Daily Reflections reading August
26th
Giving It Away
Though they knew they must help other alcoholics if they would remain sober, that motive became secondary. It was transcended by the happiness they found in giving themselves to others. Alcoholics Anonymous, p.159
Those words, for me, refer to a transference of power, through which God, as I understand Him, enters my life. Through prayer and meditation, I open channels, then I establish and improve my conscious contact with God. Through action I then receive the power I need to maintain my sobriety each day. By maintaining my spiritual condition, by giving away what has been freely given to me, I am granted a daily reprieve.
© Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on August 26th Reading
Working with a newcomer, I have
found the very first Question they ask is how can they stop, well I really do
not have an answer for that question because I am not this person, all I can do
is share my own experience with a newcomer on what I did to put down the drink,
to never have to pick it up again, by accepting I have a problem and needed
guidance
For me it was a spiritual
awakening, the finding of a power greater than myself, who I chose to call God
today, but when I got to the halls of AA my higher power was a group of drunks,
when I share my experience with an agnostic or atheist I tell them its ok not
to agree with my concept of a God
They can choose any thing that
makes sense to them, the main thing is to be willing to believe in a Power
greater than you and try to live by a set of principles as they are explained
in the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
The Twelve Steps are a set of
principles “spiritual in their nature” if practiced as a way of life can expel
the obsession to drink and enable them to change their life around as we have,
I tell them about how I only knew the vengeful and condemning God of my
family’s religious belief
I kicked that God out of my life
years ago when I got my sponsor he told me straight out that anyone can stop the
hurt and pain of the day, but to change your life around you need a power
greater than yourself, my first thought was I am now hopelessly lost
I did not want this vengeful God
in my life, he said why don't you try our God the one of compassion, hope, love,
and forgiveness, you don't have far to go to met this wonderful God he is right
in your heart, but I like so many of us I was to closed minded to see that
right then
But I did come to believe in Him
later, I tell newcomers it’s a program of action, the process starts with step
one surrendering to the disease, admitting and accepting you are an alcoholic,
and can’t drink in safety, one is to much and a thousand is not enough
When I share how the 12 steps
saved my life, that I found AA is the only way I was going to stay sober, I
talk about the big fourth step, where I got to know myself, I had to
straightened out my past making amends along the way for all the crap I pulled
when I was drinking
One of the most important things I
can tell anyone, is they need to get to meetings, learn how to listen to
identify with others, not try to compare their life to another, we all have a
lot of things in common, that is where we have to look
What things in common will help us
better understand ourselves bottom live is it costs nothing to reach out and
talk to someone who is trying to find themselves after all I do remember when I
was walking in their shoes
It is easy to talk to someone who
is looking for answers, it is hard at times to not offer advice, but I know I
can only suggest he try’s doing what I have done try the program get to
meetings get a sponsor who can walk them thru the steps and last get active in
helping yourself
God bless you Al M
Please feel free to mail
suggestions or comments
