April 22, 2026 - Gratitude

My thought for today is Gratitude. Gratitude is defined as a feeling of thankfulness for kindness received whether the kindness is intentional or not. It is the honest recognition that the good in my life is not self-generated, it is a gift and I am aware of the giver. I remember those days before God was in my life. Whenever I was feeling thankful I didn't know who to thank, so I just thanked myself. I see now that was just ego-feeding which ultimately got me nowhere. I know who to thank now. One thought I always express is that gratitude is not about having everything I want; it is about wanting everything I have. So, to God and to all of you, I give my thanks.

April 21, 2026 - Intimacy

 My thought for today is Intimacy. Intimacy is defined as the courage to let yourself be known and the humility to let someone else matter. Into me see. Intimacy is not only about sex or romance. There is spiritual intimacy or the intimacy that is shared through sponsorship. It is two people meeting in an honest relationship where one walks the path and the other keeps the path clear. As the big book reminds us, "Both you and the new man [or woman] must walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress."

April 20, 2026 - But for the Grace of God

My thought for today is But For The Grace of God. The grace of God, to me, is the favor of God but it is not something I earn by being good or that I don't receive by being imperfect. It is a gift that is given to me by God. It is a levelling of the field that reminds me I am no better and no less than anyone else. I could have been lost, angry, drunk, resentful, or gone. But I’m here. I could just as easily be the man who relapses, but by the grace of God I am not. The promises remind me that I will realize that God is doing for me what I could not do for myself.

April 19, 2026 - Acceptance

My thought for today is Acceptance. Acceptance is defined as seeing things as they are, not as I wish, fear, or demand them to be, and choosing the next right thought or action from that point of clarity. As the Big Book reminds me, "When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation - some fact of my life - unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly as it is supposed to be at this moment." Once we make the shift from resistance to willingness, we can begin to practice humility and acceptance.

April 18, 2026 - Self Esteem

My thought for today is self-esteem. Self-esteem is not pride and it's not self-pity, it's the middle ground in between those extremes. It's reminding myself that I'm worth showing up for. In my morning routine, of prayer and meditation, I try to do that. First, I ask for help from my higher power whom I often refer to as God. Then, instead of rushing blindly into the chaos, I do a few readings from books I find helpful, then I ask God to have a care for people I know who are still struggling whether with addiction or with family illness, and finally for help getting through my day. My routine helps to center me so that I will be of better use to God and to my fellows. If working with others, I will try to use experiences from my past to help those I sponsor. As the Big Book reminds me, "we will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it." In all my affairs I will remember that I am good enough.

April 17, 2026 - Self-Pity

My thought for today is self-pity. It is not a good state of mind to be in. I am careful not to confuse it with healthy sadness such as grief or loss or disappointment. Today is my younger sister's birthday. Or rather, it would be. She passed away several years ago, so yes I experience loss. But, that is to be expected. Acknowledging loss makes us more human. Self-pity is when we turn the loss into something that God or life has done to us personally. Self-pity can bring about resentment and victimhood to which for someone like me there is only one solution, to numb myself. To avoid self-pity or to get out of it once I fall into that hole, I can use gratitude or service to others, or connection. It is difficult to feel negative thoughts when I am feeling grateful for those things that I do have, or when I am attempting to help someone else who may be having the same problems today. 

April 16, 2026 - Listen to Learn

My thought for today is Listen To Learn. It's about remaining teachable. When I talk with a newcomer, if I listen to what they are saying, I will learn how to help them better with whatever they are going through. By listening to their fears, their anger, or their shreds of hope that they might be able to do these twelve steps, I will learn not only about them, but also about me and ultimately, as Bill W said to Doctor Bob all those years ago, I'm not here for you, I'm here for me. I just listen to what they have to say. By extending my hand to them, I am allowing myself the gift of sobriety.

