06.18.06

Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul. ~Henry Van Dyke

Today I am grateful...

• for the sounds of rain on flagstone
• for my sobriety and my recovery and to know the difference between the two
• to have seen Carol last night and to see pics of her grandbabies
• that my fears have diminished considerably
• for gratitude

I'm never going to forget about self, but the Big Book tells me that I'm supposed to be of maximum service to God and my fellows - I'm not even mentioned. And in that process, I'm of maximum service when I'm focused on others; folding chairs, emptying ashtrays, making coffee, a commitment at my home group. As it says: 'Our very lives as ex-problem drinkers depends on our constant thought of others.' What do they mean by that? They can't possibly mean that we're supposed to constantly think of others. Could they? Who's going to think about me? - Chris C.