Wednesday, January 9, 2008

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will lose interest in selfish thins and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insuecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situation which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulled among us---sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

Gooooood Morning Alkies,

I'm Back. I don't know if I will be doing this blog everyday or what. I now have even more time on my hands and no committments for the first time in soon to be 16 years of sobriety. So I will try to be more timely with my blog. An AA friend of mine made headlines today and I am heartbroken for her. However, page 84 of the big book says we continue to take PERSONAL inventory......we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code. In other words, I am not to take HER inventory, just reach out and let her know she is loved, is a sober child of God. When I see her, I will have to just hug her and let her know I am here for her.

Sat nite I went to Scott's show at the Nauhaus Gallery. What exquisite work. I am now a proud owner of two of his pieces. I really like his work from the web, but these two pieces were just right for me. I saw a lot of alkies there and knew almost everyone. Got a real treat when I was tapped on the shoulder and turned around and it was PAM. We talked, looked at more of Scotts art and then went next door to see the Peruvian Art Exhibit. A very nice night. I said my goodbyes and went to Lambda for the 8PM speaker meeting.

Steve was the speaker and what a treat. He was very good and inspirational. I really got a lot out of his experience strength and hope.

Last night I bought a Lawnmower, a weed eater, and a bower-vac=mulcer. Now I have not owned nor used yard equipment for over 45 years. I am such a couch potato and it shows. I have not taken it out of the boxes yet. My yardman, a friend, dropped by and went over the equipment with me this evening. He thought I made a good choice in the three pieces. So we will see how this plays out.

I used The Promises for my inspirational piece for todays post. This was read in all the meetings that I attended when I first came into Alcoholics Annonymous. In those meetings we read Chapter 5, Chapter 3, the Traditions, to start the meeting. Then at the end of the meeting we read either The Promises or A Vision for You. I really do miss those readings. I really do think hearing them on a daily basis for the first 12 years of my sobriety helped give me the foundation that I have in AA. I can't help but think that new comers in the meetings I attend today are shortchanged by not hearing these. However, it is not the way of the meetings here so I have had to accept that and not make a big deal of it. The last thing meetings need or want is for the NEW GUY from WHEREVER to tell them that back home we did it this way. I have really tried not to do that and I think I have adherred to this at least 95% of the time. We had this guy back in LA that started all of his shares with "I'm_______, I'm an alcoholic and in New York we started our meetings differently and I just can't get used to this.". That was ok for awhile but after the first year it was old and by the time 5 years had passed we had to pray for tolerance and love to remain our code. Many of us wanted to march on him with torches and pitchforks. However, tolerance and acceptance won. I hope and pray that the tools of this program always win in my daily trudge through life.

Today I am Grateful for:

Alcoholics Anonymous

The Steps

Dolly, my Schnauzer

My Sponsor

Tolerance

I am not as Judgemental as BAA.(before AA)

Patience

My friends.

Y'all be pretty, now ya heah.