April 15, 2026 - Pride

My thought for today is pride. It is the first and probably the worst of the seven deadly sins. If the word sin bothers you, it is likely because of pride. Sin implies a need to ask for help whereas pride tells me I do not need help, not from my fellow man and certainly not from God, if in fact there is one. If I call something a mistake, then it is something I can correct; if I call it a sin, then I need help with it, usually divine help. Pride wants me to be special. Even in doing service, I must be careful not to let pride sneak in, to convince me that nobody else can do this as good as I do, or more subtly, I'm doing this because no one else wants to. The big book reminds me that selfishness and self-centeredness (pride) is the root of my trouble. It goes on to say we must get rid of this or it kills us. I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to die yet so I'll ask for help.

April 14, 2026 - Denial

My thought for today is Denial. Denial is seeing things as you need to see them in order to keep drinking or drugging or doing whatever it is that is making your life unmanageable. When denial becomes intertwined with self-pity, it is even more dangerous. The two are linked to self-centeredness. The quickest way out of denial and self-pity is by doing service because service helps us to forget self and once we begin to do that, we no longer feel the poor me mentality. Once we begin to question the lies we have been telling ourselves, a crack forms in our denial. That crack is where willingness enters. Once we begin to realize that I can't, but He can, then we become willing to stop believing the lie, we become willing to let Him show us how much better our lives can be. It's all connected; the trick is finding the dots.

April 13, 2026 - Keep It Simple

My thought for today is Keep It Simple. Complication is usually brought on because pride is at work in subtle ways and whenever pride is there, we need to use humility to uncomplicate things. Where pride says I don't really need to ask for help, I can do this by myself, humility comes to our aid by reminding us that we don't have to run the whole show by ourselves, there are others who will be glad to help. Using this slogan reminds me to keep things basic. Don't build a house if all you need is something to sit on. Don't rewrite the steps - just do them.

April 12, 2026 - Self-pity

My thought for today is self-pity. A subtle state of being that sneaks in upon us and can become dangerous if left unchecked. Self-pity can be the doorway to old isolating thoughts which, in turn, lead to old bad behaviours. Self-pity is pride turned inward. Pride keeps us from asking for help, self-pity convinces us that getting help wouldn't matter anyway. Gratitude, being of service to others, staying connected with others and remaining active can help us to defeat self-pity before it defeats us.

April 11, 2026 - Willingness

My thought for today is willingness. The one thing strong enough to break pride's grip on ourselves. Willingness helps us take the next step even if it is uncomfortable. It is where we stop fighting and choose instead to cooperate. As the big book reminds us, willingness, together with honesty and openmindedness is indispensable. It is essential. It also says when we are willing to go to any length, then we are ready.

April 10, 2026 - Envy

My thought for today is Envy. It is the pain we feel when someone else has something we desire. It can be a reminder to return our gaze to our own path and not to focus on things others have that we don't. The Big Book says on page 559, " We are taught to differentiate between our wants (which are never satisfied) and our needs (which are always provided for)." Envy often blinds us to our own gifts. It erodes gratitude and reinforces the fear that we are not enough. Gratitude can be found through wanting everything we have, not wanting everything they have.

April 9, 2026 - Think Think Think

My thought for today is think, Think, THINK. I read a passage in Living Sober not long ago that said, "simply postponing that first drink.....provides us with a chance to think about our drinking history, to think about the disease of alcoholism, and to think about the probable results of starting to drink." Alcoholism is a condition that distorts thinking before we even take a drink. So we try to think about the next right action, to think about the consequences, to think of our program tools before reacting. It is helpful to play the tape in our head through, to think, think, think before we act, act, act.

April 8, 2026 - Open minded

My thought for today is to be open minded. The big book suggests on page 47, "Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking what they mean to you." Prejudice stems from fear. One of the opposites of fear is open mindedness. So, be not afraid. Be still and know that I am with you is from another big book.

April 7, 2026 - No matter how far down

My thought for today is no matter how far down which is part of the promise that no matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. We don't have to drive the garbage truck all the way to the dump or we can go all the way there. The big book reminds us that our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. So just tell them what you have done.day is No matter how far down which is part of the promise that No matter how far down we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. We don't have to drive the garbage truck all the way to the dump or we can go all the way there. The big book reminds us that our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. So just tell them what you have done.

