ON Thursday, October 31, 1963 Dr. Sam Shoemaker, the great Episcopal clergyman and first friend of AA, passed from our sight and hearing. He was one of those few without whose ministration AA could never have been born in the first place–nor prospered since. From his teaching, Dr. Bob and I absorbed most of theContinue reading “In Memory Of Dr. Sam – Grapevine Article January 1964 By Bill W.”
Category Archives: Discipline
You’ll Go Where You Look – More Language Of Letting Go October 16th
There was only one tree in the landing area. Most of its leaves had been stripped away by the winter winds. I didn’t want to hit it, but that’s exactly what I did. My parachute opened up right over the student landing area, a blessing for someone as new and unsure as I. I flewContinue reading “You’ll Go Where You Look – More Language Of Letting Go October 16th”
Keeping The Gift – Just For Today September 22nd
“Life takes on a new meaning when we open ourselves to this gift.” Basic Text, p. 107 ❖ Neglecting our recovery is like neglecting any other gift we’ve been given. Suppose someone gave you a new car. Would you let it sit in the driveway until the tires rotted? Would you just drive it, ignoringContinue reading “Keeping The Gift – Just For Today September 22nd”
Freeing Yourself From Your Mind – The Power of Now By Eckhart Tolle
Many years ago I found the book ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle an outstanding practical way to take my ‘monkey mind’ of endless thoughts of past and future and use it to discover a stillness, peace and power in the present moment … what I like to call ‘the Present of the present’.Continue reading “Freeing Yourself From Your Mind – The Power of Now By Eckhart Tolle”
Acceptance Not Blaming Others Or Condemning Ourselves – Touchstone Reflection July 2nd
Fair play is primarily not blaming others for anything that is wrong with us.—Eric Hoffer As adults, we accept responsibility for our feelings and our circumstances. We haven’t chosen our own troubles, but we have the job of dealing with them. If a person falls and breaks a leg, he might say to someone, “It’sContinue reading “Acceptance Not Blaming Others Or Condemning Ourselves – Touchstone Reflection July 2nd”
Bless My Enemies – Recovery Poem/Prayers By Saint Nikolai Velimirovich
As we attempt to practice the willingness of Step 8 , we are confronted with this dilemma and challenge: “If we are now about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why shouldn’t we start out by forgiving them, one and all?” – Twelve & Twelve p.78 I find this poem/prayer to be extremely helpful in openingContinue reading “Bless My Enemies – Recovery Poem/Prayers By Saint Nikolai Velimirovich”
Is This All There Is ? – Grapevine Article December 1979 By R.T.
AN AA FRIEND was describing what resulted from his being distracted during his boyhood assignment of bellows-pumping for the local church organ. By way of explanation: Bellows-pumping behind the scenes forced air through the pipes of the old pipe organ; without this air, no music was created, no matter how many keys the organist franticallyContinue reading “Is This All There Is ? – Grapevine Article December 1979 By R.T.”
Accepting The Gift Of Now – Each Day A New Beginning April 15th
It seems to me that I have always been waiting for something better – sometimes to see the best I had snatched from me.–Dorothy Reed Mendenhall Gratitude for what is prepares us for the blessings just around the corner. What is so necessary to understand is that our wait for what’s around the corner closesContinue reading “Accepting The Gift Of Now – Each Day A New Beginning April 15th”
What Is Happiness – Grapevine Article January 2017 By Edwin B.
A son’s question on an autumn day reminds a sober dad just how far he’s come This fall, I was raking the lawn and my 22-year-old son, Nico, was bagging leaves for me. At one point, he asked me, “Does raking make you happy?” My initial thought was, Just stuff the leaves in the freakingContinue reading “What Is Happiness – Grapevine Article January 2017 By Edwin B.”
Step Nine: Scene Of The Crime – Grapevine Article September 1993 By Kit K.
The rocks looked the same. The light in the sky at sunset was as I remembered it; the stillness and silence of the pinyon-juniper forest had not changed. This was the day I returned to the windswept landscape of northern Arizona from which I had fled five years before. When I left, I was runningContinue reading “Step Nine: Scene Of The Crime – Grapevine Article September 1993 By Kit K.”