[bluidkiti]

May 11

Step by Step

" ...(D)eep down in every man, woman and child is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things but, in some form or other, it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself." - Alcoholics Anonymous, Third Edition, 1976, Ch 4, p 55.

Today, the "fundamental idea of God" exists. But the idea may be more deeply rooted in the agnostic and atheist. To those who grapple with the concept of a higher power, perhaps a first step is to acknowledge the one thing that is stronger than all of us - alcohol. In it, we have more than belief in its power: we have experience. And if we can know that something stronger than ourselves can take us to the gates of Hell, can we not take a leap of blind faith in something capable of guiding us back to sanity? But even this challenge is prefaced on a single condition: we must be willing to consider that a higher power exists. Today, I can take that leap of faith knowing that if something so strong as alcohol can kick me in the gutter, there may be something stronger to lift me out of it. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

BEAUTY

Beauty as we feel it is something indescribable; what it is or what it means can never be said.

~ George Santayana ~

Beauty is among our most useful and most used words as we progress toward spiritual goals. The kind of beauty that guides our thinking in recovery does not lie on the outside, but rises from within. When we learn to see that beauty in the words, actions, and attitudes of others as well as in the principles we follow, we are choosing well.

Our friends have beauty because of who they really are, not what they may appear to be. The emotions we feel and the living guides we follow are beautiful simply because we need them.

I will have no trouble finding spiritual beauty in our Program. True beauty never dies. It is found in all thoughts, attitudes and emotions, if only I seek it.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

It is only by risking ourselves from one hour to another that we live at all.

~ William James ~

We all know men who seem to be empty bodies, walking through life. These are the guys who never talk about anything personal and never let anyone get to know them. Many of them love to complain about their job, their wife or girlfriend, their boss, the government, or anything outside themselves. These guys will talk about sports or the weather but never about real events or personal experiences. Many of us have been these men.

When we wake up to a real life, we become present; we are alive to our experiences, our sensations, and our feelings. This requires that we drop the shield of deadness and become personal. It involves risk and makes life incredibly interesting.

Today I will take the risk to be present to my life in every minute, every hour.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

Once conflict has arisen, we are kidding our-selves if we think it can he ignored.

~ Linda Riebel ~

Conflict is ordinary, some may even say necessary. And it generally makes us tense, but that’s primarily because we want to “win” every disagreement. Through our role models in this program, we learn that feelings should not be stuffed or ignored, but they don’t have to be resolved immediately either. Simply sharing with someone that we are angry about a situation is often enough. Doing more often escalates a minor conflict into a major confrontation.

Choosing to be peaceful, rather than right, isn’t copping out, even though it may seem so at first. Rather, it’s opting to put our energies into positive exchanges with others. Remembering that every relationship is given to us by design, not accident, gives us reason to pause before stepping on the toes of our “teachers.” Honoring them with love and acceptance diminishes our need to be right.

Letting go of my need to be right today will truly give me peace.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I want to talk about my problem

I suspected I had some problems with my emotions and my drinking. But I was too confused and ashamed to talk with anyone about them. And yet I wanted to. It was frightening to feel out of control, to mistrust everyone. I didn’t want to feel alone. I wanted someone to know what was happening with me.

With the help of some “luck,” what I now call my higher power, a trusting friend told me about his recovery in AA. I am deeply grateful for his introduction to this fellowship. I now see that there are others like me, others who can help me simply by their example, by listening to me, and by accepting me. This is what I need to continue coming out of isolation.

I will check in with my sponsor today and allow time for a fellow member who might need my support.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Real love is like holding an egg in your hand.
The tighter you squeeze, the more you lose.

~ Ron P. ~

When we learn to love the beauty and gifts of others as separate from us, healthy relationships can flourish. Control is the enemy of love, and at the heart of our painful relationships is usually one person trying to change another.

When we let it, love grows into a flower of unsurpassed beauty. When we trust enough to allow our loved ones to really be themselves and make their own decisions, we open the door to intimacy. Nothing is more loving than feeling free to live without criticism from our partner.

Learning to love someone better challenges us. It isn’t easy, and we run up against our deepest fears of rejection, inadequacy, and loss of control. But these are things we don’t want to bring to a relationship anyway.

The work we do to improve our own health is the most important task in our lives. Part of this work is to let others do the same for themselves. When we can begin to do this, we are beginning to be ready to reap the rewards of real love.

Today help me let go of others, especially those I love.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

Rage cannot be hidden, it can only be disassembled.

~ James Baldwin ~

In her book The Tao of Inner Peace, Diane Dreher tells about a time when she was working as a medical receptionist. One day the office was particularly busy and workers were installing new carpeting. During their lunch hour, the workers forgot to unplug an iron and it burned into the floorboards. Dreher rushed to the smell of smoke and quickly unplugged the iron. When the doctors returned from lunch and smelled the smoke, they erupted in anger. Long after Dreher had unplugged the iron and averted an even worse disaster, others were operating as if a great disaster was in progress.

Anger is one of those emotions that can spark quickly. It is not always a bad emotion to express, particularly when it provides warning of possible danger or sets personal limits and boundaries. But anger that lasts for minutes, hours, days, or even years after the source of the anger has passed is unhealthy.

Anger that does not have an on-off switch or that festers over time can easily distract you from taking an appropriate course of action. It absorbs valuable time in the present that can eat away at your growth. And it can spill over into other emotions, which can increase your stress level.

I take steps to release my anger before it escalates or does more harm than good.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

A mother's heart is the child's school room.