April 6, 2026 - Greed and Lust

My thought today was Greed and Lust. I admit that it threw me off. I initially saw them as bad things but upon reflection they are misdirected love. Man often loves things in the wrong way or with the wrong intensity. In scripture, sin is seen as good desires bent out of shape. Greed and Lust share the lie that God will not give us what we want, we must take it ourselves. Augustine believed that the cure for greed and for lust was to reorder our affection away from our own desire and more toward God's desire. Food for thought.

April 5, 2026 - Keep it simple

My thought today is Keep it Simple. One way to do that is to not manage the other person's emotions and to avoid expectations of them. And, to be honest, to say what I mean and to mean what I say. Have a great day!

April 4, 2026 - Humility

My thought for today is humility. Service without spectacle, the difference between doing good and being seen doing good. Pride may block the doorway to progress; humility opens it. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, it is thinking of ourselves less.

April 3, 2026 - Pride

My thought for today is Pride. The first of the Seven Deadly Sins. The dictionary says it is the inward turning of the soul toward itself, a refusal to receive life, truth, and identity from God. I will define myself. I will be my own measure. I will not be taught. Pride will not allow us to see ourselves as we really are. As the big book reminds us, "To conclude that others were wrong was as far as most of us ever got."

April 2, 2026 - Self-Restraint

My thought for today is self-restraint. In the book Twelve Steps Twelve Traditions, it says, on page 91, "When we speak or act            hastily or rashly, the ability to be fair minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot. One unkind tirade or one willful snap judgement can ruin our relation with another person for a whole day, or maybe a whole year. Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue or pen. We must avoid quick-tempered criticism and furious, power-driven argument.....we can neither think nor act to good purpose until the habit of self-restraint has become automatic."

And again, also on page 91, "In all these situations we need self-restraint, an honest analysis of what is involved, a willingness to admit when the fault is ours, and an equal willingness to forgive when the fault is elewhere."

I rest my case.

April 1, 2026 - One day at a time

My thought for today is one day at a time. In the song it says "show me the stairway I have to climb. Lord for my sake, teach me to take one day at a time." The big book reminds me, on page 559, "we cast off the burdens of the past and the anxieties of the future, as we begin to live in the present, one day at a time."

March 31, 2026 - God as I understand Him

My thought for today is God as I understand him. The big book reminds me on page 29, "Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language, and from his own point of view, the way he established his relationship with God. Not all of us believe in the same God. Not everyone removes their hat when praying. I try to forgive them for they know not what they do but maybe their God does not require them to be respectful.

March 30, 2026 - God could and would

My thought for today is the third pertinent idea in how it works. God could and would if He were sought. In the Bible somewhere it says "Seek ye the kingdom of heaven and all else will follow. It doesn't say find ye the kingdom, it just says to look for it. In the big book on page 60 it says God could and would if He were sought. It doesn't say you have to find God or be God, it just says to look, to seek.

March 29, 2026 - Keep It Simple

My thought today is to keep it simple. Say only what needs to be said, do only what moves things forward, and let go of the rest.

March 28, 2026 - But for the grace of God

But for the grace of God, a reminder that I am sober today only because of the grace or favor of the God of my understanding. Teach me to walk as one who has been spared, to see in every stranger a mirror of my own unsteady steps, my own need for kindness.

March 27, 2026 - Powerless

My word today is powerless. I remind myself each day that I am powerless not only over alcohol but over the people places and things in my life and that I will need help getting through today. I ask the god of my understanding for that help. The book twelve steps twelve traditions tells me "that little good comes to any alcoholic who joins AA unless he has first accepted his devastating weakness and all its consequences. " The big book tells me that "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." Most good ideas are simple.

March 26, 2026 - Self seeking

My word today is self-seeking. The dictionary says it is the habit of pursuing one's own advantage, benefit or desires without regard for the needs, well being or perspectives of others. But, not all attention to oneself is self seeking. Self care and the placing of boundaries is healthy, it is when people become tools for achieving your goals or the other person's dignity becomes secondary to yours that it becomes problematic. Working the twelve steps can help us achieve humility in this area. The big book reminds us in the step nine promises that "self seeking will slip away." And "that we will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows."

