Morning Mr Ed, have yourself a wonderful day 
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Good morning Paul, Iâm just getting ready to go to sleep. You have a wonderful day as well my friend. Talk to you soon 
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Why when a mistake is made with a substance people judge as of you are stripper of making those differences?
September 6th
"Today I have a clearer perspective on what my role as a sponsor is and isnât. It is to stay sober, be available to listen, share my thoughts, pray for others, and let them live their own lives. It is not to âfixâ anyone, get them sober, make them happy, demand they conform, or make their decisions."
Berlin, Conn., September 2004, From:
âWhat a Sponsor Is and Is Not,â AA Grapevine
One of the highest honors I have ever achieved in life is to be chosen by someone to be their sponsor. Sponsorship is sacred and should be taken very seriously. Iâm not sure I would have been able to stay sober without the loving guidance of my sponsor, so I try to make that same level of commitment to all those I help. My first sponsor was kind and loving, and he recognized that an âin your faceâ approach was not going to work with me. Had someone barked orders at me in early sobriety, I probably would have punched them out and gone back to drinking. For this exact reason, I try to be as kind, loving and understanding as I can be with all those I work with. Over time, I have recognized that each person responds differently to guidance, and we need to shape our approach to whatever best suits each individual. For the most part, a kind loving approach works best, which is aligned with our code of âlove and tolerance.â The sponsor I have today tells me what I need to hear, not necessarily what I want to hear, and I greatly appreciate this honesty. âSponsors comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable!â The time honored tradition of sponsorship has proven to be an effective and essential tool of recovery for both sponsee and sponsor. The concept of âone alcoholic helping anotherâ has saved my life, given me countless loving relationships with others, and has provided a surefire path to happiness.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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September 7th
"It is only when I have experienced enough emotional pain, through failed attempts to fix myself, that I become willing to surrender to Godâs will for my life. Surrender is like the calm after the storm. When my will is in line with Godâs will for me, there is peace within."
Daily Reflections, p. 77
In my first year of sobriety, I was faced with emotions and reactions that I had suppressed for a long time. When I would share this unwanted emotional upheaval at meetings, the old timers would just smile and say, âYouâre right on track.â Having very few tools of recovery, I would try to self-will my way out of emotional challenges, which in retrospect, was like pouring gasoline on the fire. I would hang onto any thread of solace, like hearing, âYouâre not having an emotional breakdown. Youâre having an emotional breakthrough!â Thank God for the 30-60-90-day, 6 and 9 month chips, which always seemed to coincide with some emotional drama that surfaced at the time. Itâs amazing how motivating those little chips can be, and that they always seem to come up at just the right time. Donât leave one second before the miracle. As we gain time and sober life experiences, we see how debilitating our fixation on âselfâ wreaks havoc on our peace and serenity. We see how self is truly the root of all our troubles, and that a more caring, kind or understanding action (Godâs will) would have produced a much better outcome. We need to experience these difficult life lessons over and over, in order to get to a place of full surrender. Once we let Godâs will become our prevailing consciousness, life just becomes so much easier to live. The circumstances might be exactly the same, but our new attitude and perspective allows us to navigate through these emotional minefields with ease. I am grateful for all the challenges I faced in life, for without them, I would not have the faith in God that guides me today.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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September 8th
"Today, the two most important things in recovery for me are willingness and action ⌠Today, I have a smile that I can offer other alcoholics."
Raleigh, N.C., July 2006, From: âA Smile to Offerâ
All too often, we pay lip service to âwillingnessâ and âaction.â We hear it at every meeting, but there always seem to be only a handful of people that actually put themselves out to be of service. For me, recovery only began when I truly became willing to be open to new ideas and ways of living. I had to be willing to set aside selfish motives and actions, and instead, to extend myself to others. Life has endless opportunities to show care and kindness, and the program taught me to come out of my shell and help others whenever the possibility presents itself. Words canât express how grateful I was to all those that approached me in early sobriety with a handshake, kind word or friendly gesture. My overwhelming self doubts kept me in isolation, but you pulled me out the darkness with love and kindness. So now, when I see someone sitting alone in a meeting, whether before the meeting or during a break, I make a point to extend myself to that person. I try to make sure to remember their name for the next time we cross paths, and make a beeline for them if I see them again. This extension of kindness only came through my willingness to get out of my comfort zone, and the willingness to take positive action to be of service to others.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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Hey Ed. I wanted to share this somewhere. Do you mind if I cut in?
âSince recovery is our spiritual journey through life, after abstinence is achieved we must address the obstacles in our lives that limit this ongoing recovery. Doing our âlife workâ is Stage II Recovery.â
Destination Joy
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Thank you Eric, speaking only for myself, this is what has worked for me. In Alcoholics Anonymous I work at 12-step program because âour liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions.â
I guess you could call it doing my âlife workâ in âstage 2 recoveryâ since I no longer have the mental or physical obsession of alcohol. I am working on me and my relationship with my higher power so I could be the best person that I can be for all involved. Yes, destination joy awaits if Iâm willing to put in the work in âStage 2.â
Thank you for sharing @Dazercat your comments are always welcomed. God bless my friend. 