~ Henry Ward Beecher ~

We've learned much from our mother. That doesn’t mean all our learning has been good or wise, just as it has not been all bad or crazy. Where we are right now in our lives is a result of the things we have learned thus far.

Mothers aren't perfect. Our mother had a mother who taught her. What our mother did was cope as best as she could with what she was taught. We probably received the best she had to offer, even if it may not have been the best in our eyes.

As we look back to our school days, we need to keep in mind that we haven't retained all the information we were taught. We've kept the most interesting and beneficial textbook learning so we could make our way in the world. The learning we received from our mother can be treated in the same manner. Tonight, we can recall what we like and leave the rest. The most beneficial learning she gave us could be as simple as knowing how to tie our shoes or bake bread, or is all-encompassing as our ability to believe in ourselves.

Tonight, I can thank my mother for the good things I learned from her.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Overcoming Indecision

We often find it difficult to make simple decisions in our everyday lives. Sometimes the major decisions are easier to make than minor ones. But it is good practice to ask for help on any issue we need help with, major or minor, simple or complex.

Over time our Higher Power will help us see life situations with increasing clarity. Over time everyday decisions will become easier to make and everyday irritations will stop paralyzing our thinking.

Am I conquering my indecision?

Higher Power, I pray for greater self-awareness and the willingness to ask for help with everyday indecision.

Today I will ask for help with

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Honesty is the best policy.

~ DAVID TUVILL ~

Newcomer

I’ve heard people talk about “firing” their sponsors, about sponsors “firing” their sponsees. I find that term disillusioning. I thought we were here to help one another.

Sponsor

Human relationships change, for all sorts of reasons, and there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that reality. Sponsors, like sponsees, are just people in recovery, growing and working the Steps; we don’t always handle things perfectly. One sponsor may take on more than he or she is really prepared to handle; with phone calls coming day and night from an overload of sponsees, frequency or quality of communication may be inadequate. Another sponsor may enjoy being bossy and have trouble recognizing the difference between passing on program experience and trying to impose his or her will in areas where personal choice is appropriate. A sponsor may discover that a sponsee lacks the desire for recovery or has significant problems in an area in which the sponsor has no experience.

When differences are resolved by talking and listening, relationships grow and deepen. Are we avoiding necessary confrontation with ourselves or others? Or does growth, this time, mean that it’s appropriate to separate? Honesty, courage, and love are qualities that help us make transitions in our relationships.

Today, my willingness to grow enhances my relationships with others.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

God will only help those who honestly try to help themselves. We in AA know the truth of this statement for it was only when we, by a definite act on our part, determined to do something about our drinking that God made available that Power that enables us to recover our sanity.

If your house is on fire it is very well to pray but the prayers will avail little unless you are running for a hose while you are praying.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

RISK

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk being call sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk your true self.
To place your ideas and dreams before the crowd is to risk being called naïve.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken,
Because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing.
The people who risk nothing do nothing.
Have nothing, are nothing, and become nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
But they simply cannot learn to feel.
And change, and grow, and love, and live.
Chained by their servitude, they are slaves,
They have forfeited their freedom.
Only the people who risk are truly free.

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

AN ADVANCED CLASS

Many people would like to attend what they call an advanced class in metaphysics; but what could an advanced course include that would not be in the ordinary lessons?

The usual metaphysical classes teach that God is the only power, and that evil is unsubstantial; that we form our own destiny by our thoughts and our beliefs; that conditions do not mater when we pray; that time and space and matter are human illusions; that there is a solution to every problem; the man is the child of God, and God is perfect good; that Jesus Christ is the one who taught the full truth about God, and actually demonstrated it.

Once the student has obtained a correct intellectual comprehension of these facts, and digested them−at least partially−the only thing that remains for him is to develop his understanding by demonstrating them in practice.

So we see that the real advanced course is the one we give ourselves by demonstrating over the practical problems of everyday life.

Faith without works is dead (James 2:20)

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

A Bit of Myself

Know then that the world exists for you... Adam called his house heaven and earth; Caesar called his house Rome; you perhaps call yours a cobbler’s trade, a hundred acres of ploughed land, or a scholar’s garret, let line for line and point for point your dominion is as great as theirs... Build therefore your own world.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

“I prefer doing oil paintings,” John told me, “but occasionally I take a commercial art job. Even in my commercial work, I imbue my essence. My brother-in-law, a contractor, commissioned me to do a painting of his backhoe. I depicted the backhoe realistically, and where the backhoe was digging into the ground, I painted a scene of the starry cosmos. He loved it!” Everything we do has our flavor in it. To do anything without your essence would be as impossible as the sun shining without heat. Your essence is the unique dimension you add to any act you express, from walking your dog to building a skyscraper. It is the special energy that you came to deliver to the world. Just as no two snowflakes or fingerprints are alike, every individual has a uniquely beautiful contribution to offer.

When I walked into a bookstore after I published The Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, I was shocked to find hundreds of books with similar themes, some written by famous and gifted authors. Suddenly I felt glad that I hadn’t studied the market before I wrote the book; I would have felt intimidated and doubted there was anything I could add to the field. I might have even quit before I started. But I was blissfully naive, and I went ahead, motivated by the sheer joy of expressing myself. Now my books are on the very shelves I would have shied away from.

Never shrink from expressing yourself. Your perspective is the one that will carry you. Follow your unique instincts, and you will be uniquely successful.

Help me know that what I am is good enough. I honor the uniqueness in which You created me.

Confident in my gifts, I shine my own light and bring quality to life through my individuality.