That’s Mr Wilbur to you 
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August 12th
"Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind and spirit."
Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa, Santee Sioux)
Before the program, I could not be alone or sit still in quiet. The storm of my alcoholic mind would immediately take over and lead me to dark places. As our pessimistic and self loathing thoughts were relentless and overwhelming, most of us drank excessively to drown out the torturous noise in our head. Then, we come into the program and begin to shed our baggage, and slowly, we gain a degree of dignity and self respect. When we get to Step 11, we read that mediation is a path to emotional balance. However, the quietness of meditation is completely foreign to us, and we have a hard time shutting down our minds long enough to slip into deep mediation. After much practice, we learn that we can sit in quiet solitude and find great peace in a meditative state. We learn that prayer is talking with God, and meditating is listening for answers. Meditation can generate intuitive thought, and we often find direction on issues we’re struggling with. We soon discover that consistent meditative practice results in life slowing down to a much more manageable pace. Emotional balance and peace from within are unexpected, but they are much welcomed gifts of the program. 
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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Top of the morning to you Mr Wilbur. How’s the hay on the other side of the pond today my friend? Wishing you a beautiful day in sobriety Paul.
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all good this end, been to a car boot sale and had lunch out and it’s still only 12:40. got a bit of exercise in. Blessing on your house / stable Mr Ed 
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Good Morning gentlemen. Had to join in on the phone. Blessed day!
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August 13th
"AA does not teach us how to handle our drinking; it teaches us how to handle our sobriety."
Conn., March 1975, From: "Learning to Handle Sobriety,” AA Grapevine
We come to AA for a drinking problem, and then we discover that we also have a thinking and living problem. My life perspective was distorted by twisted life experiences. All of my life filters were muddied by a dysfunctional upbringing and my drinking. My living skills were practically nonexistent, so when I got sober, I needed to learn how to live a normal and healthy life. Dealing with social interactions without alcohol was a huge challenge. Having basic conversations without being overbearing, or listening to others criticism without being insecure, was awkward at best. Gradually, through the program, we gain a sense of confidence while still maintaining humility. A wise philosopher once said, “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." The program and our journey through recovery teaches us to deal with issues as they come, rather than shutting down emotionally with chemicals. Over time, we realize that we can handle life on life’s terms. With the help of those in the program, and faith in a Higher Power, we can handle and process anything.
p.s. To see if you have a thinking problem, take the 20 “You may be an alcoholic” questions and replace the words drinking or drink with thinking or think. It will make you laugh.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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August 14th
"Now that we’re in A.A. and sober, winning back the esteem of our friends and business associates, we find that we still need to exercise special vigilance. As an insurance against the dangers of big-shot-ism, we can often check ourselves by remembering that we are today sober only by the grace of God and that any success we may be having is far more His success than ours.
12 & 12, pp. 91-92
Finding a balance of humility with the successes we experience in sobriety is a formidable challenge. On one hand, we want to be the best example possible of the program, and excelling in business is a great attraction to many. On the other, we know a sense of humility is essential to our spiritual growth. It’s difficult to say what element of ourselves or the program are the greatest attraction, but it is more than likely a combination of our improved lives and the humility we try to develop. For me, taking the principles of the program into the workplace was the key to any success I experienced, but this was a daunting and daily struggle. I knew I had to disprove the old adage that “nice guys finish last.” One thing is certain – Good AA is good business! I have always felt that we owe it to the fellowship and ourselves to be the best example of the program as we possibly can. Let your newly developed character determine your success, and let your heart form your reputation. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so we need to try to conduct ourselves with honor, courtesy and respect in all that we do and say. Today, with the help of God and the fellowship, we can find and practice humility in all areas of our lives.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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August 15th
"Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends — this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives." ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 89 (one of the 12th Step promises)