March 25, 2026 - Sobriety First

The thought I received today was Sobriety First. Not only when it's convenient but all the time. Dr. Silkworth said a relapse is inevitable when Sobriety Loses Its Priority. SLIP. The big book reminds us on page 143 "We all had to place recovery above everything, for without recovery we would have lost both home and business." So, if I have something to do, I do it before the meeting or after the meeting, but not instead of the meeting. I don't know when the next storm will come.

March 24, 2026 - Complacency

My word for today is complacency. A quiet drifting away to a place where we feel "good enough", where we feel we don't need to do the things that we do need to do, believing things will stay fine because they've always been fine. It erodes our purpose, one unexamined day at a time. As the big book says on page 85, "we are not cured of alcoholism." We must always practice wakefulness in our relationships with ourselves, with God, and with others. We must guard against drifting away.

March 23, 2026 - Self-Esteem

Self-esteem. A combination of self-respect, self-trust, a realistic knowledge of your strengths and your limits and a willingness to treat yourself with the same dignity you give others. It's not something you have, it's something you practice.

March 22, 2026 - Communication

Today's word is communication. Reminds me of a slogan I often hear. Say what you mean, mean what you say, and don't say it mean. It's about letting our words be an honest extension of who we are and not a mask we put on for the moment. Our actions should match our words.

March 21, 2026 - Intimacy

My word today is intimacy. It usually means closeness, to the point of revealing one's vulnerability without one feeling vulnerable. Relationships that have intimacy are places where we can grow, heal, and become more fully ourselves. Spiritual intimacy can exist with or without religion and can be where two people share themselves in a way that transcends physical closeness.

March 20, 2026 - Willingness

Willingness is the word today. It is the first movement toward God before belief is fully formed. Willingness grows when we practice willingness. The book twelve steps and twelve traditions reminds us, in the discussion on step three, that the rest of the steps can be a success once we give step three a determined and persistent trial and willingness is the key.

March 19, 2026 - Honesty

Honesty with others, whether with family, with friends, or with strangers, can reveal who we are and what our boundaries are. People often claim they want honesty but what they really want, in relationships, is transparency, to know what is going on beneath the surface. It's not just telling the truth. It's making the truth visible.

March 18, 2026 - Pride

My word today is Pride, the soil in which all sins take root. Pride is the turning of the self inward, it is man trying to operate as if he were God. The book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions reminds us that pride, together with fear, are stumbling blocks to progress. Pride says we don't have to look, fear says we better not look.

March 17, 2026 - By The Grace of God

In christian theology, grace is defined as the freely given favor of God. It is not so much a reward as it is God acting out of love. Interesting that today is Saint Patrick's Day which some say is a reminder of God's grace working through unlikely people.

March 16, 2026 - Listen to Learn

Many of my friends say the same thing when I say Listen to Learn. They say Learn to Listen. They are both good slogans to keep in mind. 

March 15, 2026 - How important is it

 How Important is It. Will it be important next week, next month, next year, or even tomorrow? If not, then it shouldn't be too important today either.

March 14, 2026 - Love.

 Love is my word today which is a coincidence because we are doing a project today called Blankets of Love. We make blankets for the homeless or people in similar situations which shows me that love comes in different ways. We can show God's love to anyone.

March 13, 2026 - Open Minded

 I read somewhere once that I should be open-minded in regards to spiritual concepts, that I should not let any prejudice I may have against spiritual terms deter me from honestly asking myself what they mean to me.

March 12, 2026 - First Things First

First things first reminds me to remind myself daily that I am powerless over my addictions, and that I am powerless over people places and things and I might need a little help from God to get through the day in one piece. Interesting that the days I do that almost always turn out better than the days I don't.

March 11, 2026 - Keep It Simple

I haven't had a drink in over 28 years but I'm still powerless over alcohol and over the behavior of others and even though I might not take a drink today, my life can still be unmanageable, so I still need help getting through the day. How simpler can a thought be.

