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Post Info TOPIC: Today's Gift 12 - 15
Pythonpappy


MIP Old Timer

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Today's Gift 12 - 15
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It is a cheap generosity which promises the future in compensation for the present.
--J. A. Spender

Living in this moment is all we really have. We are constantly bombarded with advice to live for the future, but it perpetually exists beyond our grasp like the carrot tempting the donkey. We are told to be mindful of our career paths, to save for the future, and to sacrifice now for later rewards. We put off spending time with our children, but later they are no longer the same children. We postpone seeing friends now and discover later we have lost our relationships.

Of course, we can't be foolish about our future. We need to make some plans and delay some immediate pleasures. But for now, we can only have a rapport with ourselves and others and experience life in this moment. The present is the only time when anything can happen, any change can occur. This moment is like a fresh, cool breeze. The rest exists only in our imaginations or memories.

May I feel the exhilaration of being alive in this moment and maintain a balance in my perspective today.

You are reading from the book:

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Touchstones by Anonymous

Touchstones ©1986, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of Hazelden.

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justadrunk


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We got really deep into this conversation the other night at a meeting. Right down to nano-seconds! I realized that the more I tried to figure out how to live in the moment, the more I wasn't living in the moment. People around me hashing and hashing and speaking of past time pondering this made me know exactly how NOT TO live in the moment, and therefore, it was clear that being in the moment meant getting out of my head and allowing my senses to explore the world instead of my brain.

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Thanks for everything.  Peace and Love on your journey.  
Pythonpappy


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Hey Tasha, ...

This is a perfect example of what my sponsor meant when I came into the program and said "I do not understand" ... He said THAT'S RIGHT and don't you ever forget it ...

He said that there are two things you must remember for the rest of your days; No matter what's going on in your life, YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, and when you stop trying to understand, then you can enjoy it ... ... ... and no matter what your situation is, it's not him, it's not her, it's not them, it's not God, it's you that must change and become different than you have ever been before ...

He said: When you know that you know, you'll never know ... but when you do the things we suggest you do and don't do, then you'll begin to know that you don't know ... then you'll begin to know ...


No truer words have I ever heard ...

Love Ya,
Pappy



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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Picaposie


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Good topic, Pappy...I know nothing...and I like it that way!

Tasha, I too have had that realization sitting in a meeting! It almost makes you laugh...but at least we're in the moment!

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God bless you and change me.

Pass it on.... Robin
Mr_David


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Great stuff Roger, as always. Keep those thoughts coming



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Mr.David
Pythonpappy


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justadrunk wrote:

We got really deep into this conversation the other night at a meeting. Right down to nano-seconds! I realized that the more I tried to figure out how to live in the moment, the more I wasn't living in the moment. People around me hashing and hashing and speaking of past time pondering this made me know exactly how NOT TO live in the moment, and therefore, it was clear that being in the moment meant getting out of my head and allowing my senses to explore the world instead of my brain.

 I think we, or I know I did at one time, over-analyse a lot of things in the AA program ... I tried to bring everything down to a basic level so as to better understand just how this thing works ... Rather than simply accept that if I do what it says in the book, I'll come to know the promises made to us ...  

 

It wasn't okay for me to know that the program works, I had to know why and how!!! ... just like the first car engine I tore down and rebuilt, I wanted to know exactly how every piece worked ... and THEN, I proceeded to explain how to make it better ... Bad choice ... I learned first hand, if it ain't broke, don't fix it ... But the thing is, I just got soooo caught up in this way of thinking, I was unable to just accept things were great and to just let it be ... to simply enjoy the new world I'd been introduced to, and to have faith that if I continue to live the program, I'll continue to receive the promises in the future ... ergo, I have better learned to 'live' in the moment, because it's all any of us really have ... 

 

Recent news events prove my point ... two days ago, 20 kids were part of loving families ... today, two days into the future for them, they are gone ... can you go back and spend that extra ten minutes letting them know you love them, no ... no one knows what's in the future, good or bad ... and this shouldn't be confused with making some plans for which we set things in motion for a better tomorrow ... 'common sense' tells us if we do God's will today, tomorrow will take care of itself ... 

 

Pappy



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