06.30.09

The clouds will clear and the way will lighten. The path will become less stony with every forward step I take. ~Twenty-Four Hours a Day

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Today I am grateful...

• for a great birthday yesterday. Two naps, a meeting, lunch / fellowship, iced coffee, popsicles, cards & sussies, dinner with my old gang, two hours of True Blood, prayers and restful sleep.
• to thank you all for the good wishes
• that we did get a little break last night, it rained maybe 15 minutes
• for the love and joy in my life

Forget your old ideas. Forget the lies they told you. Forget them all, and you will begin to remember. ~Marianne Williamson

My First Birthday Cake

06.29.09

We then start the lifelong job of letting them (our shortcomings) go. To accept our human limits leads us to our Higher Power. We see how we need a guide in life. ~Keep It Simple

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Today I am grateful...

• for 55 years in this body
• that I seem to have mostly gotten to the other side of the fear and mental racing of the past few days. It feels, in many ways, a breakthrough of sorts. Sharing yesterday at the group level really let me cast those fears to the side.
• for friends who listen
• for the sounds of Liam (landlady's son) playing in the back yard. We now have a full-fledged playground out there.
• that Belle's obsessive ball behavior seems the perfect foil for a 2-year-old's energy
• that I have more than I need today
• that in all my years in this body, the last one has been the best

We must make many choices in our recovery. Some of these will strengthen our character, for they will be hard to make and sometimes even harder to accept. One of the most meaningful sayings in our program is Let go and let God. We understand its true meaning when we are faced with adversity and we feel needlessly hurt.

If we are to let go of a problem, we must feel in our hearts that no matter what the outcome, our Higher Power has a special purpose for us. We may not be able to see that purpose now, but if we let our Higher Power guide us, we will be guided down the right path. If we do our best to detach from our pain and try to see a more peaceful future, we will feel secure in God's hands. Given this security, we'll be free to direct our energy toward positive, healthy choices that will bring us more of the happiness we deserve. ~Today's Thought

06.28.09

When we are tempted by the bait, we should train ourselves to step back and think. We can neither think nor act to good purpose until the habit of self-restraint has become automatic. ~Bill W

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Today I am grateful...

• that today's meditations are just what I needed
• for prayers to be shown the next right and loving thing
• for Boston's call last night which took me right out of my self
• for the program of AA. It works!

We need to practice being human. Humans aren't perfect. In Steps Six and Seven, we face our human limits and our shortcomings. We then start the lifelong job of letting them go. To accept our human limits leads us to our Higher Power. We see how we need a guide in life. Our Higher Power makes a perfect guide. ~Keep It Simple

06.27.09

We neither ran nor fought. But accept we did. And then we were free. ~Bill W

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Today I am grateful...

• that the events of yesterday will push me into action about a situation that needs to be resolved
• that I am uncomfortable emotionally at this moment, but nothing I cannot deal with. I meet with my sponsor this morning.
• that the past week is coming to a close. Life stuff, this oppressive heat, the weirdness of what's being broadcast on TV. It has all been surreal and uncomfortable.
• that a painting will go home today with its Mystery Date
• that life can be real and surreal, ugly and beautiful, scary and healing...all at the same time

Learning acceptance in sobriety is part of the growing-up process. Along with learning to accept things we cannot change, however, we learn there are some things we don't have to accept. Living sober gives us the power and confidence to make such changes. ~Walk in Dry Places

06.26.09

Sending love ahead to everyone you will meet and everything you will do can ensure that your day is suffused with grace. ~Daily Om

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Today I am grateful...

• that I chose a life of quiet over the glare of fame or publicity
• that sometimes in meetings the disease is screaming so loudly for attention it almost knocks me down, so I just sit there and let it race around the room
• that in sobriety I have a place in life
• that today I am not afraid to stand in my place, to voice what is my truth
• that more than likely today I will have enough
• for the sustaining power of God

Our mental and emotional garbage takes the forms of bad memories, festering resentments, and useless regrets. We waste time berating ourselves and others about bad decisions and experiences that are behind us. The magic of the 12 Step program is that we can use it to transform this mental garbage into useful experience. A past mistake can become as asset when we share it with others. Pain and suffering can teach a lesson that helps all of us to grow. ~Walk in Dry Places

The Virus Houses

12" x 12", acrylic on canvas

06.25.09

It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters, in the end. ~Ursula K. LeGuin

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Today I am grateful...