March 9, 2026 - Forgiveness

 Forgiveness is my word today. I was reminded of a pearl of wisdom a longtimer said to me. What I come here looking for, I must come here looking with because it is by forgiving others that we ourselves are forgiven. Ths second half of that statement is from the Prayer of Saint Francis, one that I use a lot.

March 8, 2026 - Pride

 Pride is said to be one of the chief stumbling blocks to progress. It's right up there with fear. True pride, in our accomplishments, is a good thing, but when it prevents us from doing things because we feel we don't need to then it becomes false pride.

March 7, 2026 - Depression

My word today is Depression. I'm not depressed but depression is something that many alcoholics have. I suppose I have suffered from that negative emotion at times but with the help of my higher power and use of the key of willingness I have been able to overcome it.

March 6, 2026 - Love

In 17 days, it will be 28 years since my wife and I shared our first kiss. But, Father Martin said that love was not so much 2 people gazing into each other's eyes as it was 2 people gazing in the same direction. 

March 5, 2026 - Denial

 My word today is Denial. I might be in denial about the weather. It's March now and I want it to be spring. But, the reality is there is still snow on the ground and the temperature is still below zero, so spring might be a ways off yet.

March 4, 2026 - Anonymity

Today's word is interesting. Anonymity. I'm in an anonymous fellowship. Does mentioning that break my anonymity? I suppose that since I didn't mention which fellowship it is, then my anonymity is intact. If I make a post about being in that fellowship, and you are also in it and you click like or make a comment, then I have encouraged you to break your anonymity also, so I need to be careful about doing that. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. 

March 3, 2026 - Live and let Live

 It would be nice if everyone always did what I thought they should do and supported only those causes that I agreed with. But, people are different and I need to understand that and allow others the dignity and respect of being who they are. So, I live my life my way and allow them to live their lives their way.

February 27, 2026 - Selfishness

 Selfishness it is said is the root of my troubles. So, if I nip it in the bud as they say and get rid of selfishness, then It logically follows that I won't have the troubles I usually do. Looks good on paper.

February 26, 2026 - Gossip

 The word today is Gossip. The question is have I heard any or spread any? Because listening to gossip is just as bad as spreading gossip.

February 25, 2026 - Sponsorship

I have learned two things about being a sponsor. Get one and be one.

February 24, 2026 - Boundaries

 Boundaries are not the same as walls. Boundaries can be lowered or raised depending on the situation.

February 23, 2026 - Love

 Love is the word again. Yesterday, I experienced love from the folks who participated in the annual memorial of my stepdaughter.

February 22, 2026 - Pride

 It's okay to take pride in my accomplishments, but when my pride takes over and makes me unwilling to admit mistakes or defects, then it becomes a bad thing. If I am too proud to ask for help, it creates distance in my relationship with others and eventually with God.

February 21, 2026 - Patience

 Patience. I always say the same thing about that. Little Johnny told his teacher he was having difficulty with math so his teacher gave him more math homework. I told my higher power I was having difficulty with patience so he sent me people to sponsor......

February 20, 2026 - Listen to Learn

 I always say Listen to Learn OR Learn to Listen. It reminds me that I don't always have the answers and that I should listen to what others are saying, whether they are young or old, because they might have the wisdom I am looking for that day. that way, I remain teachable.

February 19, 2026 - Depression

Sometimes, after a week of cloudy, rainy or snowy days I can feel the greyness around me and that can be depressing. It's times like that when I need to get up, get moving, do something productive and remember to be grateful for things I have and even to be grateful for things I don't have, one of which might be depression.

February 18, 2026 - Humility

 Humility is not thinking less of ourselves; it's thinking of ourselves less.

February 17, 2026 - Responsibility

 When I was still drinking and drugging, I was unable to take responsibility for anything. Now that I am clean and sober, I take responsibility for everything I am able to. Sometimes, I get carried away and take responsibility for things that are not mine to carry so I have to stop and check myself and ask is this my business or does it belong to someone else.

