AA Thought for the Day: In AA we often hear the slogan “Easy does it.” Alcoholics always do everything to excess. They drink too much. They worry too much.A good chuckle or an engrossing activity can lift my spirits and cleanse my mind. I will refresh myself by adding some lightness to this day. “Now I look for humor in every situation, and my Higher Power is a laughing God who reminds me not to take myself too seriously.”. – As We Understood…. From the book “Courage to Change”.While sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been picking up some pretty interesting hobbies and skills, from baking bread and pondering over puzzles to crea...Courage to Change: Turning to an alcoholic for affection and support can be like going to a hardware store for bread. Perhaps we expect a “good” parent to nurture and support our feelings, or a “loving” spouse to comfort and hold us when we are afraid, or a “caring” child to want to pitch in when we are ill or overwhelmed. While ...AA Thought for the Day: The AA program is more a way of building a new life than just a way of getting over drinking, because in AA we don’t just stop drinking. We did that plenty of times in the old days when we “went on the wagon.”. And, of course, we always started to drink again, because we were only waiting for the time when we could ...Before coming to Narcotics Anonymous, many of us lived lives of utter hopelessness. We believed we were destined to die from our disease. Many members speak of being on a “pink cloud” their first months in the program. We’ve stopped using, made some friends, and life looks promising. Things are going great.Even when I feel ashamed, someone in the fellowship can help me see my situation in a different light. With their help, if I’m willing to permit it, the truth will set me free. “You get to the point where your demons, which are terrifying, get smaller and smaller and you get bigger and bigger.”. – August Wilson. From the book “Courage ... Meditation for the Day: There is a time for everything. We should learn to wait patiently until the right time comes. “Easy does it.” We waste our energies in trying to get things before we are ready to have them, before we have earned the right to receive them. A sense of humor “We find that when we lose self-obsession, we are able to understand what it means to be happy, joyous, and free.” – Basic Text, p.May 23, 2016 · On his desk, Dr. Bob had a plaque defining humility: “Perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised, May 4, 2024 · I also learned about myself by listening in meetings—when I identified with others, I gained insight into my own thoughts and feelings. Today I know that I am a passionate, generous, opinionated, moody, honest, tactful, stubborn person. I know how I feel and what I think on an assortment of topics, and I am aware when these thoughts and ... DAILY PONDERABLES. Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny. AA Thought for the Day. October 3, 2020. Lose Our Fear. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life.Maybe we think that if a spouse or lover leaves us, we will have to get high. If we lose our job, surely, we think, we will use. Or maybe it’s the death of a loved one that we expect to be unbearable. In any case, the reservations we harbor give us permission to use when they come true — as they often do. We can prepare ourselves for ... DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections LOOKING OUTWARD We ask especially for freedom from self-will and are careful to make no request for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped. We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS p. 87 Mar 19, 2024 · Something valuable to share. “A simple, honest message of recovery from addiction rings true.”. – Basic Text, p. 5I. You’re in a meeting. The sharing has been going on for some time. One or two members have described their spiritual experiences in an especially meaningful way. Another has had us all rolling in the aisles with ... A good chuckle or an engrossing activity can lift my spirits and cleanse my mind. I will refresh myself by adding some lightness to this day. “Now I look for humor in every situation, and my Higher Power is a laughing God who reminds me not to take myself too seriously.”. – As We Understood…. From the book “Courage to Change”.Courage to Change: I am so grateful to belong to a fellowship where everyone speaks for himself or herself. Al-Anon has no spokesperson, no authority who tells what “our” experience has been.God’s will, not ours “We know that if we pray for God’s will we will receive what is best for us, regardless of what we think.” – Basic Text, p. 464 days ago · Today’s Reminder: I am only a small cog in the machinery of the universe; my trying to run things my own way is doomed to failure. A bright and serene success is at hand once I learn to let go. Then I’ll have time to count my blessings, work on my own shortcomings, and enjoy each minute of every day. “What hurt could it do thee if thou ... Self-pity or recovery—it’s our choice. “Self-pity is one of the most destructive of defects; it will drain us of all positive energy.”. – Basic Text, p. 80. In active addiction, many of us used self-pity as a survival mechanism. We didn’t believe there was an alternative to living in our disease — or perhaps we didn’t want to ... No matter what is going on around me, today I know that I am moving forward. I will trust the process of recovery. I’ll let time take time. “If I am under pressure and setting myself deadlines, I will stop for a few minutes and think of just this one day and what I can do with it.”