I am always amazed at the ongoing benefits the program has provided. Of course, getting sober and stopping the perpetual nightmare was the first and best gift, but there have been so many more. I never anticipated that I would be able to develop and cherish a close conscious contact with a loving and all forgiving God. I also never even considered that the principles of AA would allow me to shed the baggage I had carried my whole life. I certainly didn’t anticipate that I would ever truly accept myself, faults and all. Most of my closest friends are in the program, and I know they would do anything for me, as I would for them. I am also pleasantly surprised at how fulfilled I feel watching others go through this simple process and becoming whom they really are - kind and caring individuals that enjoy and appreciate all the blessings life has to offer. If we stay in the middle of the program and continue to do the footwork, loneliness will be a distant memory, and we can find true and lasting contentment. Our journey of discovery and enlightenment began when we walked into the rooms of AA, and now we are blessed to have a perspective that opens our eyes to the many gifts of each and every day.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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August 16th
"I am more and more convinced that our happiness or unhappiness depends more on the way we meet the events of life than on the nature of those events themselves." --Alexander Humboldt–
It has been made abundantly clear to me that our perception of things becomes our reality. If we have a negative outlook on life, that dark cloud seems to always follow. But, if we have an optimistic outlook or perception, we are able to see the many blessings life has to offer. Life is about moments, but sadly, we are often too self-absorbed to notice. I heard someone once say at a meeting that, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away.” The program is a journey through life, and the Big Book and steps are the maps to discovery. A very allusive test in life is finding out whom you really are. The next test is discovering happiness in what you find. The program helps us find happiness by encouraging us to look at life through a prism of hope, gratitude, acceptance, and spiritualty. With the help of my Higher Power, I can keep my character defects from red lining and distorting my peace and serenity. Through the program, I have found happiness and life enjoyment I never thought possible. Recently, I heard an old timer share that we never know when this life will end, so learn and grow each day as if you will live forever, but live each day as if this could be your last.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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I really like blues music, so every Saturday night I’m going to throw a song on here out of my playlist. Hope you enjoy
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August 17th
"As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. … Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should… Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul."
Max Ehrmann c.1920
Through the program, I have learned that we are all precious children of God, and we all have something to offer. Einstein once said, “I have no special talent. I’m just passionately curious.” Our passion for the program and recovery translates into loving and contagious service to others. AA has given me great purpose, and that is to simply help others. Service to others goes far beyond sponsorship. Readily expressing care, kindness and compassion to all we meet is some of the highest service possible, and the essence of spirituality; anyone, with any amount of sobriety, can easily achieve this noble goal. A kind and sympathetic ear or shoulder to lean on is something that all of us can give. By reaching out to help others, we can find deep and effective inner peace. It has been quite remarkable to witness the evolution of so many men and women transform from selfish and self centered “takers,” into amazingly generous and kind “givers.” I pray that my path in life is always paved with care for others.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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August 18th
"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work." - William Arthur Ward
One of the things that I admire most about the fellowship is that it is a program of action. We are given principles and values to live by that allow us to crawl out of our cold darkness. We are taught that we can’t think our way into right actions, but we can act our way into right thinking. Through simple care and kindness towards others, we discover our true essence. We find that the road to our happiness is paved by helping others. By shedding our spiritual blockages (steps 4-10), we develop an amazing partnership with a loving God of our own understanding. Soon we find that others are drawn to our passion for living and commitment to honesty and good will towards all. Our spirit becomes contagious, and we can bring new light into most places and situations. Each and every day, we have the ability to make somebody feel like they are somebody. An insightful person once said, “People will forget what you said, or what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” We were given a remarkable gift, one that we can’t keep unless we give it away, so make the most of life’s limitless opportunities to express love, care and kindness.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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August 19th
"When I came to AA, I realized that God was speaking to me through my group. My mind was open just enough to know that I needed His help. A real, honest acceptance of AA took more time, but with it came humility. I know how insane I was, and I am extremely grateful to have my sanity restored to me and to be a sober alcoholic."