• that whatever it is I don't have to do it all today
• that lately, though it's been hard to continue, I keep blogging. I am a bit burnt out for the past few days.
• for the bliss of air conditioned interiors. I cannot believe this heat.
• that I have enough for today--have always had enough for every day.
• for continued prayers to have my thoughts rearranged today, from those of a crazy drunk to those of a sober man in recovery. My mind desperately wants to agitate me today with its thoughts.

Progress, not perfection. No matter how long you have been in recovery, no matter how long you have worked the steps, you will never raise above the level of human being. ~Pocket Sponsor

06.24.09

Whatever we do, one thing is sure -- if we turn to our program, we'll see how beautiful the world is. ~Keep It Simple

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Today I am grateful...

• to have celebrated a close friend's freedoms last night
• for good examples
• that last night was the first time someone has asked me, "You can't even have just one drink?" Then I had the pleasure of saying "No."
• that I have been given time and experience
• that gratitude keeps my head above water

Today I see my value. Sobriety has restored my dignity. Today I am in touch with that part of me that is noble. Today in my sobriety I am a spiritual somebody, not a nobody. ~Fr Leo

06.23.09

Enough willingness, enough open-mindedness--and there it is! ~Bill W

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Today I am grateful...

• for sobriety and serenity. In that order.
• to have more at my disposal than I ever dreamed
• that a life filled with gratitude reveals a life of abundance
• that being kind and gentle makes my life a whole lot easier
• that I am hard headed and my Higher Power somehow managed to crack my thick skull

I am not a victim of others, but rather a victim of my expectations, choices and dishonesty. When I expect others to be what I want them to be and not who they are, when they fail to meet my expectations, I am hurt. When my choices are based on self-centeredness, I find I am lonely and distrustful. I gain confidence in myself, however, when I practice honesty in all my affairs. ~Daily Reflections

06.22.09

What upsets you is not what happens. What upsets you is your response to what happens. ~Ralph Marston

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Today I am grateful...

• to continue to send prayers for my nephew, who just keeps on fighting his disease
• that I finally--FINALLY--found it easier to surrender than to keep the fight going
• that this heat wave will pass, but in the mean time, it's difficult
• for smiles that start in the heart
• that everyday I am given a reprieve
• that all my old thoughts of my drinking days, those thoughts about alcohol and maintaining have been replaced with thoughts of recovery
• that in sobriety I have a place in life

The only way to keep calm in this troubled world is to have a serene mind. The calm and sane mind sees spiritual things as only temporary and fleeting. That sort of mind you can never obtain by reasoning, because your reasoning powers are limited by space and time. ~Twenty-Four Hours a Day

06.21.09

If we think of discipline in terms of punishment, we miss the more constructive meanings of the word. Discipline is order, training, practice, and study. Without it, our lives are ineffective and full of chaos. ~Food for Thought

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Today I am grateful...

• that I woke at 8:50 AM, had some iced coffee and made it to the Came to Believe meeting, chaired by our own Daave
• for late night conversations with an AA brother and my dear sister, Trailboss
• for my commitment to blogging daily
• that I am going to the Marlene Dumas show at the de Menil Museum. Today is the last day for the show.
• that AA had to be enough, and I am lucky it IS enough for me

Discipline is a tool, which produces self-respect and a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. When we discipline ourselves ... we achieve physical and emotional results, which make our spirits, sing! The discipline ... liberates us from the tyranny of self-will and self-indulgence. ~Food for Thought

Red Bunny

06.20.09

You have received so much from this program that you should have a vision that gives your life a direction and a purpose that gives meaning to each new day. Let us not slide along through life. Let us have a purpose for each day and let us make that purpose for something greater than just ourselves. ~Bill W

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Today I am grateful...

