GROWING UP

Good Morning!!! 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^*~*~*~*~* April 10, 2025 GROWING UP The essence of all growth is a willingness to change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 115 Sometimes when I’ve become willing to do what I should have been doing all along, I want praise and recognition. I don’t realize that the more I’m willing to act differently, the more exciting my life is. The more I am willing to help others, the more rewards I receive. That’s what practicing the principles means to me. Fun and benefits for me are in the willingness to do the actions, not to get immediate results. Being a little kinder, a little slower to anger, a little more loving makes my life better–day by day. **************************************************** Gratitude "Gratitude should go forward, rather than backward. "In other words, if you carry the message to still others, you will be making the best possible repayment for the help given to you." No satisfaction has been deeper and no joy greater than in a Twelfth Step job well done. To watch the eyes of men and women open with wonder as they move from darkness into light, to see their lives quickly fill with new purpose and meaning, and above all to watch them awaken to the presence of a loving God in their lives – these things are the substance of what we receive as we carry A.A.'s message. 1. LETTER, 1959 2. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 110 *********** "Take care of the little things, the bigger things are easier to handle" ******************** GRAPEVINE quote of the day "May those who come to know the truth never forget it." Mulberry, Florida, June 2011 "This Wasted Life," AA Grapevine **************************************************** People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. --George Bernard Shaw It's easy to let circumstances determine how we think and behave. While it's true that some events seem devastating, our relationship with a Higher Power can help us accept and even grow from experiences that seem impossible to cope with. We all have known men and women who've handled grave upsets far more easily than we have. How did they do it? They have no magic. Rather, they may be more comfortable letting their Higher Power help them accept and understand unfortunate circumstances. Once we accept our anger or disappointment, we're free to move on to better feelings. We begin to realize we have choices in how we look at problems. We are never given more than we can handle. We can develop acceptance of any circumstances, but our success in doing so, comes mainly through our reliance on God to show us the way. God will help me handle the uncontrollable events of today. Through acceptance, I can change my feelings at any moment – even right now. *********** "Success is getting up after you fall down." ****************** Just considering.......... "At heart we had all been abnormally fearful. It mattered little whether we had sat on the shore of life drinking ourselves into forgetfulness or had plunged in recklessly and willfully beyond our depth and ability. The result was the same – all of us had nearly perished in a sea of alcohol." Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 123-4 Thought to consider ………. I didn't make it all the way to the beach to drown in the sand. Topic Question: What fears do you have today and what are you doing to overcome them? ********************************************** There are persons who have some parts like me, but no one adds up exactly like me. --Virginia Satir Most of us feel pretty ordinary. We probably wish we were taller or shorter. Some of us are fat rather than thin. Few of us have perfect skin or teeth. Often, we look at others, compare ourselves, and wish we were different. At these times, it's important to remember that each of us is special. We differ from others because we're created for different purposes. Some of us will make a contribution to the world of sports, some to the art of music. Teaching or medicine will attract others and yet, no two of us will give to the world in the same way. Our unique mixture of looks, attitudes, and abilities will be special and very necessary to the people sharing our lifetime. How can I give my special gift to the world today? ********** "Time takes time." ****************** ALKIESPEAK – Book – Quote We’re blessed with a disease where we’re forced to love people. - Terry In 1938, Drastic - Acting strongly and quickly, as a remedy. ~ The Winston Simplified Dictionary Encyclopedic Edition (1938) “But the program of action, though entirely sensible, was pretty drastic.” (42:2) ** You already know what they wrote. Now you know what they meant. ** **************************************************** Any time you sense you are getting overrun by outside influences and losing your feelings, put your attention inside your body. Relax ………., let your breath sink low ……., breathe in your abdomen...... —ANNE KENT RUSH When we are feeling as though all our energy is scattered throughout our bodies, we need to practice centering, or focusing this energy into one place. Our center may change from day to day, and each of us feels it differently. When we're walking, we may feel power coming from our hips and spreading through the body, heart, and mind. When we're in a meditative mood, we may feel warm energy at the back of the head. At other times, we might feel a real centering place in the middle of the chest, right where our heart and arms and breathing come together. There is no one way to be at peace. Centering is a way for each of us to find and picture to ourselves our focused energy. When we can do this, we increase our power to bring about those things we want from life, those things we really do deserve. Where is my energy right now? ********** "A resentment is hurting yourself with the hope that someone else will feel the pain." ******************** Just a thought……………… They say that the most dangerous year in our sobriety is the nth year, where "N" equals our current year of sobriety. It's another way of saying we can never afford to become complacent about our sobriety -- hang around long enough and we'll hear about some former members who went out in their nth year. We should be grateful for our past sobriety and hopeful for future sobriety, but we need to continue to do the work today that makes continued sobriety possible. So........ Faith without works is dead – do I have faith that AA will work if I work it? ***************************************************** ~*~A.A. Thoughts for the Day~*~ ^*^*^*^*^ (\ ~~ /) ( \ (AA)/ ) (_ /AA\ _) /AA\ ^*^*^*^*^ Growing Up ^*^*^*^*^ "As we grow spiritually, we find that our old attitudes toward our instincts need to undergo drastic revisions. Our desires for emotional security and wealth, for personal prestige and power, for romance, and for family satisfactions - all these have to be tempered and redirected. We have learned that the satisfaction of instincts cannot be the sole end and aim of our lives. If we place instincts first, we have got the cart before the horse; we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first - then and only then do we have a real chance." Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 114, "How many of us would presume to declare, 'Well, I'm sober and I'm happy. What more can I want, or do? I'm fine the way I am.' We know that the price of such self-satisfaction is an inevitable backslide, punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening. We have to grow or else deteriorate. For us, the status quo can only be for today, never for tomorrow. Change we must; we cannot stand still." Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, June 1961 As Bill Sees It, p. 25