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Daily Reflections ~ Love Without Strings & 24hrs a Day
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Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 89

Sponsorship held two surprises for me. First, that my sponsees cared about me. What I had thought was gratitude was more like love. They wanted me to be happy, to grow and remain sober. Knowing how they felt kept me from drinking more than once. Second, I discovered that I was able to love someone else responsibly, with respectful and genuine concern for that persons growth. Before that time, I had thought that my ability to care sincerely about anothers well being had atrophied from lack of use. To learn that I can love, without greed or anxiety, has been one of the deepest gifts the program has given me. Gratitude for that gift has kept me sober many times.

 

 
WITHOUT RESERVATION

When brimming with gratitude, ones heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, . . . . AS BILL SEES IT, p.37

While practicing service to others, if my successes give rise to grandiosity, I must reflect on what brought me to this point. What has been given joyfully, with love, must be passed on without reservation and without expectation. For as I grow, I find that no matter how much I give with love, I receive much more in spirit.

 

 
OUR CHILDREN

The alcoholic may find it hard to re-establish friendly relations with his children. . . . In time they will see that he is a new man and in their own way they will let him know it. . . . From that point on, progress will be rapid. Marvelous results often follow such a reunion. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 134

While on the road to recovery I received a gift that could not be purchased. It was a card from my son in college, saying, Dad, you cant imagine how glad I am that everything is okay. Happy Birthday, I love you. My son had told me that he loved me before. It had been during the previous Christmas holidays, when he had said to me, while crying, Dad, I love you! Cant you see what youre doing to yourself? I couldnt. Choked with emotion, I had cried, but this time, when I received my sons card, my tears were tears of joy, not desperation.

 

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: Job or no job wife or no wife we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place dependence upon other people ahead of dependence on God. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 98

Before coming to A.A., I always had excuses for taking a drink: She said . . . , He said . . . , I got fired yesterday, I got a great job today. No area of my life could be good if I drank again. In sobriety my life gets better each day. I must always remember not to drink, to trust God, and to stay active in A.A. Am I putting anything before my sobriety, God, and A.A. today?



 

You are now reading from the book Twenty Four Hours a Day Hardcover (24 Hours)

A.A. Thought for the Day

Continuing the consideration of the term spiritual experience: "What often takes place in a few months could seldom have been accomplished by years of self discipline. With few exceptions, our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource, which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power greater than themselves. Most of us think this awareness of a Power greater than ourselves the essence of spiritual experience. Some of us call it God consciousness. In any case, willingness, honesty and open mindedness are the essentials of recovery." Have I tapped that inner resource which can change my life?

Meditation for the Day

God's power in your life increases as your ability to understand His grace increases. The power of God's grace is only limited by the understanding and will of each individual. God's miracle-working power is only limited in each individual soul by the lack of spiritual vision of that soul. God respects free will, the right of each person to accept or reject His miracle-working power. Only the sincere desire of the soul gives Him the opportunity to bestow it.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not limit God's power by my lack of vision. I pray that I may keep my mind open today to His influence.

Hazelden

(Let it be a God or Higher Power of your own understanding) 



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