Thursday, September 29, 2011
Today's Gift
Life without idealism is empty indeed. We must have hope or starve to death.
—Pearl Buck
Our ideals, the principles that order our lives, are essential to a healing life. Some of us have lived a pattern in which we did not know what we believed. If someone we liked stated a viewpoint, we might wear it for a while like a new shirt - but with no personal commitment. Others of us have indulged in negativism and hopelessness. Life is more fulfilling when we assert our beliefs and give ourselves to them. As human beings, we are unable to perfectly live out our beliefs, but we become whole men by giving our energies to the attempt.
Is beauty in music, art, and nature a worthwhile ideal for us? Are fairness and justice for all people what we value? Are love and brotherhood ideals we hold dear? When we dare assert these values in our lives, they are life giving to us. They mature us. Reaching for what is worthwhile, rather than cursing what is not, gives us a design for making all our choices, and we have hope.
I will dare to meet my negativism with my ideals. My spiritual health will give me life.
—Pearl Buck
Our ideals, the principles that order our lives, are essential to a healing life. Some of us have lived a pattern in which we did not know what we believed. If someone we liked stated a viewpoint, we might wear it for a while like a new shirt - but with no personal commitment. Others of us have indulged in negativism and hopelessness. Life is more fulfilling when we assert our beliefs and give ourselves to them. As human beings, we are unable to perfectly live out our beliefs, but we become whole men by giving our energies to the attempt.
Is beauty in music, art, and nature a worthwhile ideal for us? Are fairness and justice for all people what we value? Are love and brotherhood ideals we hold dear? When we dare assert these values in our lives, they are life giving to us. They mature us. Reaching for what is worthwhile, rather than cursing what is not, gives us a design for making all our choices, and we have hope.
I will dare to meet my negativism with my ideals. My spiritual health will give me life.
From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©
********************************
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Keep It Simple
Al didn’t smile for forty years. You’ve got to admire a man like that.
From the TV show, “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”
Al didn’t smile for forty years. You’ve got to admire a man like that.
From the TV show, “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”
Remember how we used to live? We were always trying to cover up some
lie or mistake.
lie or mistake.
We were all like Al. Our energy was going into our illness, not into living.
Gratitude is the key word in the program. Gratitude is being thankful for
the getting to know our Higher Power. Remember what it was like to not
smile for all those years?
Gratitude is the key word in the program. Gratitude is being thankful for
the getting to know our Higher Power. Remember what it was like to not
smile for all those years?
Recovery has given us back our smiles. What a relief! We can relax and
enjoy our new life.
enjoy our new life.
Prayer for the Day: I pray that I’ll always remember what is was like whenI was using. I pray that I’ll not take my recovery for granted. I prayer for gratitude.
Action For the Day: I will list all the things the program and recovery have
given me. I will smile about them today.
given me. I will smile about them today.
**********************
One Day At A Time
Listening
Sometimes, the body can speak an eloquent language all its own.
I see and feel that in meetings. So coming to regular meetings of AA
is a priceless experience for me on a great many levels --
mental, spiritual, social, emotional, and now possibly physical.
Listening quietly is already a joy to me, and if it calms me down
and lowers my blood pressure in the process, that's just another reason
to keep coming back.
- Thank You For Sharing, p. 13
Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
K C B = Keep Coming Back.
Sometimes, the body can speak an eloquent language all its own.
I see and feel that in meetings. So coming to regular meetings of AA
is a priceless experience for me on a great many levels --
mental, spiritual, social, emotional, and now possibly physical.
Listening quietly is already a joy to me, and if it calms me down
and lowers my blood pressure in the process, that's just another reason
to keep coming back.
- Thank You For Sharing, p. 13
Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
K C B = Keep Coming Back.
********************* Daily Motivation
Be great
Whatever you choose to do today, be great at it. Be great in your own, personally meaningful, worthwhile, fulfilling way.Being great doesn’t necessarily mean being impressive, or being obsessive, or being anything other than how you sincerely wish to be. Being great means being great at being you.
After all, there’s only one of you and that confers upon you an important responsibility. You’re the only person who can truly express the unique perspective that you’re so fortunate to experience.
Look past the aches and pains, the dilemmas of the moment, the superficial frustrations and disappointments. Remind yourself how good and right it feels to be, and more specifically, to be you.
Don’t waste your time borrowing or begging the tired old desires that you wouldn’t really even want anyway. Feel the pure energy of your beautiful, unique purpose, and see all the great ways you can live that purpose right now.
Fill your life with richness on this very day by giving your time, commitment and focus to what really, truly matters. Bring your life to life, and be great at being you.
— Ralph Marston
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