• that I was awake enough this morning to hear the sizzling sound of coffee hitting the hot plate on the coffee maker. Something caused the drip part to stop dripping and instead it started seeping over the edge of the basket. I stopped it immediately, but it was still a mess. Coffee grounds have to be one of the messiest things to clean up.
• to have known Bill R. He was one of the founders of the Lambda Center here--the first LGBT recovery meeting club houses. He struggled off and on for over 35 years to stay sober. He lived in the complex where J and R live, where I have spent many hours. He was a talented musician. He got sober the last time about four years ago, but stopped going to meetings because he didn't want to face his character defects. That's not heresay, he told me that. When we returned from dinner last night the street was littered with emergency vehicles. A neighbor had found Bill dead, fully clothed, lying on the floor of his living room. His rescue dog, Lady, at his side. He saved that sweet pup from her misery of abuse--she became a dog that loved life and became totally unafraid at the hands of her master, Bill. I know she was healing for him, too. Bill was a devout atheist and had trouble with the God thing in AA. He always seemed sad to me. Now I know he is past his sadness and perhaps is smiling now, knowing and being in his truth on the other side. God speed, Bill. Yesterday was Juneteenth and was Bill's sobriety date.
• that with Bill's passing comes a recognition that I am on the path I am supposed to be traveling
• that things are good in God's economy (I love that expression!)

You are asking yourself, as all of us must: 'Who am I?' ... 'Where am I?' ... 'Whence do I go?' The process of enlightenment is usually slow. But, in the end, our seeking always brings a finding. These great mysteries are, after all, enshrined in complete simplicity. The willingness to grow is the essence of all spiritual development. ~Bill W

06.19.09

If you tell the truth, you don't need to remember anything. ~Mark Twain

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Today I am grateful...

• for the sweetness of air conditioning in this sweltering heat
• that I can look today for something to turn over to the eternal One
• that I am not usually known for being overly dramatic
• that God opens doors, it’s up to me to walk through them
• for having more in common with others than I expected

People's responses to life inspire us. We not only acknowledge the pain, but we see the heroic lives of others around us. They met their limitations and went forward with a willing spirit and faith. Today we can be grateful for the progress we have made in overcoming our suffering. We have friends who give us the joy of human contact. We have choices and possibilities where we never saw them before. We have a growing self-respect as men. ~Touchstones

Time Will Crawl

20" x 20", acrylic on canvas

06.18.09

Confidence, like art, never comes from having all the answers; it comes from being open to all the questions. ~Earl Gray Stevens

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Today I am grateful...

• that I was able to be of service when Dave asked me to stand in for the speaker who had to cancel last minute yesterday. Every time I have told my story I have not had time to prepare, thus less nervous time.
• that I live the life of a privileged king compared to the lives of many in this world
• for my Internet radio
• that today I have the means and the desire and the ability to stay sober another day
• that today came along just in time

Whatever situation I'm in today, if I know I'm on the right path, I'll not be swayed by the opinions and comments of others. Their opinions cannot affect me if I know I'm doing the right thing. ~Walk in Dry Places

The Burden of an Ordinary Song

14" x 11", acrylic on canvas

06.17.09

You can make your life a triumph in spite of every adversity. Or you could make your life a mess in spite of every advantage. ~Ralph Marston

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Today I am grateful...

• that I am back to doing artwork for me. Finished a small painting last night (will post it later).
• to not have to search sordid places for enough or more
• that every day I concentrate on turning things over and letting them go in an attempt to express my gratitude to my Higher Power. I strive for trust.
• for prayers for those who no longer come to meetings at Lambda. There are newcomers that will not know their experience, strength and hope.
• for the strength and encouragement working the program of AA has given me

We in A.A. have the privilege of living two lives in one lifetime. One life of drunkenness, failure, and defeat. Then, through A.A., another life of sobriety, peace of mind, and usefulness. We who have recovered our sobriety are modern miracles. And we're living on borrowed time. Some of us might have been dead long ago. But we have been given another chance to live. ~Twenty-Four Hours a Day

06.16.09

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ~Joseph Campbell
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Today I am grateful...

• to have this day and all it holds
• that I might have an easier day if I set aside the differences and focus on the similarities
• for another day to develop a spiritual connection
• that as today unfolds I am filled with gratitude

A lot of alcoholics say: "Well there's us, and then there's normal people." Read my lips: There are no normal people. There are just people who haven't shared with you yet. ~Ken D

06.15.09

Insecurity is not objective. Rather, it is an emotional interpretation of your value unconsciously based on doubt, shame, and fear. ~Daily Om

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Today I am grateful...