. – One Day at a Time in Al-Anon.AA Thought for the Day: Have I got over most of my sensitiveness, my feelings that are too easily hurt, and my just plain laziness and self-satisfaction? Am I …Courage to Change: How often have I had a dream I longed to pursue, but quit before I started because it seemed too enormous a task to attempt? Going back to school, moving, taking a trip, changing jobs, all these and many other goals can seem overwhelming at first. Al-Anon reminds me to “Keep It Simple.”. Instead of approaching the task as ...Courage to Change: Al-Anon is where many of us who have lived with alcoholism begin to grow up for the first time. We learn to face the world as it really is and to take responsibility for our actions. We deal with our feelings and share honestly about our experiences. We learn about ourselves and nurture our spiritual growth and our physical ...One Day at a Time in Al-Anon: Living with an alcoholic distorted my thinking in many ways, but particularly in one: I blamed all my problems on The Bottle. Now I am learning in Al-Anon to look squarely at each difficulty, not seeking whom to “blame” but to discover how my attitude helped to create my problem, or aggravate it. I must learn ...Before coming to Narcotics Anonymous, many of us lived lives of utter hopelessness. We believed we were destined to die from our disease. Many members speak of being on a “pink cloud” their first months in the program. We’ve stopped using, made some friends, and life looks promising. Things are going great.DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections LOOKING OUTWARD We ask especially for freedom from self-will and are careful to make no request for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped. We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS p. 87 DAILY PONDERABLES. DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections. AT THE TURNING POINT. Half measures availed us nothing, We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 59. Everyday I stand at turning points. Life just happens, and sometimes it hurts. Many of us have lost love through no fault of our own. Some of us have lost all of our material wealth. A few of us have even grieved the loss of our own children. Life can be terribly painful at times, but the pain is not inflicted on us by our Higher Power. Rather, that Power is constantly by our ...AA Loving FellowshipWe would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us.I turn my head away. I squeeze my eyes shut. My knuckles ache as my fists clench. Fingernails bite into my palms. I exhaust myself. I hurt! On the other hand, when I trust God to give me what I need, I let go. I face forward. My hands are free for healthy, loving, and enjoyable activities.We hear in meetings that our Higher Power won’t give us more than we can handle in one day. And we know from experience that, if we ask, the God we’ve come to understand will surely care for us. We stay clean through adverse situations by practicing our faith in the care of a Power greater than ourselves. Each time we do, we become less ...We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us.Designing a video game sounds like a dream job: getting paid to live in your imagination and think of new worlds that other will people will experience with glee. Of course, it’s a...Courage to Change: It is not necessary for me to map out a master plan for my recovery — my Higher Power has already done that. It is only necessary to humbly ask for God’s guidance and for the willingness to follow that guidance today. I know that I am not alone: I will receive all the help I need along the way.Meditation for the Day: I believe that in the spiritual world, as in the material world, there is no empty space. As fears and worries and resentments depart my life, the things of the spirit come in to take their places. Self-pity or recovery—it’s our choice. “Self-pity is one of the most destructive of defects; it will drain us of all positive energy.”. – Basic Text, p. 80. In active addiction, many of us used self-pity as a survival mechanism. We didn’t believe there was an alternative to living in our disease — or perhaps we didn’t want to ... Honesty and spirituality. “The right to a God of your understanding is total and without any catches. Because we have this right, it is necessary to be honest about our belief if we are to grow spiritually.”. – Basic Text, pp. 25–26. In meetings, over refreshments, in talks with our sponsor, we hear our NA friends talking about the way ...The Daily Ponderables guy, Stephen Todd shares his story of recovery and hope. Stephen is a regular meeting attender that carries the message everywhere he goes. This Tennessee attorney tells it like it is, yet has a beautiful humility that shines through.We once knew exactly what to expect, and now everything suddenly seems different. The homebody is never home; the life of the party is always sleeping; communication, intimacy, sex, responsibilities, and decision-making all change. At the same time, problems that we always attributed to drinking may persist even though the drinking has stopped.Living with spiritual experiences. “For meditation to be of value, the results must show in our daily lives.”