Recovery Thoughts & Quotes 11/20

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Honesty

"I know the biggest word for me in AA is 'honesty.'
I don't believe this program would work for me
if I didn't get honest with myself about everything.
Honesty is the easiest word for me to understand
because it is the exact opposite of what I've been doing
all my life.
Therefore, it will be the hardest to work on.
But I will never be totally honest -- that would make me perfect,
and none of us can claim to be perfect.
Only God is.
If I work on it every day, it will be easier
to be honest with myself.
Then getting and staying honest with other people
will come automatically.
I know I will be grateful for a chance to make amends
to everybody I have hurt in the past."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 482
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Thought to Consider . . .

Honesty is the absence of the intent to deceive.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Honest, Open, Positive, Environment



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*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*


Structure of Service
From: Concept V:
Throughout our world service structure, a traditional Right of Appeal ought to prevail, thus assuring us that minority opinion will be heard and that petitions for the redress of personal grievances will be carefully considered."

We believe that the spirit of democracy in our Fellowship and in our world service structure will always survive, despite the counter forces which will no doubt continue to beat upon us. Fortunately we are not obliged to maintain a government that enforces conformity by inflicting punishments. We need to maintain only a structure of service that holds aloft our Traditions, that forms and executes our policies thereunder, and so steadily carries our message to those who suffer.

Hence we believe that we shall never be subjected to the tyranny of either the majority or the minority, provided we carefully define the relations between them and forthwith tread the path of world service in the spirit of our Twelve Steps, our Twelve Traditions, and our Conference Charter - in which I trust that we shall one day inscribe these traditional Rights of Appeal and Petition.

1962, AAWS, Twelve Concepts of World Service, pages 24-25


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*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*


"Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental
defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither
he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense
must come from a Higher Power."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 43~


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Misc. AA Literature - Quote




Some of us still ask, 'Just what is this Third Legacy business anyhow? And just how much territory does 'service' take in?'
Let's begin with my own sponsor, Ebby. When Ebby heard how serious my drinking was, he resolved to visit me. He was in New York; I was in Brooklyn. His resolve was not enough; he had to take action and he had to spend money.
He called me on the phone and then got into the subway; total cost, ten cents. At the level of the telephone booth and subway turnstile, spirituality and money began to mix. One without the other would have amounted to nothing at all.
Right then and there, Ebby established the principle that A.A. in action calls for the sacrifice of much time and a little money.

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Member Submitted Quote



Put your chip under your tongue and if it dissolves you can take another drink.

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12 x 12 Quote

"Neither could AA itself function without fulltime workers. At the
Foundation and inter-group offices, we couldn't employ non-alcoholics
as secretaries; we had to have people who knew the AA pitch. But the
minute we hired them, the ultraconservative and fearful ones
shrilled, 'Professionalism!' At one period, the status of these
faithful servants was almost unbearable. They weren't asked to speak
at AA meetings because they were 'making money out of AA.' At times,
they were actually shunned by fellow members." (Twelve and Twelve,
Tradition Eight, pg. 168)