• that I reacted like a sober and sane man last night in a situation where I would have pouted for days
• for my Higher Power doing for me what I cannot do for myself--and it happens a lot
• to be able to sit in a meeting and see the disease spilling out all over the place and not get any on me
• for the freedoms I enjoy as an American
• that today really is the first day of the rest of my life

Fear is a killer. It stops the God-given spirituality in our lives from taking shape and making life enjoyable. Fear is connected with doubt--doubt of self. Low self-esteem develops along with fear and in order for confidence to develop, the fear must be faced, confronted and talked about.

Fear is not going to go away because we wish it away or hope it away or even pray it away. Fear needs to be identified, located and seen for what it is - or, as in most cases, what it isn't. Fear of people, things, tomorrow or life itself grows so long as we forge that we are creatures of God. There is nothing that cannot be faced or overcome - as long as we remain drug-free. God is on our side - but we need also to be on our side. Fear is never stronger than our spirituality. We need to bring our fear into the light; then it can be overcome. ~Fr Leo

06.14.09

Unknowns are merely joys we haven't met. We hold the keys to our own cages and can free ourselves when we use our courage and inner strength to overcome our fears. ~Food for Thought

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Today I am grateful...

• for Dan's visit to see new art and take photos of the artist in his studio
• for the movies on the lawn of the de Menil museum last night
• to hear a quietly moving story last night about a man's recovery from alcohol
• that I bought two pair skinny jeans yesterday!
• that the choices I have today are limitless

Freedom is a precious spiritual gift that I work for on a daily basis. God is involved - but so am I. The freedom from alcoholism is only guaranteed by the creative choices I make and in the choice is the freedom. ~Fr Leo

06.13.09

Let go of your thoughts about what you must go through. Fill your awareness with compelling visions of why you have chosen to go where you seek to go. ~Ralph Marston

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Today I am grateful...

• to be back on a fairly normal eating schedule. 60 pounds down since New Year's!
• that Dan (my gallerist) is visiting this morning to see my new stuff
• that I HAVE a gallerist
• that the person that has been dating one of my paintings online has made a commitment
• for an unlimited supply of music for my life's soundtrack
• for a quietness of spirit as the result of 'taking these steps'

Worry---it's a lonely activity. It puts distance between us and others. Our program is full of ideas about what to do with worry. On Step Three, we turn our will and our lives over to God. This includes worry. ~Keep It Simple

06.12.09

Lack of faith is perhaps our greatest impediment to spiritual progress. We have been thing-oriented for so long that it is difficult to change. ~Food for Thought

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Today I am grateful...

• for the reignited light seen in the eyes of someone in recovery
• for dinner last night with two ex-co-workers. We laughed and laughed and caught up and it was just grand fun.
• that if you pay close enough attention, you will find the human being is an odd creature!
• that being lighter physically makes the heat of the summer more bearable
• that today is okay, yep, sure is

We are on an adventure trip in this program. Each of us is a wilderness that is only partly explored and mapped. We can't know exactly what we will find along the way, but we can expect to find some great and moving beauty, some spectacular experiences, as well as awesome and frightening ones, and some soft, pleasant rest spots. Any day will have a mixture of various feelings.

This program is not a map of the uncharted territory. It is a guide for survival in the wilderness. It tells us how to orient ourselves when there are no familiar landmarks and how to learn and grow from the experience. The more time we spend in this wilderness, exploring the mystery of living, the more comfortable we become with it and the greater appreciation we have for its unique beauty. ~Touchstones

Happy 18th Pammie!

06.11.09

Who is the bravest hero? He who turns his enemy into a friend. ~Hebrew Proverb

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Today I am grateful...

• that Pammie has eighteen years of 'one day at a time'
• that Wade has five years today!!!
• that this morning I feel fairly normal, yesterday during the noon meeting I was hit with an overall feeling of sickness
• that it is a rare day when I don't have quiet time first thing of the day, to get centered on why I am here
• for what my life is today, and what my life isn't today

Look past the body, past the personality, past the behavior, into the window of one an other's souls. There we make a connection. The God in me recognizes and honors the God in you. ~Mary Manin Morrissey

Commission Piece Installed Today

62" x 48", acrylic on canvas

06.10.09

IMPATIENT? TRY LEVITATING

We reacted more strongly to frustrations than normal people. ~As Bill Sees It

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Today I am grateful...