. – Basic Text, p. 47. In working our program, we are given many indirect indications of a Higher Power’s presence in our lives: the clean feeling that comes to so many of us in taking our Fifth Step; the sense that we are ...Are we having fun yet? “ln time, we can relax and enjoy the atmosphere of recovery.” – Basic Text, p. 56. Imagine what would happen if a newcomer walked into one of our meetings and was met by a group of grim-faced people gripping the arms of …Money makes the world go round, as the saying goes. But how and where we spend it are still very much up for grabs. One person who has been pondering that question and providing an...Meditation for the Day: These meditations can teach us how to relax. We can be of service to other people in a small way, at least. And we can be happy while doing it.Meditation for the Day: It is not so much you, as the grace of God that is in you, that helps those around you. If you would help even those you dislike, you have to see that there is nothing in you to block the way, to keep God’s grace from using you.DAILY PONDERABLES. Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny. AA Thought for the Day. October 3, 2020. Lose Our Fear. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life.Before coming to Narcotics Anonymous, many of us lived lives of utter hopelessness. We believed we were destined to die from our disease. Many members speak of being on a “pink cloud” their first months in the program. We’ve stopped using, made some friends, and life looks promising. Things are going great.Nov 27, 2023 · AA Thought for the Day: The way of AA is the way of sobriety, fellowship, service, and faith. Let us take up each one of these things and see if our feet are truly on the way. The first and greatest to us is sobriety. The others are built on sobriety as a foundation. Only then can I gain the freedom to focus on my own spiritual growth. “A family member has no more right to state, ‘If you loved me you would not drink,’ than the right to say, ‘If you loved me you would not have diabetes.’. Excessive drinking is a symptom of the disease. It is a condition, not an act.”. From the book “Courage to ...May 11 – NA Just for Today. 00:00. Balancing the scales. “A lot of our chief concerns and major difficulties come from our inexperience with living without drugs. Often when we ask an oldtimer what to do, we are amazed at the simplicity of the answer.” – Basic Text, p. 43.We had destroyed friendships and marriages. We had lost jobs. And we knew that we couldn’t change any of it. We may have thought that we’d always be regretful and simply have to find a way to live with our regrets. On the contrary, we find that our past represents an untapped gold mine the first time we are called on to share it with a ...The Al-Anon program works when I keep the focus on myself, attend lots of Al-Anon meetings, and make recovery my top priority. As I become more fully myself, I am better able to treat others with love and respect. “We are best able to help others when we ourselves have learned the way to achieve serenity.”. From the book “Courage to ...Meditation for the Day: It is in the union of a soul with God that strength, new life, and spiritual power come. Bread sustains the body, but we cannot live by bread alone.DAILY PONDERABLES. Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny. AA Thought for the Day. October 3, 2020. Lose Our Fear. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life.One of the illusions shared by many of us who have been affected by alcoholism is that only another person, usually the alcoholic, can fill that empty place within us. If only he were more attentive, if only she got sober, if only they were with me now, I wouldn’t be lonely. But many of us remain just as lonely even after those conditions are ...Courage to Change: After working Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps zealously for over a year, I was despondent over my continuing lapses into self-pity and resentment over the alcoholic’s inability to give me the emotional support I wanted. One evening during a meditation on the Sixth and Seventh Steps, three words seemed to flash in my mind: We were ...Daily Ponderables is your source for encouragement & inspiration 365 days a year. Subscribe!Meditation for the Day: I believe that life is a school in which I must learn spiritual things. I must trust in God and He will teach me. I must listen to God and He will speak through my mind. I must commune with Him in spite of all opposition and every obstacle. There will be days when I will hear no voice in my mind and when there will come ...Courage to Change: Turning to an alcoholic for affection and support can be like going to a hardware store for bread. Perhaps we expect a “good” parent to nurture and support our feelings, or a “loving” spouse to comfort and hold us when we are afraid, or a “caring” child to want to pitch in when we are ill or overwhelmed. While ...Life just happens, and sometimes it hurts. Many of us have lost love through no fault of our own. Some of us have lost all of our material wealth. A few of us have even grieved the loss of our own children. Life can be terribly painful at times, but the pain is not inflicted on us by our Higher Power. Rather, that Power is constantly by our ...This day is a beautiful room that’s never been seen before. Let me cherish the seconds, minutes, and hours I spend here. Help me to think before I speak and pray before I act. “The program helps me gain the freedom to make wise choices that are good for me. I choose to put that freedom to work in my life today.”