Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - August

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August 19

Step by Step

"There are many things worse than dying, but is there any death worse than the progressive, self-induced slow suicide of the practicing alcoholic? The alcoholic suffers death many times over. Alcohol wrings the guts out of life, eats into the brain in such a way as to make the alcoholic blind to the truth. I served 12 years in prison, never suspecting that without alcohol I would not have been in prison at all. Had it not been for AA in prison ...I'll never know, but my educated guess is that I would not be alive today." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, "They Lost Nearly All," Ch 1 ("A Five-Time Loser Wins"), p 457.

Today, like a prison inmate, we all experienced the multiple deaths of a drinking alcoholic in the form of losses of family, friends, jobs and milestone experiences like a child's birth or wedding, people and experiences that cannot be reclaimed. And, like an inmate, we may not even yet realize that we may never have suffered those losses because of alcohol. But, today, we are sober and in recovery, and the program has taught us to think now in terms of life because, in surrendering in Step One, we choose life over death. Now we must surrender the regrets and pain from those losses and anticipate the new life to come. And whatever life has planned for us, we can do it now because we are sober - because we chose life. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M.

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

ASKING FOR HELP

The smartest thing a 12 Step member can say is, "Help me."

~ Anonymous ~

The weight of carrying the world on our backs has been removed from us in recovery. It is good to remember the world was never ours to carry in the first place. Our Program prevents us from setting ourselves up for failure. Most of us are used to being the Lone Ranger. Instead of silver bullets, we left empty lives. Our solitude taught us never to ask for help, always to go it alone. Our isolation produced a pitiful figure we would dress up in toughness.

This, of course, was phony, because inside we were anything but tough. When we operate alone, pretending to be strong and in control, we set ourselves in motion to experience depression and pain. Stinking thinking flourishes in isolation. The key to unlocking the many gifts of the Fellowship is asking for help. There is strength, wisdom, hope, all waiting for us if we ask for help.

I have learned to ask for help and to help when I am asked.

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

Strength and tolerance are partners.

~ Kahlil Gibran ~

We admire strength. As boys we looked up to the raw strength and power we saw in the biceps of big men and older boys. We tested our muscles and those of our pals. We worked at our own physical power to gain the respect of others.

As grown men our admiration has grown up with us. Now we have a much bigger understanding of strength. We know that most strength can’t be measured in the size of our muscles. The strongest men are often the kindest and gentlest toward those around them. And often those who are most unsure of their strength try to steal power from others by intimidation, ridicule, and displays of force.

A man stands tallest when he shows tolerance toward those who are different from him and those who are not popular with others. Some say that it builds strength to stand up for others who are vulnerable.

Today I will show tolerance for those who are different or more vulnerable than I am.

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

Coming to trust our own judgment in volatile matters such as sex, intimacy . . . and the right values to pursue is... a demanding process.

~ Gail Sheehy ~

The people around us influence what we believe. Sometimes that’s okay, but what happens when we are with a group of friends who don’t all think alike? What do we believe then?

Self-assessment, as suggested in the Fourth Step, helps us define ourselves. It helps us understand who we are and what we believe, separate from the others in our lives. We discover we are who we are! We aren’t who our friends want us to be, unless, of course, that fits us.

Having values that we understand and feel comfortable with makes a difference in how we perceive ourselves in our relationships. We are empowered every time we speak from our own center.

I will share with others who I really am today. My personal judgment in all matters will be lovingly revealed.

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

I can accept how I feel right now

I can't change my mood just because I don t like feeling angry sad, or fatigued. It's not comfortable, but this is just the way I feel right now. True, at times there are some things I can do about my mood, but for the most part, I just have to go with it. Sometimes, it changes on its own. Sometimes it lingers painfully.

My job, however, is to accept my emotion or mood (even when others around me don’t). I need to be with it, let it be, not act out. Once I accept it, then I'll know what to do about it (if anything).

I will call a friend to talk about what I am feeling.

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

Peace and joy.

~ Bill Maloney ~

One Twelve Step friend closes a visit or conversation by wishing us “peace and joy.” It’s a simple blessing, but what more could anyone want than peace and joy?

Peace comes from knowing we’ve tried our best to love and care about ourselves and others, that we’ve tried our best to make the world a better place, that we have our relationships, including the one with our Higher Power. Being perfect is not a prerequisite to finding peace. In fact, perfectionism usually destroys any chance of peace.

When we are at peace with ourselves, our Higher Power, and the world, joy follows. There is joy in welcoming another sunrise or sunset. There is joy in a phone call from a friend, in going to a meeting, in telling someone “I love you.” Nothing fancy, elaborate, or grand; just simple “peace and joy.” How wonderful to have them, even if only for a few minutes, hours, or days. Sobriety has a wonderful way of helping these things happen.

Today may I find peace and joy in my recovery, and may 1 share them and wish them for others.

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

No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.

~ Althea Gibson ~

Once two people were lost in a desert. Hours passed into clays. One morning, using their last reserves of strength, they made their way to a mountaintop so they could find shelter from the heat and die with some level of comfort. But when they got to the top, what they saw on the other side was astounding. It was a magnificent oasis of trees with ripened fruit and a crystal-clear waterfall.

They raced to the oasis and drank their fill of water and ate fruit until their bellies were full. Then one lay down on the lush ground and sighed with contentment. But the other began to make vessels in which to carry water and gather fruit. “What are you doing?” asked the one who was relaxing.

“I am returning to the desert so I can help others who are lost find their way here.”

Recovery is based upon a fellowship that offers a mutually supportive alliance. It thrives upon the interdependency of its members and through a cooperative spirit I hat provides unity for achieving shared and personal goals. This, in turn, builds strength—both individually, and within the group as a whole.

