Daily Reflections reading January 27th
Freedom From Guilt
Where
other people were concerned, we had to drop the word “blame” from our speech
and thought. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 47
When
I become willing to accept my own powerlessness, I begin to realize that
blaming myself for all the trouble in my life can be an ego trip back into
hopelessness. Asking for help and listening deeply to the messages inherent in
the Steps and Traditions of the program make it possible to change those
attitudes which delay my recovery. Before joining A.A., I had such a desire for
approval from people in powerful positions that I was willing to sacrifice
myself, and others, to gain a foothold in the world. I invariably came to
grief. In the program I find true friends who love, understand, and care to
help me learn the truth about myself. With the help of the Twelve Steps, I am
able to build a better life, free of guilt and the need for self-justification.
© Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on January 27th Reading
Freedom from guilt wow until I reached my personal bottom I
did not even know what guilt was, nor did I know of any shame, and remorse was
about the last thing I felt when I had to face the guilt and shame I recognized
working the program
When I started drinking I was 9 years old, I guess I missed
my whole childhood, I did not learn any lessons about life, but did learn how
to con people out in the streets, I did not live on streets, but I was out on
them all the time, even skipped a year of school in the 7th grade
I left for school ever morning, but never made it to the
school, life was happening out side of school, I wanted to be a big part of
that fast paced life, well got caught running amuck in the city, was arrested
at age16 for running in a gang
Almost cost me a few years in jail, but the town father's
sons ran with us so we got off easy, still did not learn anything except not to
cause problems for the cops and stay out of trouble, did not have any guilt or
shame at this time in my life, hell did not even know what they were
Drinking was not my problem, people, places, and things were
always my problems, I was a 35 year old child when I came into recovery, I knew
nothing about living life, I had lost every thing, I wanted to die more than
live, even alcohol was not helping anymore
I had feeling, did not want to feel, hurt my wife, my family
and wanted to just lay down and die this is where I first had that sense of
guilt, shame, and remorse, because I had to look at my past I found AA it saved
my life, I have grown in this fellowship, the child with-in has come alive
He has grown to become a man of honor and dignity, thanks to
the grace of God, my sponsor, and the 12 steps of this fantastic program, the
12 steps taught me how to deal with feelings, my sponsor told me to get two inch
strips of paper, write guilt on each one
When I feel guilty about something, take one and toss it in
the rubbish that’s all guilt is good for the guilt and shame goes away, when we
make honest, humble amends to all we have harmed and forgive those who harmed
us, also I needed to forgive myself for the mistakes of the past
God bless you Al M
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