• for my old friend Frances. We have been catching up on our lives, 35 years worth.
• for yesterday's noon meeting where the topic was, for me, willingness and steps 6 and 7
• that 74 years ago was Dr. Bob's last drink
• for coincidences AND ironies
• that pretty much everything today isn't what I expected it to be like

Impatience with other people is one of my principal failings. Following a slow car in a no-passing lane, or waiting in a restaurant for the check, drives me to distraction. Before I give God a chance to slow me down, I explode, and that's what I call being quicker than God. That repeated experience gave me an idea. I thought if I could look down on these events from God's point of view, I might better control my feelings and behavior. I tried it and when I encountered the next slow driver, I levitated and looked down on the other car and upon myself. I saw an elderly couple driving along, happily chatting about their grandchildren. They were followed by me--bug eyed and red of face--who had no time schedule to meet anyway. I looked so silly that I dropped back into reality and slowed down. Seeing things from God's angle of vision can be very relaxing. ~Daily Reflections

06.09.09

Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have. ~unknown

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Today I am grateful...

• that the world of crazies just keeps on going and going
• that I am a lot less crazy than I used to be
• that it really does seem like the best stuff lies ahead
• that God doesn't do to me, but only shines through me
• for first step meetings that remind me from whence I came

To do what seems impossible, all we need to do is ask for the help we think we need. And we can look within, too, and summon our whole selves to the task at hand. With all that going for us, how can we fail? And when the tough work is over, we'll look back and know we've grown from the experience...our statures will have touched the skies. ~Today's Gift

06(07).08.09

Love, without concern over whether you'll be loved in return. You will be. ~Ralph Marston

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Today I am grateful...

• for the emotional slam I got from Lou's post
• that I finished the big commission piece. I will photograph it when it gets installed (it's in two pieces right now). Yea!
• that I dreamt this morning I was starting as a personal assistant to a big Houston socialite, but she lived in the biggest palace in Russia. It was my first day. night and next day and it was glorious. What a fun dream!
• for the feeling of being satisfied. I have it more than ever these days.
• for a Higher Power that sustains my life and sustains my future

Then I learned that growth comes to those who are prepared to doubt or disagree with an existing system. God is to be found in the questions. Spirituality is discovered in the shades of life. ~Fr Leo

Ahhhh, serenity...

06.07.(08).09

Part of the ego reduction necessary to our recovery is the acceptance of the fact that we are not and never will be perfect. Perfectionism gets in the way of recovery because it imposes impossible, unrealistic goals which guarantee failure. If we do not think we have to be perfect, then we can accept our mistakes as learning experiences and be willing to try again. ~Food for Thought

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Today I am grateful...

• for running into a friend in the soda aisle at K.Roger
• that back during the time I was unsuccessfully trying to stay sober a friend told me that a baby, trying to walk, falls and then gets back up again. He encouraged me gently to keep trying. I did and it finally took.
• that life with a dog is much richer
• that my life is not full of gin and regret (that's a Will and Grace reference)
• that I am learning more and more to be flexible out of necessity

You not only can live a new life but you also can grow in grace and power and beauty. Reach ever forward and upward after the things of the spirit. In the animal world, the very form of an animal changes to enable it to reach that upon which it delights to feed. Your whole character changes as you reach upward for the things of the spirit for beauty, for love, for honesty, for purity, and for unselfishness. Reaching after these things of the spirit, your whole nature becomes changed so that you can best receive and delight in the wonders of the abundant life. ~24 Hours a Day

06.06.09

We need to press on in this wonderful journey of life because new discoveries await us in our tomorrows. Spirituality always brings joy in the journey. In the traveling is the fun for we will never reach our destination in this life. ~Fr Leo

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Today I am grateful...

• that my Higher Power has shared many secrets with me
• that being in the solution is always preferable
• that I have found some faith, and it seems to be the cure for fear
• that my Higher Power didn't give up when I was nothing but a dirty dish rag soaked in tequila
• that my expanding heart is the proof that I am in conscious contact
• for flexibility when plans change
• for the way my life flows
• that I constantly consider myself to be a lucky man

Of course, my conflicts went right on mounting, because I was simply loaded with excuses, refusals, and outright rebellion. ~Bill W

06.05.09

The Divine voice comes to you as strength as well as tenderness, as power as well as restfulness.Your moral strength derives its effectiveness from the power that comes when you listen patiently for the still, small voice. ~Twenty-Four Hours a Day

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Today I am grateful...

