Daily Reflections reading October 5th
Yesterday’s Baggage
For the wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit, until he is able to admit and accept what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 88
I have more than enough to handle today, without dragging along yesterday’s baggage too. I must balance today’s books, if I am to have a chance tomorrow. So I ask myself if I have erred and how I can avoid repeating that particular behavior. Did I hurt anyone, did I help anyone, and why? Some of today is bound to spill over into tomorrow, but most of it need not if I make an honest daily inventory
© Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on October 5th
Reading
Yesterday’s baggage after working steps
four thru nine has now become today’s assets in helping others not go down the
same road I went down, today I do not regret my past, if I forget the past I
will be distend to repeat it
I do not want to lose what I have been
given in recovery so I use this past to reach out to others who are walking
down the same road I traveled in my past I can show them the pitfalls I had to
go thru to return myself to sanity
The first of the maintenance steps is
step 10, once I have worked steps one thru through nine my recovery was now on
firm footing, I truly began getting on with life in recovery free of my
addiction to alcohol, keeping myself honest is one of the purposes of step ten
I had to look at my actions on a daily basis
to see if I was reverting back to my past with all the baggage intact, by
looking at my actions, admitting when I am wrong, willing to make amends for
wrongs done in the here and now keeps me focused in the right direction
Step ten is one of the best ways to
ensure I will leave all that baggage in the past and be better able to use my
experiences to help the many who are now coming into the rooms, I will continue
to grow in my own sobriety
I am human and I will make many more mistakes
in my life time, the tenth step gave me tools for the continuing self-evaluation
leading to serenity and balance, the inventory could be done anyway I want to
do it, I can keep track by looking at my mood, what I'm actually doing
When I realize I'm angry, or sad, or
whatever, I mentally check to see what’s going on sometimes it's as simple as
needing a break, other times I'll realize I've allowed resentments to build, I
have to remember this inventory is not to be totally negative
If I use the step to it's fullest, I also
keep track of what I did good, not just the mistakes I made, I do not want to
wallow in what I am do wrong, but I have to take an honest look at myself a
complete look means I see what's good about myself, as well as those things I
need to change
I can make a positive difference and
create solutions as well, the tenth Step can assure me the baggage will not
pile up and become overwhelming as it did in my arrogant drunken past full of
anger and deceit
Step ten is never-ending when you think
about it, we all make mistakes on a daily basis, so it is always going to be
here to help us not build up the garbage we are Human beings, trying to follow
a spiritual way of life, this step is a great tool for mental, spiritual, and
physical growth for us all
God bless you Al M
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