Sunday November 8, 2026 - Service

Good morning. My thought for today is service. I just picked this word about a week ago. I have been told we get the lesson until we learn it. I usually tell people that I sobered up in November of 1997 and I have been doing service work of one kind or another since November of 1997. I think the two are connected. In the beginning I did the usual simple tasks, setting up the chairs, making coffee, shaking hands. As time progressed and I became more sober, I took on various positions, first within my group and recently within the district. I also learned that I can do service work in my community or within my church. I make use of skills I have. Two of my hobbies are knitting and baking. So, I knit scarves and/or blankets for people in recovery from addictions or from homelessness. Also, I bake cookies and bring them to church for the coffee hours that they have there. It's a small thing but it seems to go a long way toward starting conversations and encouraging fellowship.

Saturday November 7, 2026 - One Day At A Time

Good morning. My thought for today is One Day At A Time. I have a sobriety milestone coming up the end of the month. When I decided to put the plug in the jug almost 29 years ago, I planned to stop drinking for that one day. The next day I chose to do it again, and again. and again and here we are all this time later. It's true I had to do more than just stop drinking, but none of the things I was required to do would have had any effect until I stopped and then doing those things allowed me to continue staying stopped. I was able to apply the one day at a time approach to more than just my drinking. I also used it in my relationship with my wife, with my relationship with my job and later I used it in my retirement. According to an app I use that tells me how long I have been sober, it has been 28 years, 11 months, and 7 days but really I have been sober since I opened my eyes at 7 am because ultimately today is all I have.

Friday November 6, 2026 - Pride

Greetings and salutations. Always wanted to open with that. My thought for today is Pride. Pride is a multifaceted emotional state and character trait centered on self-evaluation, self-worth, and status. Pride can be a good thing, when we have a healthy self-respect of our achievements, but it can also be a bad thing when our pride becomes arrogance. In 12 step recovery, pride is seen as "a chief stumbling block to true progress". It manifests as self-will run riot, a refusal to admit powerlessness, an unwillingness to ask for help, an insistence that we are unique and do not see the need for us to do what others need to do to recover. the opposite and possibly the antidote to pride would be humility, the ability to have a clear, uninflated view of oneself.

Thursday November 5, 2026 - Acceptance

Good morning. My thought for today is Acceptance. The big book reminds me, on page 417, that "Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. 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 the way it is supposed to be at this moment." Most good ideas are simple.

Wednesday November 4, 2026 - Surrender

Good morning. My thought for today is Surrender. The AI definition of surrender is to yield, give up, or relinquish possession, control, or power to another authority or force, especially upon demand or under compulsion. For most of my adult life, I had given control of my life over to alcohol and that did not turn out very well. In the end, I had nothing; alcohol had taken it all away. So, I surrendered control of my life again, this time to a Power greater than myself, and vowed that I would try to stay sober, a day at a time. I drank for approximately 29 years, from age 12 to age 41. This month I will celebrate 29 years of sobriety, so I will have been sober for as long as I drank. Interestingly enough, everything that alcohol has taken away from me, sobriety has given back to me.

Tuesday November 3, 2026 - Powerless

Good morning. My thought for today is Powerless. The AI definition of being powerless is being unable to act or control an outcome. First and foremost, I am powerless over alcohol. I am also powerless over people, places, and things. It would be great if I could have people do or say what I think they ought to, but alas I am powerless over the actions of others. All I can really do is pray that they will do God's will and that I may understand what that is.

Monday November 2, 2026 - Open Minded

Good morning. Monday already. My thought for today is Openminded. AI defines this as a willingness to consider new ideas, perspectives, beliefs, and arguments without bias, prejudice, or immediate dismissal. I used to use a dictionary when I needed a definition of a word, now I use AI tools to help me with that. Because I am more open now to using tools that I didn't have before. I also try to be more open minded in other areas of my life. With spiritual practices like prayer and meditation. They are also tools that can be used. I once heard a man say that the days he prayed almost always turned out better than the days he didn't. I tried that to see how it worked and learned that it works just fine.

Sunday November 1, 2026 - One Day At a Time

Good morning. My thought for today is One Day At a Time.When I decided I wanted to stop drinking, the notion of doing that forever seemed too daunting of a task. So, I decided to try it for one day. The next day I did it again, for one day. The days became a week, the weeks became a month, the months became a year, the years became decades. According to an app I have, the current count is 10,563 days which is a few weeks short of 29 years. I use the practice of one day at a time in other areas of my life. I remember telling Nancy, my wife, that I'd like to promise her the moon and the stars and that I'd love her till the end of time but I didn't know what I'd be doing at the end of time. I only knew what I'd be doing that day, so all I could really offer her was one day. Today. That was March 24, 1998. According to the app, that's 10,449 days that we have been together. One day at a time.

