Daily Reflections reading November 3rd
Focusing And
Listening
There
is a direct linkage among self – examination, meditation, and prayer. Taken
separately, these practices can bring much relief and benefit. Twelve Steps and
Twelve Traditions Page 98
If I
do my self – examination first, then surely, I’ll have enough humility to pray
and meditate – because I’ll see and feel my need for them. Some wish to begin
and end with prayer, leaving the self – examination and meditation to take
place in between, whereas others start with meditation, listening for advice
from God about their still hidden or unacknowledged defects. Still others
engage in written and verbal work on their defects, ending with a prayer of
praise and thanksgiving. These three – self – examination, meditation and
prayer – form a circle, without a beginning or an end. No matter where, or how,
I start, I eventually arrive at my destination: a better life.
©
Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on November 3rd Reading
Focusing and listening!! Right!! First of
all I never focused on anyone but myself and my self centered ways, when I was
active I thought that was everyone else’s problem, they just did not listen to
what I told them and I always got angry with them
I thought I knew everything about
anything and everyone, wasn't long before my good time friends started to drift
away from me, because of my crappy attitude, when I went to the club I could
bend the bartenders ear for hours and he was a good listener
As long as I was drinking and paying the
tab, he even agreed with what I was saying, well when I came into the halls I
was scared and alone, feeling very lonely still had that mask on, the one that
said stay away from me, fear was my biggest problem with AA
The surest way to the bottle for me is to
concentrate only on myself and what I can get things that will bring me back
into the bottle quicker than anything else in this world, thinking just of my
own selfish self will, is the fastest way to alienation of myself from God
I started to listen to the speakers talk
about themselves, of course I compared their stories with mine, I found out
that some where worst off than me, I just was not that bad, I made the mistake
of telling a man that one night after the meeting
He said that I was not really listening
to the strength and hope these people where sharing, I was just comparing
experiences, he said that my friend is a problem we all have when we get here,
are you looking for help for your disease
If you are then like us you need to learn
how to listen, so you can understand what your hearing at the tables and in the
halls, these people tell what it was like for them, not you, without learning
how to listen to the message they are trying to give to you
Its hard to get what they have until you
learn how to listen, we all had to learn how to listen, because it was the only
way to learn from others like ourselves, try listening to the whole story the
truths, the angers, the fears, the hopelessness, also all the love and forgiveness
But most of all how with Gods help and
the help of the fellowship, you to can get thru you emotions and find the hope
to live life to its fullest, giving and caring about your fellow suffers, just
listen to how they are going down the same road you did
Focusing most of my attention on others
is the way out of my own selfishness, I can avoid that feeling of being God and
feeling helpless by looking beyond myself to others, as long as I am willing to
turn to God for help in me troubled times I will not feel hopeless
What a wonderful way to live free of
self, free of booze, Gods will not mine today, listening to how they are going
down the same road I did, when we listen to the truths we are free, God is
with-in us all, use Him daily, humbly ask His help to walk down this road with
Him
God bless you Al M
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