February 16, 2026 - How Important is it

 This slogan always mkes me think of the things in my life which ARE important and how I should be grateful for certain blessings in my life. It also makes me think about those little things that seem important at first, but when I ask myself if this is something I'll need to worry about next week or next month or next year, then I realize well no its not really that important after all.

February 15, 2026 - Expectations

 Expectations. The district committee meeting is this afternoon. I hope it goes well and we get everything taken care of that we plan to do, but I'm careful not to expect it will go this way or that. It will go the way it goes.

February 14, 2026 - First Things First

 A gentleman from my home group says, The days that I pray almost always turn out better than the days I don't. So I try to begin the day with prayer and meditation.

February 13, 2026

 Surrender. That's when I throw my hands up to my higher power and give up the fight. I acknowledge that He is running the show, driving the bus, leading the way.

February 12, 2026 - Insanity

 Insanity can be defined as knowing what to do and not doing it or knowing what not to do and doing it anyway.

February 11, 2026 - A repeat

 I shook the god box up good and still I got the same word as yesterday. But For the Grace of God. I have heard it said that we get the lesson until we learn it, so maybe that's the case here. Maybe I haven't figured that out yet.

February 10, 2026 - But for the Grace of God

 It's a bit chilly today. I can be grateful I'm not sleeping outside and the reason I'm not is due in large part to the grace (or favour) of the God of my understanding. Can't say it much simpler than that.

February 9, 2026 - Listen to Learn

 The slogan I got today was Listen to Learn but it can be switched around to Learn to Listen. Both are good things to keep in mind. It is by listening that I hear what needs to be heard and can hopefully learn from it and if I'm not hearing what I need to hear it might be because I need to learn more about listening.

February 8, 2026 - Gratitude

 We were at a celebration of life for a fallen comrade and a fellow was relating a story of how they met. He was setting up the chairs for the meeting which was a large meeting. Our friend was sitting down talking about how grateful he was to be sober. The guy setting up the chairs said, "Stop talking about how grateful you are and show me. Help me with the chairs!" Gratitude is of course an action word.

February 7, 2026 - Love

 Today is a celebration of life for a guy I had known for over 20 years. I was his caseworker, his sponsor, his friend.  I am glad he is at rest now and maybe I'll see him again someday when it's my time to go.

February 6, 2026 - How Important Is It

 All my words this week are connected it seems. Fear vs faith. Pride. Ego-deflation. and now How Important is it. I read the Guidelines for Amonymity on the Internet. I do take pride in being sober as long as I have been but I don't need to publicize the fact that I am in order to remain sober so there is a bit of ego-deflation taking place. It's okay for me to reveal my membership in private conversations but anytime it's in a public forum such as facebook or the X, then I should steer clear of mentioning my involvement because if I do make a comment that I'm in AA and you click like or make a positive comment on the post, you might inadvertently break your anonymity also.

February 5, 2026 - Ego-Deflation

 Two things alcoholics don't like. When things change and when things stay the same. Ego-deflation is just another way of saying humility. I need to lose interest in selfish things and to gain interest in my fellows. It isn't all about me anymore. Like letting the air out of a balloon.

February 4, 2026 - Fear vs Faith

 Both fear and faith are feelings of uncertainty. Fear is a feeling of the unknown. Faith is not knowing, but trusting that if I do the footwork, I can leave the results to my higher power. - Al-Anon - A Little Time For Myself.

February 3, 2026 - Pride

Pride is a gateway sin because it leads to other sins such as envy (I deserve what they have), wrath (how dare they disrespect me), greed (I’m entitled to more).

February 2, 2026 - Willing to go to any length

 Whenever I am sponsoring someone and we get to the eighth step, I always draw attention to the line in our big book that says. Remember it was agreed at the beginning that we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol. In step one they said oh yes of course I will go to any length and then in step eight they say Oh I can't do that. Wrong answer.

February 1, 2026 - Acceptance

 There are three acts of faith; assent, acceptance, and assurance. - John Flavel, author.

