in a way that would indicate anything other than that we are “special”.
All addicts and alcoholics need to accept this because for years we had felt guilty, lonely and ashamed. These attitudes helped to keep us sick.
Sobriety and serenity is recognizing our God-given uniqueness that makes us “special”. We can achieve great things as long as we continue to believe in ourselves.
Thank You for loving me enough to become a part of me.
Daily Inspiration
September 4
Believe in miracles because they do happen. Lord, I give You praise for the wonders that You are doing in my life.
Give yourself more exercise than jumping to conclusions. Lord, grant me sincerity and wisdom in my daily life.
ELDER’S MEDITATION OF THE DAY
SEPTEMBER 4
“THE ELDERS SAY THAT IF YOU WANT SOMETHING GOOD, YOU HAVE TO SUFFER FOR IT.”
–CHUCK ROSS, LAKOTA
People sometimes have a misconception of sacrifice. This is a strong word for Indian people. On the other side of sacrifice is another whole world. During sacrifice, our beliefs are tested. We may all have good beliefs but if you test a good belief, then you get real beliefs. Real beliefs make new people; real beliefs make new self images. Real beliefs allow determination and desires and faith to come true. Good is always available to us but we often can’t bring it within until we let go of the old ways. We let go of the old ways by suffering. Suffering is only letting go of things that don’t work anymore. On the other side of suffering is a new world.
Creator, help me to let go of old ways. Let my old thoughts and beliefs be abandoned. Every change is preceded by struggle. Help me go through the struggle today.
TODAY’S GIFT
SEPTEMBER 4
MOST FOLKS ARE ABOUT AS HAPPY AS THEY MAKE UP THEIR MINDS TO BE.
—ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Our negative thoughts can be like pebbles rolling down the mountainside. One pebble bumps into another one. The second begins rolling and slams into a third. On and on it goes until thousands of pebbles, rocks, and even giant boulders are hurtling down the mountain.
When we find ourselves stuck in a rut thinking a negative thought, we can decide to stop and replace it with a positive thought. At first our single positive thought may not dislodge another one. We may have to think of several and start them rolling down the mountainside. If we practice, we will find it becomes easier for that first good thought to shake loose others. We will see our lives change when we begin to look at the positive side of things.
How can I begin to shape my outlook today?
TOUCHSTONES MEDITATIONS FOR MEN
SEPTEMBER 4
IT IS AS IMPORTANT TO CULTIVATE YOUR SILENCE POWER, AS IT IS YOUR WORD POWER.
—WILLIAM JAMES
We bless ourselves with renewal and healing when we retreat from the world for a few private moments of silence. The power we cultivate in silence isn’t generated by us; that power comes to us. We can do this by deliberately withdrawing from all distractions. Then we quiet our inner selves by concentrating on deep relaxation, thinking about a brief reading, or by praying.
Most of us already have a personal island of renewal that we have turned to many times in the past for serenity and strength. We can use it and turn to it daily. This natural pattern is necessary for a strong and healthy life. It builds our relationship with our Higher Power and ourselves. In our problems with self-esteem, we often label as worthless the quiet, subtle things we do, but these very things are essential to build our strength and self esteem.
I will take time for silence to receive the power it gives in my life.
DAILY TAO
SEPTEMBER 4
DOVE
A dove got caught in the rafters last night.
I had quite a time trying to get her out.
She hit her head several times in panic.
Only when she was stunned was I able to care for her.
In the paper there was this quote from a sage:
“Human nature was originally one and we were a whole,
And the desire and pursuit of the whole is called love.”
It was late at night. Her flapping caught my attention. I looked up to see her perched in the rafters. The dove tried to fly out, but she was either hurt or disoriented. She skittered across the ceiling. Landing at the blue windows, she looked out, unable to pass through the invisible barrier. I climbed up and tried to get her to fly out. She let me come very close but was unable to understand my language or actions.
She flew from me but quickly lost altitude and landed on the floor. I climbed down and urged her on. There was just a short distance to go, but she panicked and flew into a wall. She fell to my worktable, stunned, breathing hard, a feather lying loose at her side. Only then was I able to put her in a box and care for her.
She couldn’t understand my intentions and so was hurt. I was unable to help her without being frightening. Were all living beings once connected? Perhaps so, but in this world, the pursuit of love and compassion is not without pain and confusion.