Weekly Recovery Meeting 12/26/07 - 1/1/08 - 24 Hour Living

[admin]

Daily Reflections, p. 374

Daily Resolutions

The idea of "twenty-four-hour" living applies primarily to the
emotional life of the individual. Emotionally speaking, we must not
live in yesterday, nor in tomorrow.
As Bill Sees It, p. 284

A New year: 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600
minutes--a time to consider directions, goals, and actions. I must
make some plans to live a normal life, but also I must live emotionally
within a twenty-four hour frame, for if I do, I don't have to make
New Year's resolutions! I can make every day a New Year's day! I
can decide, "Today I will do this . . . Today I will do that." Each day
I can measure my life by trying to a little better, by deciding to follow
God's will and making an effort to put the principles of our A.A.
program into action.

What does living one day at a time - this 24 hours mean to you?

[craig]

For me, in theory,this means to try to live in the present. Do what is front of me. Leave the results to HP/God. Remember WE only have today. I am living on borrowed time. Yesterday is gone. It is history and tomorrow is a mystery. Therefore, live well today!

[joeboomer628]

Hi, I'm an addict named Joe.
First of all, a thank you and an apology to Tammy.
I read somewhere that the reason we take life one day at a time is because the thought of not using forever is very intimidating and we cannot claim a success until we die clean. One day at a time is much easier and we can claim a success each day. Since I am an individual that likes easy and winning often, I find this theory very appealing. When I first started 12 step meetings and found people there that had been clean many years, I wondered why they were still attending meetings. I thought that surely they must be cured by now. As time went by I saw what frequently happened to those that stopped attending meetings. I have today clean, for that I am truly grateful. I have learned many things from my recovery family and each day I ask the god of my understanding to help me share those things appropriately with others. If all goes well I will have a chance to do the same tomorrow.
Hugs not drugs JoeR

[Humblepie]

Living this 24 hours means busting it down to something I can handle.

[anniemac]

It means a few different things to me. It reminds me to break things down in to managable chunks so I don't get overwhelmed, and it reminds me that "just for today" I can get through just about anything. More importantly, to me, it means that by staying in the moment, in the Now, I am more connected to my HP than if I am agonizing over yesterday or worrying about tomorrow. When I continually pull myself back to the present moment, that's where I find God.

[cassie]

Great topic. Thank you.

For me, living this 24 next hours means staying close (very, very close) to my program. And remembering that I only have today. It also means trying to be what my Father wants me to be and to go in the direction of His plan for me.

So starting out before my feet hit the floor with the Serenity Prayer, coming here, going to face to face meetings(first one this weekend in a long long time ) and looking for a sponsor I can relate with. ALL of the Steps and recovery tools shared through this way of life.

Thanks for letting me share.

[kaistevens]

I agree. More than anything, 24 hours at a time, keeps me from getting lost in all the bigness. But it really means something new or different each time.

When I got here...it was just staying sober for one day, not forever, some days even just from work to a meeting. Telling myself, not forever, just until (this time), then I can change my mind, or my direction, or whatever. I'm not locked in, I am no longer under the pressure of keeping big promises.

When I have worked with sponsees who are in facing those first few 'sober situations'... She might say to me, "There is no way I can stay sober through this!". And I will tell her, "That's okay, cause you don't have to. Let's just make a deal, that you and I will stay sober until tonight's meeting, no matter what it takes, no matter how many times you have to call, if you have to just stay home and soak in the tub until then, we agree to do whatever we need to until we get together at tonight's meeting. After that, we are both free to change our minds."

Sometimes, there is just too much going on. Something just happened, and then something else is about to happen, I haven't fixed this yet, don't know what to do about that. I will have to look down at my feet, and be right there, in just this 24 hours. Can't answer why about yesterday, don't have a solution to handle tomorrow, but I see where I am today and what I need to do right now. I can put those other things down, just for now while I'm busy with this, then I can pick it all back up.

What one-day-at-a-time means to me changes with just about every new situation for me.

Thanx

[riggthis]

My name is Rich I'm an alcoholic, thanks for all youre shares. This is my first response on this site I am looking to get to know some people here. I have been reading several of your post past and present and am intrigued by some of you. I know the drill. Our primary purpose here is to stay sober and help others to achieve sobriety.

for me it was important to recognize and understand the concept of approaching sobriety One Day At a time. Its like this for me ... If I am going to drink its going to be TODAY. If I dont want that to happen I take the necessarry actions today that will insure one more day of sobriety. The 12 steps and all of you (AA's everywhere) have shown me how to live life on lifes terms. In the beginning its a lot simpler, just dont drink. As I grow in sobriety so do my problems. Then like Kai said it changes daily, (what I have to do each day to stay sober or more importantly to maintain my spritual conditioning). When I get a few days behind me, lifes terms change. People places and things begin to effect me in ways that i never dreamed possible. Now the real journey begins. I just have to remind myself that its not always as simple as doing what i used to do to stay sober. No I am an alcoholic I have to realize that I have to adapt my program to adjust to the demands of today. Life comes at you fast...and all of a sudden..

Thanks for letting me share

[craig]

Rich, Thanks for your excellent share. I apologize for my seemingly insignificant observation. It is not intended as a criticism. I have made some progress trying to become much less judgmental; although I still feel the need to add my two cents to someone who identifies the program of alcoholics anonymous as "my program".

[clean42day]

God,


Grant me the serenity

to accept
the things I cannot change,
the courage to change
the things I can, and the
wisdom to know the difference,

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
taking this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it,
Trusting that you will make all things
right if I surrender to your will,
so that I may be reasonably happy
in this life, and supremely happy
with you forever in the next.

AMEN!



What living 24 hours at a time means to me is simply - staying in today is where I am most effective - God cannot use me = yesterday and tomorrow is not here yet - if I am not in cooperation with him this very moment = Where am I?

light and love

gail