Daily Reflections, p. 300
So many of us come to the program with a nonexistent or broken belief in God. Perhaps it was some mixed message lost in the insanity of a dysfunctional family that caused us to stray spiritually, or maybe we never had it to begin with. But, more than likely, it was a byproduct of our selfish disease that ripped through our lives and anyone that was close to us. It is no wonder we lose our conscious contact with God when we are in the depths of our disease. Then, we enter the loving rooms of the fellowship, and we hear God loud and clear through the sharing of the language of the heart. We may not completely believe at first, but we believe that you believe, and that’s a lot of believing. We came; we came to; we came to believe! Ironically, some things have to be believed to be seen (not the other way around). The moment we open up to a new found belief in God, our lives begin an ascension towards an overwhelming enlightenment. It is so encouraging to recognize that our insane mental and emotional states transform into a sense of peace and serenity that we had never experienced before. Today, I still find great relief in merely saying a quick 2nd step prayer, “Please God, restore me to sanity,” anytime I slip back into insane thinking, such as regrets of the past or pointless worry about the future. Thank God we have a program that reminds us that we have genuine tools for living, such as a strong faith in God, but it is up to us to apply it in our life.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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Amen…please God restore me to Sanity💕
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August 20th
"Even if we were able to accept everything, unconditionally and at all times, our hard-won sense of acceptance would quickly evaporate. This is because one cannot consciously focus on a steady state. It is like what people who live by railroad tracks report. They no longer hear the trains. They only ‘hear’ breaks in the pattern - for instance, when a train fails to arrive on time. So, even radical acceptance requires fluctuation or oscillation." The Tao of Sobriety - David Gregson & Jay S. Efran
Needless to say, the concept of acceptance was something that took a while to register in this thick headed alcoholic. Accept? Are you kidding me; I would much rather bang on the higher chair, demanding to get my way. There is nothing like a good old fashioned tantrum to piss people off. As I learned that I could not truly effect the behavior or outcome of people, places and things, the self induced drama in my life just seemed to subside. Accepting people, places and things was a monumental revelation. When we find acceptance, other emotional areas of our lives improve, such as expectations, resentments, and fears, which seem to diminish to a manageable level. The more accepting I am of myself, the more accepting I am of others. However, acceptance is fleeting, and we inevitably take back our self will and drive to manage the world around us. After hitting the wall, yet again, we turn back to acceptance to restore our serenity. If we don’t explore a deeper faith, which is essential to acceptance, we are relegated to a vicious cycle of torturous self will and its subsequent frustrations. “Acceptance is the answer to all of my problems today (p. 417).”
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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morning Mr Ed, Acceptance is definitely something I work on on a daily basis but then I get confused about whether I’m just suppressing all my emotions which can’t be healthy bc I can’t just say fuck it to everything. Blessing on your house sir.
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IMO acceptance isn’t the same as saying fuck all Paul. Neither is it suppressing our emotions. It’s learning to recognise our emotions, how these emotions are triggered by our surroundings and inner workings, accepting it’s all there inside us, the good, the bad and the ugly. Instead of suppressing it is learning about ourselves and the world. And learning to accept and love ourselves and our place in the world. I’m not there by a loooooooooong shot BTW.
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no nor am I bc I accept things will happen, I literally tell myself to accept certain situations but I’m still angry or upset so I haven’t accepted anything at all. Acceptance is definitely a good case for progress not perfection.
conveniently I’ve just read this quote “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”
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August 21st
"These days I find that nothing is as precious as my sanity. I used to be addicted to drama and could only function on excitement and high levels of adrenaline. It’s very different today … It’s all very ordinary and average and sane, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything"
London, England, February 1997, From:
“Mesmerized by Sanity”, Spiritual Awakenings
I never thought I would say this, but I’m 100% alright with being merely content. Learning to be okay with just being okay. I’m fine with no more ups and downs; I want off the roller coaster! However, when I first came into the program, I was attracted to high energy meetings. The more drama the better. I got off on chairs flying, cross talking, and rambling shares that resembled a 60’s flashback. Even my job was high adrenaline. As I look back, it’s clear to me that I was still looking for the “rush.” I was addicted to insanity, which is utterly ridiculous behavior. Today, I’ve replaced insanity and adrenaline rushes with the warmth of helping others and watching them develop their own faith. Now, I find structured meetings more appealing, and meetings with drama irritate me. If we stay close to the program and stay active in its principles, we can trade wild mood swings with consistent contentment. Helping others and seeing them change their lives is a readily achievable high, there is no crash, it’s free, and we can get as much as we want. Today, I am so thankful that I can start each day by merely praying for a quiet mind, a peaceful heart, and the serenity to be of maximum service to others.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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yes yes yes to all of this. My life is boring and normal and this is good, the other day someone said I never have the radio on at work anymore and it’s too quiet I replied that quiet means calmness, no stress, arguments or problems, peace is good. Life is good Mr Ed so blessings on your house.
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