Just for Today
Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013
" ...(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," No. 2 ("Spiritual Experience"), p 570.
"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
Just for today, I look to the principle of HOW - Honesty, Open-Mindedness and Willingness - to guide me if I continue to struggle with the Program's concept of spirituality even if, in the same passage from the Big Book, a spiritual awakening or experience may be little more than a change in personality and which usually comes over time instead of suddenly and with fireworks. If, indeed, a spiritual experience can be a simple improvement in my personality, outlook, perspective and philosophy of life, I can also expect that experience to be assured because, without alcohol, there is going to be some change in my emotional status and personality. It is up to me to employ the Program's Steps and Traditions to make that change for the better. Deceit, closed-minded and a refusal to admit that something stronger than me - alcohol - could defeat me was my spiritual state as a drinking alcoholic; today, as an alcoholic in recovery, I seek Honesty, Open-Mindedness and Willingness (HOW) out of necessity. And our common journey continues. Just for today. - Chris M., 2013
Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013
" ...(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," No. 2 ("Spiritual Experience"), p 570.
"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
Just for today, I look to the principle of HOW - Honesty, Open-Mindedness and Willingness - to guide me if I continue to struggle with the Program's concept of spirituality even if, in the same passage from the Big Book, a spiritual awakening or experience may be little more than a change in personality and which usually comes over time instead of suddenly and with fireworks. If, indeed, a spiritual experience can be a simple improvement in my personality, outlook, perspective and philosophy of life, I can also expect that experience to be assured because, without alcohol, there is going to be some change in my emotional status and personality. It is up to me to employ the Program's Steps and Traditions to make that change for the better. Deceit, closed-minded and a refusal to admit that something stronger than me - alcohol - could defeat me was my spiritual state as a drinking alcoholic; today, as an alcoholic in recovery, I seek Honesty, Open-Mindedness and Willingness (HOW) out of necessity. And our common journey continues. Just for today. - Chris M., 2013
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