Just for Today
Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012
“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” -Herbert Spencer
” …(A)ny alcoholic capable of honestly facing his problems in the light of our experience can recover, provided he does not close his mind to all spiritual concepts. He can only be defeated by an attitude of intolerance or belligerent denial.
“We find that no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. Willingness, honesty and open-mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable.” - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Appendices, “Spiritual Experience,” p 570.
Just for today, to close my mind to even a remote possibility of a Power greater than myself is equivalent to self-centeredness and, as such, my Program of recovery predictably will serve no one but me. Not only does a Program that focuses only on me trample the 12th Step, it is also likely to fail; there is humility and gain in service to others, or 12th-Stepping. If for no other reason that the selfishness to absorb as much from the Program as I can, I must open myself to the possibility that a Higher Power - even God, should I choose to call It - can pull me from inside myself and maybe learn from the lessons of other alcoholics. In the process, I may be disciplined that what I think is the enormity of my problems is miniscule against the problems of others. And our common journey continues. Just for today. - Chris M., 2012
Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012
“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” -
” …(A)ny alcoholic capable of honestly facing his problems in the light of our experience can recover, provided he does not close his mind to all spiritual concepts. He can only be defeated by an attitude of intolerance or belligerent denial.
“We find that no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. Willingness, honesty and open-mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable.” - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Appendices, “Spiritual Experience,” p 570.
Just for today, to close my mind to even a remote possibility of a Power greater than myself is equivalent to self-centeredness and, as such, my Program of recovery predictably will serve no one but me. Not only does a Program that focuses only on me trample the 12th Step, it is also likely to fail; there is humility and gain in service to others, or 12th-Stepping. If for no other reason that the selfishness to absorb as much from the Program as I can, I must open myself to the possibility that a Higher Power - even God, should I choose to call It - can pull me from inside myself and maybe learn from the lessons of other alcoholics. In the process, I may be disciplined that what I think is the enormity of my problems is miniscule against the problems of others. And our common journey continues. Just for today. - Chris M., 2012
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