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September 9th
May today there be peace within. May you trust your Higher Power that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let his presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and everyone of you.
St. Theresaâs Prayer
If someone told me in early sobriety that I would be content with a quiet mind and a peaceful heart, I would have discounted this as completely absurd. As I continued to grow emotionally and spiritually, I began to appreciate the true gift of faith in a Higher Power and the overwhelming changes it brings to every aspect of life. Faith, coupled with our encouragement to help others, opened my heart and mind to a more beautiful and kind world. As we began to give back what was so freely given to us, we also began a transformation into a completely different person with a healthier perspective on life. For many of us, there is a distinct intuition that we have found our purpose in life, and that is to simply help others with care and compassion. Our book talks about the Great Reality, and that is that in every man, woman, and child is the fundamental idea of God. The gift of desperation that all of us experienced becomes the gateway to a deep and effective spiritual awakening. When the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear. Or more significantly, as a good friend often reminds me, âWhen the teacher is ready, the pupil will appear.â
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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September 10th
The home group is where recovery begins; it is where AA members grow up in sobriety by the time-honored process of trial and error, to discover that they can be loved, âwarts and all.â It is where they learn to put the needs of others, especially the needs of the group, ahead of their own desires. It is where they first have the opportunity to serve others, and where they learn of opportunities to serve beyond the group. It is where they begin to adopt the guiding principles of AA as working realities in their own sober lives.
The Home Group: Heartbeat of AA, p. 9
In early sobriety, I heard there were three requirements: 1) Get a sobriety date and cherish it more than anything youâve ever cherished before, 2) Get a sponsor, and 3) Get a home group. It was clear to me to value my sobriety date, and it was also evident that I needed sponsorship guidance. However, I wasnât quite sure about a home group. Someone explained to me that a âhome groupâ is the meeting you absolutely donât want to miss each week. Once I identified my home group, I immediately felt a kinship and ownership to the meeting. Getting a commitment at my home group made total sense, and in turn, that brought me closer to the group. At my home group, the fellowship grew into deep friendships and a family environment. We would meet before and after meetings, as well as other areas of our lives, both good and bad. We were there for each othersâ weddings and births of our children. We were also there during difficult times such as funerals or debilitating injuries. My home group taught me how to be a gentleman, but it also taught me life skills such as service, loyalty, teamwork and responsibility (following the rules). I am so grateful for the love and camaraderie that my home group showed me. I will always be deeply appreciative that my home group gave me unconditional support during recovery, unwavering encouragement, and a loving celebration of sobriety milestones and life achievements.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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O1/02/2020
Hopefully 1 out of 3 will work for this old guy. Never really think about my sobriety date.
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That is an incredible sobriety date @Dazercat Cherish it my friend, itâs the only one youâll ever need. No need to ever change it. One out of three is not bad, itâs not broke no need to fix it.
09/27/17 is my sobriety date. Hopefully never to change it. 3 out of 3 is working for me so far. There but for the grace of God go I.
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September 11th
"Joy of life seems to arise from a sense of being where one belongs. ⌠All the discontented people I know are trying sedulously (actively) to be something they are not, to do something they cannot do."
David Grayson
All too often in life, we become discontented with our conditions, and then the futile search for something to fix us begins. Looking outside ourselves for happiness is like searching for unicorns; we come across many horses, but we end up with a donkey. As newcomers, we were agitated and lost, so trying to âfind ourselvesâ was understandable. We hated ourselves, and we knew we wanted to be anything but what we had become. However, as we gained time, careers, relationships and other aspects of life, our old agitated thought patterns would rear their ugly head. Instead of looking inward, which can be an uncomfortable proposition, we sought materialistic or other ego driven pursuits. Only after becoming immersed in self- pity do we find the willingness to truly look at ourselves and how our behaviors can lead us to uneasiness. âWhat lies behind us, and what lies before us, matters little to what lies within us!â Coming to the realization that self is the foundation of all my anxiety or distress was liberating. This epiphany freed me to process deep seated issues that I had suppressed for so long. By facing myself and releasing those things that disabled me, I was able to become whom I really am. Accepting yourself is one of the greatest gifts this program gives us, but it is up to us to take the necessary action. If itâs important to you, youâll find a way; if itâs not, youâll find an excuse.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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Thank you for putting words in brackets for us stupid people, blessings on your house Mr Ed.
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September 12th
As I peel away the layers of day-to-day expediency, I realize that my zigzag, erratic and inconsistent course was in the general direction of progress all the time. Thatâs good. What right do I have to expect perfection and efficiency in my spiritual growth when the rest of my life is so full of ups and downs, ins and outs, and backs and forths? Throughout this whole adventure, the only consistency I have maintained is an absolute and total faith in AA, come what may.
