Learning

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
for the courage to change the things I can
for the wisdom to know the difference

the little prayer above is very helpful to me in finding the ability to let go of "stuff"

for the people who return to the rooms of A.A. after conducting more research;
they provide some of the best lessons I can hear and see

that I'm able to help others, even if in very small ways;
sometimes an listening ear, sometimes a ride, sometimes by sharing my experience


You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Short, and to the point.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that even though I am at a loss for wordage this morning, I am

sober
serene
present
trudging

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, Thank you, that would suffice.
- Meister Eckhart

Have a seat, please.

There. It's fixed.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the things I get enough of ...

sobriety
recovery
food
friends
serenity
life
compassion


We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

beginning a new week ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a peaceful and happy weekend, albeit somewhat busy

for everything I have

that I have been able to form some really good habits since I got sober, especially my morning prayer time

for the fellowship I find in recovery. I know I mention this often here, but it's a daily part of my life and it often is the highlight of my day.

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Does it need to be said?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I was on hand to hear Scott D. tell his AA story Saturday night. He's one of my favorite people and someone to whom I really look up to.

that I'm back just enjoying every minute of my life. I love it when this happens. Nothing seems to bother me. Even things that ordinarily bother just seem to slip away almost un-noticed.

for the great lines and mantras I've heard and learned in recovery. I'm going to share a few of them this week. One of my favorites is ...

Does it need to be said? Does it need to be said right now? Does it need to be said by me?

This has kept me out of arguments and helped prevent having to make future amends. Many times. Sometimes numerous times in a day. Try it. You'll like it.

Whoever is happy will make others happy too.

- Anne Frank

back to gratitude ........

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I remember to go to my regular AA meetings so I won't forget what it was like before I went to my regular AA meetings

for moments of peace and serenity and the awareness that comes from those moments

that the early guys and gals in AA recognized the necessity of principles before personalities

that although I'm almost 57 years old, I still love to be silly


A man is not old until his regrets take the place of his dreams.
- Yiddish Proverb

"as is"

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for Step 6 and the willingness to be "entirely ready" to let go of a few of my character defects

for ALL the people in my life - those who I feel close to and those to whom my instincts teel me to stay away from

for calmness, being contented and serenity

that Hayden made it home in one piece


To go against the dominant thinking of your friends,
of most of the people you see every day,
is perhaps the most difficult act of heroism you can perform.
- Theodore H. White

"We're wise to acknowledge miracles."

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the miraculous recovery (so far) of Congresswoman Giffords in Tuscon. Her primary physician, in a news conference yesterday, said the doctors have done just about all they can do and must now let her recovery take over.
He also said, "We're wise to acknowledge miracles."

for Tradition 12 of Alcoholics Anonymous --- "Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities."

that an ability to live and let live is crucial to my peace and serenity

that the timeline of my life seems to be just what it's supposed to be


Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman,
before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
- John Quincy Adams

Big things, Small things

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for some awareness of patterns of my thinking and my behavior that comes to me because of Step 4 inventories

for day long calmness (serenity)

for knowledge that things will be OK as long as I closely follow the design for living that comes to me as a result of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

that answers will come but I must be more open-minded if I am going to appreciate them

for those who gave their lives 69 years ago at Pearl Harbor


We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
- George Bernard Shaw

the parade of life

It may not look like it, but this is my car in a parade a couple of days ago. There's a high school band in front of us and many cars and such behind us.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my expectations of life are few. I heard early on that my expectatons have a direct link to my serenity, so I found a way to lower my expectations of most things. Now, in my relationship with my partner, that's a different thing. I am at a loss there.

for excitement and passion in myself and others -- I love to see it!

that Mary Christine (Being Sober) ran in and actually completed her first marathon (running). She was originally a marathon drinker, has been in marathon recovery since then, is a marathon blogger and is now a running marathoner!

that I had the opportunity participate in the 50th anniversary of my high school. I drove in a small, local parade and carried the longest-serving state senator of Texas. We had a good chat and then shared a catered BBQ lunch. A lovely afternoon. I would NEVER have done this if I were still drinking!!


It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe.
- Robert W. Service

Friends

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a really nice weekend, full of recovery, friendship and fellowship

that I don't need any more than I have; that is a feeling of true happiness and serenity

for those who return to the rooms of AA and show me what might have been

for those who stay in the rooms of AA and show me what could be


A true friend is the one who walks in when others walk out.
- Walter Winchell

beginning this week...