. – Alateen—a day at a ...Oct 5, 2023 · Things are going good, and each year in recovery brings more material and spiritual gifts. We may have a little money in the bank, a new car, or a committed relationship. We have a little self-confidence, and our faith in a Higher Power is growing. Then, something happens. Someone breaks into our new car and steals the stereo, or the person we ... We once knew exactly what to expect, and now everything suddenly seems different. The homebody is never home; the life of the party is always sleeping; communication, intimacy, sex, responsibilities, and decision-making all change. At the same time, problems that we always attributed to drinking may persist even though the drinking has stopped.AA Thought for the Day: The way of AA is the way of sobriety, fellowship, service, and faith. Let us take up each one of these things and see if our feet are truly on the way. The first and greatest to us is sobriety. The others are built on sobriety as a foundation.Today’s Reminder: It is hard to stop acting as I have in the past. But with Al-Anon’s support, I can be the one to break the pattern. I can choose to do what I think is right—for me. “You have to count on living every single day in a way you believe will make you feel good about your life…”. From the book “Courage to Change ...Courage to Change: Turning to an alcoholic for affection and support can be like going to a hardware store for bread. Perhaps we expect a “good” parent to nurture and support our feelings, or a “loving” spouse to comfort and hold us when we are afraid, or a “caring” child to want to pitch in when we are ill or overwhelmed. While ...Love and addiction. “Some of us first saw the effects of addiction on the people closest to us. We were very dependent on them to carry us through life. We felt angry, disappointed, and hurt when they found other interests, friends, and loved ones.”. – Basic Text, p. 7. Addiction affected every area of our lives.The Anatomy of a Kiss - Check out these links to learn more about kissing's origins and traditions. Advertisement Most people think about what to do when kissing another person, bu...May 4, 2024 · The love found in the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous helps us recover from addiction. But once we have gotten clean, we must remember to give to others what was so freely given to us. We need to reach out to the addict who still suffers. After all, “the newcomer is the most important person at any meeting.”. A sense of humor “We find that when we lose self-obsession, we are able to understand what it means to be happy, joyous, and free.” – Basic Text, p.I6. Learning in recovery is hard work. The things we most need to know are often the hardest to learn. We study recovery to prepare ourselves for the experiences life will give us. As we listen to others share in meetings, we take mental notes we can refer to later. To be prepared, we study our notes and literature between “lessons.”.Courage to Change: I am so grateful to belong to a fellowship where everyone speaks for himself or herself. Al-Anon has no spokesperson, no authority who tells what “our” experience has been.Charging through life like the house is on fire exhausts us and gets us nowhere. In the long run, no amount of manipulation on our part will change a situation. When we let go and allow ourselves access to a Higher Power, we will discover the best way to proceed. Rest assured, answers derived from a sound spiritual basis will be far …One way to learn to love myself is to accept the love of others. Even if I don’t feel deserving, I can be grateful for another’s kindness. And if I appreciate something about someone else, I can tell them so. A small gesture can go a long way toward healing a hurting soul. “I’ve heard people in Al-Anon say they got back their self-worth.Daily Ponderables is your source for encouragement & inspiration 365 days a year. Subscribe!We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us.Courage to Change: I tried so hard to learn detachment. Living with active alcoholism was confusing, and the idea of detachment seemed vague. The alcoholic in my life was a restless sleeper who fell out of bed almost every night. Feeling it my duty, I would always help him back into bed. One night, after attending Al-Anon meetings for a while ...I also learned about myself by listening in meetings—when I identified with others, I gained insight into my own thoughts and feelings. Today I know that I am a passionate, generous, opinionated, moody, honest, tactful, stubborn person. I know how I feel and what I think on an assortment of topics, and I am aware when these thoughts …Courage to Change: It is not necessary for me to map out a master plan for my recovery — my Higher Power has already done that. It is only necessary to humbly ask for God’s guidance and for the willingness to follow that guidance today. I know that I am not alone: I will receive all the help I need along the way. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. No matter what is going on around me, today I know that I am moving forward. I will trust the process of recovery. I’ll let time take time. “If I am under pressure and setting myself deadlines, I will stop for a few minutes and think of just this one day and what I can do with it.”