PRINCIPLES, NOT PERSONALITIES

God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; and Wisdom to know the difference. Thy will, not mine, be done. *~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~* December 22, 2023 PRINCIPLES, NOT PERSONALITIES The way our “worthy” alcoholics have sometimes tried to judge the “less worthy” is, as we look back on it, rather comical. Imagine, if you can, one alcoholic judging another! THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 37 Who am I to judge anyone? When I first entered the Fellowship, I found that I liked everyone. After all, A.A. was going to help me to a better way of life without alcohol. The reality was that I couldn’t possibly like everyone, nor they me. As I’ve grown in the Fellowship, I’ve learned to love everyone just from listening to what they had to say. That person over there, or the one right here, may be the one God has chosen to give me the message I need for today. I must always remember to place principles above personalities. ********************************************** Fear No Evil Though we of A.A. find ourselves living in a world characterized by destructive fears as never before in history, we see great areas of faith, and tremendous aspirations toward justice and brotherhood. Yet no prophet can presume to say whether the world outcome will be blazing destruction or the beginning, under God's intention, of the brightest era yet known to mankind. I am sure we A.A.'s will comprehend this scene. In microcosm, we have experienced this identical state of terrifying uncertainty, each in his own life. In no sense pridefully, we can say that we do not fear the world outcome, whichever course it may take. This is because we have been enabled to deeply feel and say, "We shall fear no evil - Thy will, not ours, be done." 1. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1962 As Bill Sees It, P. 166 ******************************************** Alcoholics Anonymous gives this advice to its members to help them stay sober during the holiday season. 1. Line up extra AA activities for the holiday season. Arrange to take newcomers to meetings, answer the phones at a clubhouse or central office, speak, help with dishes or visit the alcoholic ward at a hospital. 2. Be host to AA friends, especially newcomers. If you don't have a place where you can throw a formal party, take one person to a diner and spring for the coffee. 3. Keep your AA telephone list with you all the time. If a drinking urge or panic comes, postpone everything else until you've called an AA member. 4. Find out about the special holiday parties, meetings, or other celebrations given by groups in your area and go. If you're timid, take someone newer than you are. 5. Skip any drinking occasion you are nervous about. Remember how clever you were at excuses when drinking? Now put the talent to good use. No office party is as important as saving your life. 6. If you have to go to a drinking party and can't take an AA member with you, keep some candy handy. 7. Don't think you have to stay late. Plan in advance an "important date" you have to keep. 8. Worship in your own way. 9. Don't sit around brooding. Catch up on those books, museums, walks and letters. 10. Don't start getting worked up about all those holiday temptations. Remember, to take one day at a time. 11. Enjoy the true beauty of holiday love and joy. Maybe you cannot give material gifts but this year, you can give love. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.