• for work that lets me express my creativity
• that it's not between you and me, it is between me and God (see below)
• for a super busy work week. I think next week should allow more breathing room and more time for noon meetings.
• that my self esteem has improved dramatically--the progression of recovery had removed a lot of my shame issues. There are still some, probably always will be, but the change is remarkable!
• that so far it's all good

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway. ~Mother Teresa

I love a good houndstooth!

06.04.09

Our first objective will be the development of self restraint. This carries a top priority rating. ~12 12

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Today I am grateful...

• for a life program with concrete solutions. There isn't as much guess work these days.
• that I no longer think "I guess I will die from drinking."
• that other people's bad moods used to piss me off, now they serve to calm my own nerves. I like that.
• for facing big demons one at a time
• that my life feels full (or 'I have a fat life' as someone recently said)

My disease of obsession and compulsion wants me to place other things at the center of my life: food, alcohol, drugs, people, money, success, achievement and ego.

My spiritual program reminds me that my love of self is shown in my refusal of the first drink. If I am healthy, I can have the world; without me, I can have nothing! ~Fr Leo

06.03.09

The strongest power has no need to show itself or to prove itself. It is quiet, calm, determined and unshakable.
Boastfulness is the surest sign of weakness and insecurity. True confidence has no need to speak of itself.
Authentic richness is endlessly generous. Anyone who has the need to appear rich suffers from a terribly painful poverty of the spirit. ~Ralph Marston

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Today I am grateful...

• that 'the spirit' has felt so huge lately
• that last night Bunny wanted in my lap so I reached down, he stood up on his hind legs and I grabbed him under his front legs and put him on my chest. As I leaned back in my chair and continued watching Brian Williams with Mr. Obama. Bunny settled his muzzle against me and sort of sunk down into me. Our hearts were just inches from each other and the joy and comfort that brought moved me to tears. His eyes slowly closed and it was a profound feeling. All was right in my world.
• that some days I am just absolutely overwhelmed with the gratitude in my life
• that on and on, on the beat goes...

I raised my eyes and saw a huge bird rising in the sky. I watched it suddenly give itself up to the powerful air currents of the mountains. Swept along, swooping and soaring, the bird did things seemingly impossible for mortal birds to do. It was an inspiring example of a fellow creature "letting go" to a power greater than itself. I realized that if the bird "took back his will" and tried to fly with less trust, on its power alone, it would spoil its apparent free flight. That insight granted me the willingness to pray the Seventh Step prayer. ~Daily Reflections

My Creator, I am willing that You should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that You now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to You and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here to do Your bidding. ~Seventh Step Prayer

06.02.09

Through the program, we grow more tolerant of the people who think and act differently from ourselves. We share what has worked for us, and someone else is free to take it or leave it. Our attention and concern is of value to those we would help, but we cannot prescribe for them. We are all learning how to be responsible for ourselves. No one forbids us this or gives us permission for that. Our differences are God given, and we accept each other in love. ~Food for Thought

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Today I am grateful...

• for the first step Beginner meeting last night. Sometimes first step meetings make me joyous, some have me sitting under a dark cloud--remembering what brought me there. Last night was the dark cloud kind. Regardless, I need to always remember what brought me to recovery.
• that the gentleman behind me, with 35 years under his belt, shared about how there were no gay specific meetings when he got sober and that a small group found each other which led to the founding of the Lambda Center. When he quit drinking in 1974 he was living on my block.
• that I took the Steps and sobriety was the result
• for the still calmness of a June morning
• to want what I have and have what I want

[T]hat it is a way I shall have to find. It is a new path, one that leads to infinite light at the top of the mountain. The Steps advise me about the footholds that are safe and about chasms to avoid. They provide me with the tools I need during the many parts of the solitary journey of my soul. When I speak of this journey, I share my experience, strength and hope with others. ~Daily Reflections

Bunny: Is he cute or what?

06.01.09

You were born with a spark of the Divine within you. It had been all but smothered by the life you were living. That celestial fire has to be tended and fed so that it will grow eventually into a real desire to live the right way. ~24 Hours a Day

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Today I am grateful...

• for interesting gatherings over the weekend
• that every weekend feels like a holiday, no more binge drinking and recovering--what freedom!
• that a self-ish program means, to me, that I help my self so I can help your self
• for the feeling of having enough

Two step formula for handling stress:

1. Don't sweat the small stuff.

2. Remember it's all small stuff. ~Anthony Robbins