The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1], p. 187
We will all come to points in our sobriety in which we hit a plateau. We feel as if our emotional and spiritual growth has stalled out, and we begin to question, âIs this it? Is this the best itâs ever going to be?â Sadly, this has lead to many unnecessary slips, and for some, the greatest sacrifice, life itself. However, for some of us, this is all motivation we need to take action and to lean deeper into the program. This can take many faces, whether it be increased service, Big Book study, or retaking the steps on a more profound level. Itâs an amazing awareness the day when we realize, âWe canât learn what we think we already know,â and we set aside all bias or prejudice to look at ourselves in a more meaningful way. As we let this new light flow through us, we find hidden aspects of ourselves that had been locked away in our subconscious. We discover that there are so many more layers in ourselves and life left to to explore and appreciate. When we truly trust the process and move forward, we walk around with a new lease on life, and perspective that opens us to the many opportunities to express our love, care and kindness towards others.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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I needed to read this right now. Thank you Ed seriously thank you
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September 13th
How truth makes us free is something that we A.A.'s can well understand. It cut the shackles that once bound us to alcohol. It continues to release us from conflicts and miseries beyond reckoning; it banishes fear and isolation. The unity of our Fellowship, the love we cherish for each other, the esteem in which the world holds usâall of these are products of the truth which, under God, we have been privileged to perceive.
As Bill Sees It, Truth, the Liberator, p. 70
I distinctly remember a speaker in early sobriety that blew me away with her honesty. She was a strikingly beautiful woman that came from an upper socioeconomic background. She shared how her disease ultimately took her to street prostitution. She was very graphic with her description of how bad it became. As she was telling her story, I couldnât help but think, âHow in the world is she able to be so honest!â As I was listening to her, my eyes welled up, and a tear dripped slowly down my face. At that time, I was so far from the truth, I had no idea who I really was. I had lied so much about my dysfunctional past that I started believing my own lies. My lies haunted me. Mark Twain once said, âIf you tell the truth, you donât have to remember anything.â I wanted to be honest, but I had no idea how. Thankfully, the program taught me how to be honest and to find my truths. At every meeting, Chapter 5 is read, and âhonestyâ is mentioned three times in the first paragraph. Honesty is also the principle of the 1st step and a foundation of our recovery. It was clear that if I wanted sobriety, I would have to get honest with myself and others. In the pursuit of finding my truths, I found myself. I didnât like what I found at first, but by taking the steps and diving into the program, I was able to shed lifeâs baggage. I am so grateful that the program allowed me to find the freedom of honesty. Today, I can share my truths and honesty, and hopefully, some newcomer will be inspired to find their truths too.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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September 14th
"We habitually erect a barrier called blame that keeps us from communicating genuinely with others, and we fortify it with our concepts of whoâs right and whoâs wrong. We do that with the people who are closest to us and we do it with political systems, with all kinds of things that we donât like about our associates or our society. It is a very common, ancient, well-perfected device for trying to feel better. Blame others. Blaming is a way to protect your heart, trying to protect what is soft and open and tender in yourself. Rather than own that pain, we scramble to find some comfortable ground."
Pema Chodron
There are three languages an alcoholic must avoid: âvictimese,â âdenyish,â and âblamen.â You taught me that Iâm only a failure if I blame someone else. Admitting our faults was a painful and drawn out process that took complete commitment and willingness. The thought of looking honestly at myself was a completely foreign concept, and I would have rather put a pencil in my eye. Those already in the program for some time seemed content, so I trusted you and the process. A strange thing happened when I began admitting fault rather than blaming others; I didnât lose credibility, but instead, I actually gained your respect. It was an amazing freedom to be human and fallible. It did not take long for me to come to the realization that by letting my insecurities dictate my actions, like blaming others for my mistakes or discomfort, I would always be a prisoner of my own guilt and shame. By admitting mistakes, I was able to walk with a new brand of dignity, one that covered me with honesty like a warm blanket on a cold night. I am quite certain that if not for the program, I would have never found the freedom of truly being honest with myself and others. It was relentless and unbearable work trying to be right all the time, so today I am so thankful to just be âme,â faults and all.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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September 15th
"When the shadows of my past were placed in the light, I was thankful for the âdesign for livingâ that the Twelve Steps provide. It helps me to handle the shock of who I was, who I am today, and who I want to be".
Blythe, Calif., June 2005, From: âThe Value of Lifeâ, Emotional Sobriety: The Next Frontier
One of lifeâs biggest mysteries is to find whom you really are; the second is to find peace with what you find. Thank God for the program, for it gives us a beautiful design for living. We learn to look at life through a prism of hope, acceptance, gratitude and spirituality rather than one filled with resentment, fear, anger, self doubt, and all other characteristics that trap us in unhappiness. As we stay sober, we learn that we can apply the principles of the program to every aspect of our lives. Taking the twelve steps releases us of the bondage of our disease, but it can do so much more. We can apply the principles to relationships, career, parenting and virtually everything of meaning to us. One of the best gifts in this new design for living is the knowledge that âselfâ is the basis of all my discomfort, and the answer is to simple reach out to help another. I came to the program to stop the obsession of drinking, and this miracle came to fruition, but I ended up finding out that I could reshape my entire life from the miserable person I had become. As I look back on my life, I see that there is very little left of whom I was when I first got sober. Today, I find great comfort in giving myself to others and ensuring that my âdesign for livingâ revolves around care, kindness and compassion.
Have a beautiful day in sobriety my friends.
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