January 31, 2026 - Unity

 Unity is the word today. There are a few good quotes in one of today's daily readings about that. It talks about ego-deflation and setting aside our need to take credit for our recovery and to the need to promote ourselves. We are after all parts of a greater whole and when we lose sight of that, then our egos take control and we are right back where we started.

January 30, 2026 - live and let live

 When I was drinking and drugging, I did not live by principles. I did what I wanted, where I wanted, and how I wanted. Now that I am sober, I try to live by the principles I learned from doing the twelve steps. Humility, tolerance, kindness, anonymity, etc. That is how I "live". I realize that not everyone has principles. Some people are like I was in my before recovery time. I try to respect how they live. So that is how I "let live". I remember when I used to think I knew how everyone should live, now I only concern myself with how I should live.

January 29, 2026 - Willingness

 It’s about being open—open to trying, open to being wrong, open to changing, open to taking the next step even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. People think willingness requires fearlessness. It doesn’t. Willingness is what you do with fear, not instead of it. - Quotes from AI

January 28, 2026 - Gratitude

 Gratitude is the word today. We have been without hot water for 4 or 5 days. It's true that you don't know how much you need or depend upon something until it's been taken from you. I was all set to go buy a heat gun or hair dryer and get down on my knees and try to warm up the pipes, and then we woke up this morning and they are already unfrozen. Now, we can shower, shave, wash dishes, wash our hands, whatever we would use hot water for. Go ahead, ask me if I'm grateful.

January 27, 2026 - But for the Grace of God

 One of the guys I sponsor is in the ICU ward of a hospital because he thought  he could take a drink and nothing bad would happen to him. My word today is the slogan But For The Grace of God and it is so appropriate because even though I have been sober 10, 285 days, I only have a daily reprieve, one day at a time, contingent on the maintenance of my spiritual condition. Basically, I am sober by the grace of God and as long as I do what I'm supposed to do then I will stay sober, but if I drift away from going to meetings, or talking AND listening to my sponsor, or from asking God for daily guidance, then I might start thinking its okay for me to pick up a drink and that nothing bad will happen to me. But for the grace of God, right.

January 26, 2026 - Patience

 It snowed last night. It was light snow, a lot easier to shovel than that wet heavy crap we had last week. I took my time anyway, tried to exercise patience, took lots of breaks and it only took about 20 minutes. i suppose I could have rushed through it, had a heart attack and I'd probably be sitting on a gurney at Emerg. Much better to sit here in my own home, listening to Billie Holliday.

January 25, 2026 - Denial

 Denial can be the way the mind protects itself from something overwhelming, painful, or destabilizing. Or it may just be a refusal to admit that something is the way it is.

January 24, 2026 - Love

 AI says Love is such a small word for something that behaves like weather, architecture, and chemistry all at once. It can feel like a force that rearranges the furniture in your mind, or like a quiet warmth that simply refuses to leave. John O'Donohue in his book Anam Cara which means Soul Friend says that love is attention without judgement. Father Martin, a catholic priest who was also an alcoholic said that love was not so much two people gazing in each other's eyes as it was two people gazing in the same direction. Foreigner wrote a song I Wanna Know What Love Is. If you really want to know, then get to know 2 people in love and watch what they do.

January 23, 2026 - Easy Does It But Do It

 Easy Does It But Do It. "A reminder that gentleness isn’t the opposite of action. You can move forward without forcing anything. You can take responsibility without white‑knuckling. You can show up without burning out." - unknown

January 22, 2026 - Acceptance

 Acceptance. Epictetus said "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

January 21, 2026 - Hope

 Hope. The quiet pressure that keeps people moving even when nothing around them is giving them a reason to. Sometimes, it’s just the decision to try again tomorrow. That's a pretty good definition of hope.

January 20, 2026 - Amends

 The thing for me to remember about my eighth step list is that the step reminds me to make a list of ALL the persons I had harmed, not just a list of the people who knew I had harmed them, but all the persons I had harmed. Everyone.Living dead. In my life. Not in my life anymore. Deciding who to actually make amends to is the ninth step. For now, I just make a list of the people I have harmed.