. – One Day at a Time in Al-Anon. God’s will, not ours “We know that if we pray for God’s will we will receive what is best for us, regardless of what we think.” – Basic Text, p. 46A Web page containing over 200 of the newest Ponderables. Collected Poems - Noon Out of Nowhere 350 poems which probe into the known and unknown with variously gentle humor Sky Circles A photo essay in …When we raised our hand as a newcomer, we opened the door for other members to approach us and welcome us. Sometimes the difference between those addicts who walk back out the door of their first meeting, never to return to NA, and the addicts who stay to seek recovery is the simple hug of an NA member. When we have been clean awhile, it’s ...There are white running backs in the NFL. They include Rex Burkhead of the Houston Texans, Christian McCaffery of the Carolina Panthers and Ryan Nall of the Chicago Bears. Several ...The restoration of self-esteem is one of Al-Anon’s prime functions. It doesn’t encourage a big-ego view of ourselves, but in helping us to see ourselves as we really are, we learn to sort out our good qualities, and on that foundation to build stronger, better personalities. “I am grateful for what Al-Anon is doing for me.Still, it is important to remember that the past is over. We are powerless over what has gone before. Although we can take steps to make amends, we cannot change the fact that we have harmed others. And we cannot change the fact that others have harmed us. We have only the power to change this present day. The best use we can make of the past ...Courage to Change: I am so grateful to belong to a fellowship where everyone speaks for himself or herself. Al-Anon has no spokesperson, no authority who tells what “our” experience has been.I have an important part to play in my relationship with my Higher Power — I have to be willing to receive help, and I have to ask for it. If I develop the habit of turning to my Higher Power for help with small, everyday matters, I’ll know what to do when faced with more difficult challenges. “In the hour of adversity be not without hope.I was struggling to solve a tough problem, growing frustrated and upset but no closer to a solution. I asked my Higher Power for help and suddenly remembered that basket. In my mind, I imagined myself reaching once more into a basket full of slogans. Again I got exactly what I needed: The slip of paper I pictured reminded me that “Easy Does ...
Today’s Reminder: Moving from awareness to acceptance to action takes time, but the benefits are worth the wait. As I learn to accept my defects, circumstances, and feelings, I learn that I am a worthwhile human being just as I am. With that kind of self-acceptance, I begin to see my options, and slowly I can begin to take action, to change.. Glory bakery
No matter what is going on around me, today I know that I am moving forward. I will trust the process of recovery. I’ll let time take time. “If I am under pressure and setting myself deadlines, I will stop for a few minutes and think of just this one day and what I can do with it.”. – One Day at a Time in Al-Anon. Today’s Reminder: I am only a small cog in the machinery of the universe; my trying to run things my own way is doomed to failure. A bright and serene success is at hand once I learn to let go. Then I’ll have time to count my blessings, work on my own shortcomings, and enjoy each minute of every day. “What hurt could it do thee if thou ...Learning about the disease of alcoholism can help me become more realistic about a loved one’s illness—and thus to make better choices for myself. “I have learned techniques for dealing with the alcoholic, so that I can develop a relationship with the person behind the disease.”. – Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism. From the book “Courage to ...Nov 22, 2023 · November 22 – NA Just for Today. 00:00. Foundation first. “As we begin to function in society, our creative freedom helps us sort our priorities and do the basic things first.” – Basic Text, p. 86. No sooner do we get clean than some of us begin putting other priorities ahead of our recovery. The Al-Anon program works when I keep the focus on myself, attend lots of Al-Anon meetings, and make recovery my top priority. As I become more fully myself, I am better able to treat others with love and respect. “We are best able to help others when we ourselves have learned the way to achieve serenity.”. From the book “Courage to ...8:30 am. 10:00 am* 11:30 am. Monday-Friday Daily Mass. 6:30 am* (chapel) 8:00 am. Saturday Daily Mass. 8:00 am* * Livestream Masses. Monday-Friday 6:30 am. Saturday …With our enhanced understanding of ourselves, we gain greater insight into and acceptance of others. The Twelve Steps are the key to a process we call “life.”. In working the steps, they become a part of us — and we become a part of the life around us. Our world is no longer meaningless; we understand more about what happens in our lives ...Al-Anon is helping me to clear my mind of my burdens so that I am able to enjoy the wonder of the moment. I am beginning to enjoy a childlike awe about the splendor of nature, to see the beauty all around me, to let my face break into a smile spontaneously, to laugh, to love, to live again. Today I can say, “Good morning, God,” instead of ...November 22 – NA Just for Today. 00:00. Foundation first. “As we begin to function in society, our creative freedom helps us sort our priorities and do the basic things first.” – Basic Text, p. 86. No sooner do we get clean than some of us begin putting other priorities ahead of our recovery.We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us.3 days ago · Living with spiritual experiences. “For meditation to be of value, the results must show in our daily lives.”. – Basic Text, p. 47. In working our program, we are given many indirect indications of a Higher Power’s presence in our lives: the clean feeling that comes to so many of us in taking our Fifth Step; the sense that we are ... The Daily Ponderables guy, Stephen Todd shares his story of recovery and hope. Stephen is a regular meeting attender that carries the message everywhere he goes. This Tennessee attorney tells it like it is, yet has a beautiful humility that shines through. AA Loving Fellowship .