Blame…

A Wide Arc of Gratitude

And, speaking for Dr. Bob and myself, I gratefully declare that had it not been for our wives, Anne and Lois, neither of us could have lived to see A.A.’s beginning. THE A.A. WAY OF LIFE, p. 67

Am I capable of such generous tribute and gratitude to my wife, parents and friends, without whose support I might never have survived to reach A.A.’s doors? I will work on this and try to see the plan my Higher Power is showing me which links our lives together.

Daily Reflections: Weeding the Garden

The essence of all growth is a willingness to make a change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 115

By the time I had reached Step Three I had been freed of my dependence on alcohol, but bitter experience has shown me that continuous sobriety requires continuous effort. Every now and then I pause to take a good look at my progress. More and more of my garden is weeded each time I look, but each time I also find new weeds sprouting where I thought I had made my final pass with the blade. As I head back to get the newly sprouted weed (it’s easier when they are young), I take a moment to admire how lush the growing vegetables and flowers are, and my labors are rewarded. My sobriety grows and bears fruit.

http://www.daily-reflections.com/2011/02/26/no-ordinary-success-story-2-3/

Gratitude…

http://www.daily-reflections.com/2011/02/24/a-thankful-heart-2-3/

I try to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits. When brimming with gratitude, one’s heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, the finest emotion that we can ever know. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 37

My sponsor told me that I should be a grateful alcoholic and always have “an attitude of gratitude”–that gratitude was the basic ingredient of humility, that humility was the basic ingredient of anonymity, and that “anonymity was the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.” As a result of his guidance, I start every morning on my knees, thanking God for three things: I’m alive, I’m sober, and I’m a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. Then I try to live an “attitude of gratitude” and thoroughly enjoy another twenty-four hours of the A.A. way of life. A.A. is not something I joined; it’s something I live.

Decisions…

Decisions…
I have always had trouble making decisions. I’ve been afraid of the consequences. If I make the wrong decision, how will it affect others? I also want my decisions to get me what I want. And, I want to make them alone because I don’t need anyone’s help. Through much reading and prayerful thinking, I realized I don’t have to make decisions alone. My Higher Power, which for me is God, will always be there to help me. I continue to struggle with wanting every decision to be the right one. I’m learning to listen more closely, and understand the outcome of my decisions is in the hands of my Higher Power (God). Letting go will help me deal with the challenges that come along with the decisions I make. Not every decision will make me happy, but the lessons I learn from them are invaluable.

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