Irony.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the things I so often take for granted ...

my health
my friends
my home
my cars
my income
my abilities

that I DON'T take these things for granted ...

my sobriety / recovery
my serenity



We come this way but once. We can either tiptoe through life and hope we get to death without being badly bruised or we can live a full, complete life achieving our goals and realizing our wildest dreams.
- Bob Proctor

a peaceful journey

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for consecutive days of serenity

that my serenity comes second, just behind my sobriety

to see examples of guys and gals who do the right thing - they are some of my greatest teachers and they never know it

for opportunities to be of service

As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Steps 1, 2 & 3

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to know that I'm powerless over just about everything that happens

that my faith and trust in a HP brings me comfort, which in turn offers me some serenity and sanity

that I don't have to control anything except my behavior

I think you'll enjoy THIS.

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.
- Leo Buscaglia

The Promises

This is YOUR lucky day!! click here



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful for The Promises ...

... If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through (step 9).
... We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
... We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
... We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know a new peace.
... No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
... That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
... We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
... Self-seeking will slip away.
... Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
... Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
... We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
... We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
- Brian Tracy

back to work

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todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a busy, yet peaceful and serene weekend

that I didn't see any people drinking alcohol because I didn't go to any bars or any place else where people drink

for the almost imperceptible changes that continue to occur in recovering alkies (me too!) years after the last drink

for excellent results from my physical exam last week (a little low on the HDL cholesterol though)


Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.
- The Buddha

simplicity

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


that I can observe a lot just by watching

that I can hear a lot just by listening

that drama-free days = serenity

that I love to participate in my recovery - 24/7


As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

more awareness

something I learned about making amends ...

When I first tackled Step 9, one of my amends was to my (at that time) ex-partner. He lived out of the country, so I wrote an email explaining what I was doing. Mmy sponsor read the amends and approved it before I sent it. It wasn't until 2 years later that we saw each other again and I mentioned to my sponsor that now I would be able to go more into detail with the ex regarding my amends. He said, "NO! David, you've already made your amends. You should never have to do it twice with him."

I was reminded of this last week when I read on someone's blog that they were in the same situation. I wanted to comment then, but didn't want to be seen as telling them what to do. Hopefully, by writing this now, someone may benefit from my experience.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my sobriety does not depend on my serenity

that my serenity does not depend on my happiness

that I seem to be getting farther away from my need to control the world

that a high school friend found me on Facebook; we last contacted each other in 1999 and had lost contact since. He now lives in California. We had a long phone conversation and he was intrigued by the new (recovery) life I lead. He asked for information on Al Anon, which I emailed to him. He has 2 sons that are drug addicts, aged 15 and 30.



Imagination was given to us to compensate for what we are not; a sense of humor was given to us to console us for what we are.
- Mark McGinnis

into the unknown

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that early on in my life of AA meetings, I heard that God made the Earth round so that we wouldn't know what's around the corner.
This statement helped me get over the hump I had been facing in accepting a Higher Power. Not long after I heard this, I was able to surrender my drinking life over to my new concept of a HP. If you know someone who is having trouble with Step 2, you might want to mention it to them.

for another peaceful, serene weekend

that a friend I made 6 years ago when I first began going to AA meetings has returned. I had not seen him since I was about 4 months sober. Today, he has 6 days clean and sober and I hope he's ready to do whatever it takes. Somehow though, I have my doubts. We've had a couple of long talks over the weekend about getting sober -- and staying sober!!


Faith and doubt both are needed, not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve.
- Lillian Smith

If we are painstaking ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I know a new freedom and happiness
that I don't regret the past nor do I wish to shut the door on it
that I certainly comprehend the word serenity and I know peace
that I see how my experiences can benefit others
that feelings of uselessness and self-pity (sometimes) disappear
that I occasionally lose interest in selfish things a (lotsa work to do here) and usually have interest in my fellows
that self-seeking may one day slip away (hmmmmmmmmmm)
that my whole attitude and outlook upon life has changed
that my fear of people and of economic insecurity has lessened
that sometimes I intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle me
that a few times I've realized that my HP is doing for me what I cannot do for myself

If you fail to prepare, you're prepared to fail.
- Mark Spitz