AA Thought For Today - November

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AA Thought for the Day

November 11

Listening
Sometimes, the body can speak an eloquent language all its own.
I see and feel that in meetings.
So coming to regular meetings of AA is a priceless gift on a great many levels --
mental, spiritual, social, emotional, and now possibly physical.
Listening quietly is already a joy to me, and if it calms me down
and lowers my blood pressure in the process,
that's just another great reason to keep coming back.
- Thank You For Sharing, p. 81

Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O P E = Hearing Other People's Experience.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Amends
"Though the variations were many,
my main theme was always 'How godawful I am!'
Just as I often exaggerated my modest attainments by pride,
so I exaggerated my defects through guilt.
I would race about, confessing all (and a great deal more)
to whoever would listen.
Believe it or not, I took this widespread exposure
of my sins to be great humility on my part,
and considered it a great spiritual asset and consolation!
But later on I realized at depth that
the great harms I had done others were not truly regretted.
These episodes were merely the basis for
storytelling and exhibitionism."
Bill W., AAGrapevine, June 1961
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 311

Thought to Consider . . .
Don't mess up an amends with an excuse.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
W H O M E ? =
Willingness, Honesty, Open-mindedness, Must Exist

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Aim Toward Perfection
Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
Let's dispose of what appears to be a hazardous open end we have left. It is suggested that we ought to become entirely willing to aim toward perfection. We note that some delay, however, might be pardoned. That word, in the mind of a rationalizing alcoholic, could certainly be given a long term meaning. He could say, "How very easy! Sure, I'll head toward perfection, but I'm certainly not going to hurry any. Maybe I can postpone dealing with some of my problems indefinitely." Of course, this won't do. Such a bluffing of oneself will have to go the way of many another pleasant rationalization. At the very least, we shall have to come to grips with some of our worst character defects and take action toward their removal as quickly as we can.
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 69

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"We can't grow without giving ourselves space for silence and the voice within."
Greenwich Village, N.Y., December 1997
"Oh God, You Again?"
I Am Responsible: The Hand of AA

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to
let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and
will have learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct
continues to harm others, we are quite sure to drink. We are not
theorizing. These are facts out of our experience."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 70~

We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can
quickly diagnose yourself, Step over to the nearest barroom and try
some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly. Try it
more than once. It will not take long for you to decide, if you are
honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of jitters
if you get a full knowledge of your condition.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 31~

We alcoholics see that we must work together and hang together, else most of us will finally die alone.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.561

Surrounded by so many A.A. friends, these so-called loners tell us they no longer feel alone.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.120

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with all our might, but the power needed for change wasn't there. Our human resources, as marshaled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.
Lack of power: That was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live - and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves.

Prayer for the Day: Your Gift - Thank You, Higher Power, for Your gift of recovery; that through this Program I have come to know myself better than ever before, and that I have come to know others better as well. I pray that I may be eternally grateful for this, Your blessing.