on this Friday morning ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I attended my 2nd yoga class last night; I'll keep going back

that I have so much less resistance to change as compared to previous years

for miracles, honesty, faith and hope


Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever,
even if your whole world seems upset.
- Saint Francis de Sales

Peaceful Easy Feeling

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for good things that happen when I get out of the way

for Step One meetings because they are the basic reminders that I can never hear enough about

for clearer perceptions than I used to have

that I do my very best to follow through on committments -- I get pretty tired of so many people who agree to do something and then don't do it.


You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
- John Wooden

Step Nine "Made direct amends ...

to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."

My sponsor (bless his heart) crossed off most of the people on my Step 8 list. He left me with just 3 people to whom I needed to make a direct amends. These were both of my parents and my life-partner. Two would have to be in writing and the amends to my mom would be fact-to-face. As I said, yesterday, I was ready.

He (my sponsor) insisted that he see my written amends before I sent them in case they needed some editing. They did. He reminded me to keep it simple and to the point.

We talked about what I would say to mom. As it turned out, I had a lifetime of neglect and short-tempered outbursts to make amends for. The best I could offer her would be as a living amends to change those behaviors. But I still had to ask her how I could make things right. What would be her suggestions?

When all was said and done, the results were magnificent. My amends were well received by those I loved. Now, a few years down the road, this step changed my life. And made the lives better for those I loved. I was able to be the primary caretaker for my mother during her last 3 years on this planet as she slowly died from a major stroke. I was her attentive son, at her eside when I could be. I never missed seeing her because I was sitting an a bar - drunk.
I am still with my partner. His request to me to not treat him abusively any more is always on my mind. Sometimes, I relapse to my old ways, but those times are a little less each year. I have Step 10 at my disposal when necessary. Next week, we celebrate our 8th year together.

I love Step 9 (in case you couldn't tell).



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for commitment to my recovery design for living

that my friend Marcos shared his story of experience, strength and hope yesterday

that I had the honor to listen to another fifth step yesterday; I'll get to hear another one next week, I think


Then give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you.
- Madeline Bridges

for your eyes (only)

Twitter is lighting up at the moment with the uncovering of this video of the Heene family boys, better known to the world as the "balloon family", in which they rap about the "pussification" of American men and boast "I hate gay faggots, I (kill? hit?) 'em with a bat." Or something like that. You judge at the 2:40 mark. Immediately following, the kid unmistakably speaks about throwing a rock at a "faggot" in a tree. These children definitely need to be removed from the custody of their parents.

borrowed from the blog of Joe.My.God.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


that I am my own person, no matter what you think

for self-commitments

for a weekend of perfect weather

that I had the courage to walk through a small fear -- I attended and entered my Riviera in a car show. I went by myself and was there for about 5 hours. There were 253 other entries, so I was kinda lost in the crowd (a good thing). I had a number of compliments on my car, but I also know that it's nowhere near "car show quality". All in all though, I'm glad I did it. And I got really sunburned.


Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like.
- Will Rogers

Turkey week

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for commitments and consistency toward those commitments

that we had another wonderful AA birthday celebration night at Lambda Center, including the 5-year presentation to our own Scott W.
However, I'll have all of you know, he didn't mention one of you!

that we (I) are ready to perform our one-hour play this Friday night at the Houston Roundup. We've been rehearsing for 3 months.

for more absolutely gorgeous weather

If I try to be like him, who will be like me?
-Yiddish Proverb

Speak No Evil

More pencils.



click on the photo for detail


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for some continuing Courage to Change

that I get to help my mother this morning, part of my living amends to her

for my sponsor, who is experiencing the failing health of his mother with dignity and grace

for the ways my recovery program works me when I allow it to AND that I can even recognize that fact

for a new (but well used) topic on SOBRIETY SOCIETY --
drop by and leave a comment, please

for a really wonderful Saturday with Hayden; we went shopping for about 7 hours, something we've never done together for so long and I have never done at all -- LOL

that I am not ashamed of myself; there are behaviors I would prefer not to have exhibited and performed, but they were a product of my alcoholism and alcoholic thinking and apparently were necessary to get me to this place in time

"People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be."
-- Harvey Mackay

Evolution

pEnciLs
CLICKONTHEPICTOSEEDETAIL



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

if the truth sets me free, what do lies do?

for the willingness to live up to my commitments, however uncomfortable or inconvenient they may be

that I will have attended 3 AA meetings before I have lunch today; my normal Friday

that one of my realizations in sobriety is that I rarely (if ever) have enough -- of anything!

that I am forced to use the Steps because my elevator doesn't work any longer

that I have never really been a goal-setter - if I had been - I would have surpassed those goals by a long-shot already and I stilll have a ways to go

Maturity is the ability to do a job whether or not you are supervised, to carry money without spending it, and to bear an injustice without wanting to get even.
-Ann Landers

Progress

The photo theme this week will be
PENCILS.
CLICK on PIC TO SEE DETAIL



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for all of the volunteers who helped at Lambda Center to make nearly $500 washing cars Saturday morning in the cold and rain-threatening weather

for a great AA meeting about Contempt Prior to Investigation

that I am only now beginning to learn how to deal with some of the unfamiliar feelings that I've been experiencing the past few months

that today is Kenny's - RECOVERY ROAD - 3rd AA Birthday !!!
Kenny began his blog about the same time as Scott and I in late 2004. I have been honored to read his writings almost daily since then. I have always enjoyed the things he tells us, in part because I lived in London in my former life and often relate to geographic areas to which he refers. But mainly I read Kenny because of his honesty andinsight into this deadly disease. He searches and finds solutions to living life on a daily, without resorting to what alcoholics are so damn good at -- drinking.

that a friend sent me this ...

"What is the difference between making a decision to quit (which you may have already done) and making a COMMITMENT?
A COMMITMENT is an UNYIELDING Decision, AIRTIGHT, IRONCLAD and ROCK SOLID.

We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace.
-William Gladstone