January 19, 2026 - Boundaries

 The word today was Boundaries. Little lines we draw that we don't want people to step over. It's a good practice to let people know what they are, because they are not mind readers.

January 18, 2026 - Anonymity

 Anonymity is my word today. I have never been very good at protecting my own personal anonymity. I can keep your membership a secret but not my own. Way I figure it, I have never been concerned with who saw me staggering home drunk and disorderly, why should I be concerned that people know I joined AA.

January 17, 2026 - one day at a time

 All I can worry about is today so, as someone said to me today, I should make the best of this one day.

January 16, 2026 - Trust

 In the big book in the chapter working with others, it says burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house. The slogan gradually became trust God, clean house, help others.

Jan. 15, 2026 - Sponsorship

Sponsorship. There are only 2 things I know about a sponsor. You ought to have one and you ought to be one.  

January 14, 2026 - Gratitude

 People are saying you're awake early. I'm retired. I get up when I want. I'm supposed to meet with someone early today and I wanted to make sure I had everything done, cause I got that morning thing I do every day. The word I picked today is Gratitude and it's appropriate. I'm grateful I'm not lying in a hospital bed because I foolishly thought I had one more run in me. I'm grateful I'm not sleeping in a tent somewhere. I'm grateful for the man who sponsored me three decades ago. I'm grateful for the men and women I sponsor now. The list goes on and on. Gratitude isn't just a noun; it's also a verb. My current sponsor always says don't tell me, show me. That's why when my sponcee said she wanted to meet early today I said no problem I'll be there. Because I'm grateful.

January 13, 2026 - Live and Let Live

 Live and Let Live. The thing for me to remember about this is the first word. Live. Other people may have different ways of looking at things or of doing things and I do need to accept that. but I also should continue to look at things and to do things according to the way I do them regardless of what other people do.

January 12, 2026 - Acceptance

 Acceptance often means recognizing your own limitations, and choosing to move forward without denial of them.

January 11, 2026 - Amends

 I can say I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness, or I can set right the wrong.

January 10, 2026 - Forgiveness

 Forgiveness can help us lose the resentment that binds us to feelings of hurt.

January 9, 2026 - Acceptance

 Laying awake at 5 am, I could have denied getting out of bed or I could just accept that fact that I will be waking up early.

January 8, 2026 - Action

 Three frogs are sitting on a fence. One frog makes a decision to jump off the fence. How many frogs are left? Still three, because making a decision to do something and actually doing it are not the same thing.

January 7, 2026 - Trust

 Trust. A deceptively simple word that carries enormous weight. Self-trust is often overlooked. A  belief in your own judgment, resilience, and ability to handle uncertainty.

January 6, 2025 - Easy Does It, But Do It

 Easy does it.....but do it. The first part of that is a well known slogan, reminds me to not take on too many chores. the second part reminds me not to use it as an excuse to do nothing.

January 5, 2026 - Boundaries

 Boundaries are the limits I set to protect me and my emotional well being. I can say no to commitments that would personally drain me which can cause me to have resentments and lead to burnout. Boundaries I place on myself are a lot like expectations I place on others. If I do not let people know what they are, how is anyone  supposed to honor them. Interesting point: boundaries are not just walls, they are also doors. Deciding when to keep them closed and when to open them takes a bit of practice.

January 4, 2026 - Listen to Learn

Contrary to what most people think or presume, I don't know everything. Sometimes I am listening to what they say, in case I learn something.

Jan 3, 2026 - How important is it

 How Important is it. If it threatens my serenity, then it in itself is not important, but the fact that it affects my serenity warrants my getting rid of it promptly and without regret.

January 2, 2026 - But for the grace of god

One day last month, in church, the minister said that the Grace of God is a love that never lets go. I know that if not for the grace of the God I understand, I would very likely be drunk in a gutter or dead. Fortunately, He never let go of me even when I had let go of Him.                                               

January 1, 2026 - Daily Inventory

 Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living. So, the practice of taking inventory of ourselves has been around for a while.