March-3 topics

From Pancake Marathon:

Life has a flavor all its own, it's all about that in and of itself simply to say; standing for something so that you cannot fall for anything. Having the ability to make progress sometimes slowly and yes sometimes quickly, essentially knowing through the wisdom that we have we see we do not have to do this by ourselves ( we never really had to and if we keep on putting the work in to manifest/ live a life that we are willing to be part of); Holding true to Who We Are so we can get back to whom we are for ultimately traditional one Unity: is the ultimate goal by absolute magnanimousness.

Change is a process, not an event (strep 11) it is something that helps us get to a point in life where we see that Easy does it but do it where the First Things First faith to see at step 1 we need to have a how so that we can see how to stop going nuts and be able to get to a point in being able to halt know that God doesn't make junk and having a level of Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less to be able to see that you are able to have family because you have trust within the wisdom that you get to have by the work/time that you put in by Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us! ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62
For so many years my life revolved solely around myself. I was consumed with self in all forms-- self-centeredness, self-pity, self-seeking, all of which stemmed from pride. Today I have been given the gift, through the Fellowship of Alcoholics
Anonymous, of practicing the Steps and Traditions in my daily life, of my group and sponsor, and the capacity--if I so choose--to put my pride aside in all situations which arise in my life. Until I could honestly look at myself and see that I was the problem in many situations and react appropriately inside and out; until I could discard my expectations and understand that my serenity was directly proportional to them, I could not experience serenity and sound sobriety.

"There will be times, however, when we really feel like using. We want to run, and we feel lousy We need to be reminded of where we came from and that it will be worse this time. This is when we need the program the most." Basic Text, p. 78
If we're contemplating a relapse, we should think our using through to the bitter ends. For many of us, those ends would include severe medical problems, imprisonment, or even death. How many of us have known people who relapsed after many years clean, only to die from their disease?
But there is a death that accompanies a return to active addiction that may be worse than physical death. That is the spiritual death we experience when we are separated from our Higher Power. If we use, the spiritual relationship we have nurtured over the years will weaken and perhaps disappear. We will feel truly alone.
There is no doubt that we have periods of darkness in our recovery. There is only one way we can make it through those troubling times: with faith. If we believe that our Higher Power is with us, then we know that all will be well.
No matter how badly we may feel in our recovery, a relapse is never the answer. Together, we find recovery. If we stay clean, the darkness will lift and we will find a deeper connection to our Higher Power.
Just for today: I thank my Higher Power for the gift of NA. I know that relapse is not the way out. Whatever challenges I face, I will face them with the God of my understanding.