Today I will help others, and they will help me.

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

When we hate our enemies, we give them power over us—power over our sleep, our appetites, and our unhappiness. Our hate is not hurting them at all, but it is turning our days and nights into hellish turmoil.

~ Dale Carnegie ~

Hate is such a strong feeling, and it may be part of our black-and-white way of looking at things: right or wrong, yes or no, now or never, love or hate.

Spending our precious nights nurturing a strong dislike for a co-worker, boss, teacher, parent, former lover, or even a stranger is a waste of time and energy. It becomes an obsession, and we know how easy it is for us to find an obsession and hold on to it dearly.

Instead of making one pe6on our focus, we can think of all the people who are near and dear to us. We can visualize the faces of those who give us strength and hope and comfort and let their images stay in our minds and hearts.

Instead of seeing one face in the crowd, I will see many.

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

Feeling self-important

After being in the program for a while, some of us feel we know much more than the average member (and perhaps we do). But self- importance helps no one. What is important is working hard to stay clean and sober. By taking care of ourselves, we quietly set a good example.

We need to carry the message and offer help, but it does not help to set ourselves above or apart.

Am I letting go of any self-importance?

Higher Power, help me to learn my weaknesses and be humble.

I will practice humility today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

Thank God, guilt was never a rational thing.

~ EDMUND BURKE ~

Newcomer

Several days ago, I sent a check through the mail to pay my rent, but the landlord still hasn't received it. I spoke to him on the phone, and he said he'd be willing to wait and see if it reached him in the coming week. He didn't even hint that he didn't believe me, but that's what I imagined.

Sponsor

I once heard this story from a friend: Before Atlas (one of the gods in early Greek mythology) got the job of holding the world on his shoulders, someone else was supporting it. He said to Atlas, "There's something I have to do; please hold this for a moment," and walked away. For a moment, no one at all was holding up the world. Atlas stepped underneath and took the burden; he's been carrying the world ever since. But in that moment when no one at all had the world on his or her shoulders, nothing happened.

It takes a lot of energy to assume responsibility for something we can't control. A situation like the one you're describing is valuable; it can show us how willing we are to shoulder the burden of guilt, even when no harm has been done. Having an alternative plan-such as stopping payment on the first check, sending a replacement, or finding another way to get it to its destination—is helpful; it can short-circuit the cycle of unnecessary guilt.

Today, if things don't work out as expected, I make alternate plans. I don't take on the weight of the world.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

The newspapers announced that Doctor Bob died on November 19th, 1950, but we of AA know different. He lives today in the grateful hearts of three hundred and fifty thousand alcoholics and probably three times that number of dependents of alcoholics. He will live forever for he was the founder of something Good and Good is eternal.

His name would be out of place in cold, hard stone, but it is engraved forever in the hearts of a grateful and growing multitude.

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

Unselfishness

Dear Lord,
I must continually work toward unselfishness.
To be unselfish is to be useful.
When I am selfish, I am useless to myself, You, and others.
Help me to stop thinking of only me and to stop hoarding not only material things but also my thoughts and feelings from others.

Dear Lord, grant that I may practice what the Program teaches me.
My life has been saved by what others have given me.
I must, in turn, give it away to keep it.

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

TRIUMPH OVER DANGER

Read Psalm 91.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Here the lion stands for a difficulty of which we are so afraid that it seems to us a very lion in our path, rushing at us in the open. How different, on the other hand, is the attack of the adder, or snake; for it creeps upon us in the dark. And here we are promised that our complexes, dragons though they be, shall be dissolved by the realization of God. There is nothing that can be done by any form of psychotherapy that cannot be better done by the Practice of the Presence of God.

The last three verses are in themselves a glorious psalm of ringing joy and triumph.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him. There is nothing hypothetical or contingent here. The statement indicates the fixed decision—I will deliver him. And why?—because he has set his love upon me.

I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. In the Bible the "name" of anything means the nature or character of that thing. Now the nature of God is perfect, omnipresent, all-powerful good, boundless love; and to "know" this is to be set on hand above all our difficulties.

The last two verses gather up all the implications and promises of this wonderful poem, and present them to the fearful or doubting heart as a song of triumph. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

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

Too Far to Turn Back Now

The march to freedom is irreversible.

~ Nelson Mandela ~

When the new nation of Hebrews was liberated from slavery in Egypt, they found themselves dead-ended against the Red Sea with Pharaoh's army in hot pursuit. Facing the prospect of drowning, some of the Hebrews shouted, "Let's go back to Egypt; there we will be slaves, but at least we'll have homes and food." Others argued that anything would be better than slavery, and they would rather take their chances than return to a condition that they had fought so hard to relieve. The rabbinical commentary on the Old Testament tells that some of the Jews walked into the Red Sea up to their necks before the water's parted. It was on their faith, the rabbis asserted, that the seas opened.

Like the newborn Jewish nation, there is a part of us that is tempted to return to the old when we are frightened. As we face uncharted territory, our sense of insecurity bids us to take refuge in our past. But at such a moment of anxiety, we forget that the past did not work for us; that is precisely why we left it. It is but the voice of doubt and fear that urges us to be what we were rather than what we are growing to become.

There is more to life than material security, and more to safety than the known. The only true security is in Spirit, and the only real safety in freedom. We may have all kinds of material comforts, but if our spirit is not at peace, we are homeless. And we may have nothing in the outer world, but if our inner world is lit by love, we are unshakably secure.

Do not let fear tempt you to return to a condition you have outgrown. You have come too far to turn back now. Keep moving, step by step, day by day, and miracles will meet you to take you to the other side.

Give me the strength to keep moving ahead until I realize my goal.

I trust God to guide me to my new life and care for me always.