Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist but in the ability to start over.—F. Scott Fitzgerald Many situations require fierce persistence, but in others we need to start over. Early in recovery, most of us haven’t had a good way of knowing the difference. Perhaps with every challenge we tried harder and heldContinue reading “Persist Or Let Go – Touchstone Reflection July 3rd”
Category Archives: Distortion
I Didn’t Want to Want to … Grapevine Article June 1960 By Warden Clinton Duffy
San Quentin’s former warden tells how Prison Groups offer alcoholic inmates a means for recovery from the disease that is often directly responsible for criminal records ONE OF the hundreds of alcoholic inmates who appear before the California Adult Authority (Parole Board), for fixing of sentence and possible parole consideration, said to me: “I couldContinue reading “I Didn’t Want to Want to … Grapevine Article June 1960 By Warden Clinton Duffy”
Whose Will ? As Bill Sees It # 170
We have seen A.A.’s ask with much earnestness and faith for God’s explicit guidance on matters ranging all the way from a shattering domestic or financial crisis to a minor personal fault, like tardiness. A man who tries to run his life rigidly by this kind of prayer, by this self-serving demand of God forContinue reading “Whose Will ? As Bill Sees It # 170”
Connections Between The Four Agreements & Recovery June 2022 By Mark S.
Recently I found myself returning to a book I had read many years ago – The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz. As I reflected on his thoughts about these “Four Agreements,” I began to see connections with our efforts to achieve and maintain sobriety. In this article, I hope to show youContinue reading “Connections Between The Four Agreements & Recovery June 2022 By Mark S.”
Own Your Reality – Off Balance On Purpose By Dan Thurman
Dan Thurman has written an excellent book entitled ‘Off Balance On Purpose’. I believe his chapter on ‘Own Your Reality’ has some very useful complements and pragmatic wisdom to help us to a more accurate and meaningful self examination that has no ceiling and the reality that more can always be revealed. I see muchContinue reading “Own Your Reality – Off Balance On Purpose By Dan Thurman”
How Do We Respond To Our Dilemma Of Lack Of Power – Practice These Principles By Ray A.
Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power? Big Book P.46 Defeat and humiliation drive us to the rooms and there we learn the true natureContinue reading “How Do We Respond To Our Dilemma Of Lack Of Power – Practice These Principles By Ray A.”
Toward Partnership – As Bill Sees It #292
When the distortion of family life through alcohol has been great, a long period of patient striving may be necessary. After the husband joins A.A., the wife may become discontented, even highly resentful that A.A. has done the very thing that all her years of devotion had failed to do. Her husband may become soContinue reading “Toward Partnership – As Bill Sees It #292”
Lost And Found – Grapevine Article June 2024 By Anonymous
She thought she’d find a guy in the coffee shop. Instead, she found something even better Grapevine has played a momentous role in my sobriety. The first time I encountered Grapevine was about two years before I got sober in May of 2010. There’s a local coffee shop downtown where I live. I would goContinue reading “Lost And Found – Grapevine Article June 2024 By Anonymous”
Our Shared Spiritual Sickness – Big Book pgs.66,67
We began to see that the world and its people really dominated us. In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill. How could we escape? We saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how? We could not wish them away any more than alcohol. This was ourContinue reading “Our Shared Spiritual Sickness – Big Book pgs.66,67”
Blind Trust – As Bill Sees It #144
Most surely, there can be no trust where there is no love, nor can there be real love where distrust holds its malign sway. But does trust require that we be blind to other people’s motives or, indeed, to our own? Not at all; this would be folly. Most certainly, we should assess the capacityContinue reading “Blind Trust – As Bill Sees It #144”