Saturday October 31, 2026 - Self Esteem

Good morning. My thought for today is self-esteem. According to an AI definition, self-esteem is an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth and value. It reflects the overall emotional attitude a person holds toward themselves—encompassing beliefs about competence, identity, and whether they consider themselves fundamentally worthy of respect and success. 

For most of my life, and due in part to my alcoholism, my self-esteem was very low. I did not feel I was worthy of respect or love. I remained in an unhealthy relationship because I feared being alone and I was utterly convinced that no one else would want to be with me if ever I left.  An animal raised in captivity that is suddenly set free, often returns to its cage because it does not know what to expect outside in the free world. But, it knows what to expect in its cage.

Because of low sef-esteem, I struggled for many years with self-care. I did not feel entitled to a new shirt or a new pair of shoes, or proper eyeglasses. By working the steps with my sponsor, I learned that I am worthy of those things, just as I am worthy of love and respect, so today when I need a new item of clothing, I go purchase it.

Friday October 30, 2026 - Service

Good morning. My thought for today is Service. Service refers broadly to work, assistance, or duties performed for someone else, or a system provided for public or private use. In A.A., service work is anything that makes carrying the message possible. I can be a committee member or I can be the guy making coffee at a meeting. Service comes in many forms and each one is just as important as the other. Service work can be conducted outside in our community or through our church or at home in our family life.

Thursday October 29, 2026

Good morning. My thought for today is the seventh step. I would think that is the seventh step prayer. The seventh step itself is Humbly asked Him [God] to remove our shortcomings. The seventh step prayer is My Creator I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character that stands in the way of my usefulness to you and to my fellows.

In my case, my defects of character were pretty basic. Selfishness, dishonesty, anger, fear. Each day, I ask God as I understand God, to remove from me those defects of character that He could or would based on the conditions of the day I ask. Some days I am less seflish and more honest. Other days, I have less fear. Maybe someday they will all be gone. But, not today.

Wednesday October 28, 2026 - How Important Is It

Good morning. It's a beautiful day to be alive and to be sober. My thought for today is the slogan How Important Is It. Right out of the gate, if "it" is my sobriety or my serenity, then it takes top priority. If, on the other hand, "it" is something that threatens my serenity or my sobriety, then it is not important and must be eliminated from my life, promptly and without regret.

"It" might be a person or "it" might be a situation. As Winnie the Pooh would say.....Think think think.

Tuesday October 27, 2026 - Think Think Think

Good morning. Getting better every day. My thought for today is Think Think Think. As an official recovery slogan, it serves as a mental brake to disrupt emotional reactivity, impulsive decisions, and obsessive thought patterns. The three repetitions typically represent a layered reminder: 

Pause before reacting by halting automatic, emotionally driven responses (anger, anxiety, defensiveness) to evaulate a situation calmly before speaking or acting.

Think the decision through: Considering the full outcome of an impulse (often phrased as think the drink through by looking past immediate gratification to the inevitable fallout)

Check the motive: Assessing whether an action is necessary, kind, and realistic, or merely an attempt to control an outcome outside one's influence.

In popular culture, the phrase is also widely recognized as Winnie the Pooh’s catchphrase, tapping his temple while muttering "Think, think, think..." to puzzle through everyday problems.

In whatever case, it is a worthwhile tool to use.

Monday October 26, 2026 - Hope

Good Morning. My thought for today is Hope. According to the dictionary, Hope is the feeling or expectation that a desired outcome, change, or event is possible, paired with an underlying motivation that things can get better. When I came back into recovery this last time in 1997, I had that expectation, that if I did what I was told, a new concept for me, that I might be able to stay away from alcohol. The end of November, I will be without a drink for 29 years so I'd say the desired outcome was possible.

Sunday October 25, 2026 - Love

Good morning! Happy Sunday! My thought for today is Love. Let's start with the AI, or dictionary, definition. Love is a complex set of emotions, behaviors, and beliefs associated with strong feelings of affection, protectiveness, warmth, and respect for another person, living being, or pursuit. There are, of course, different types of love. Romantic love, familial love, platonic love, altruistic love, and self-love. I tell people I sponsor I love them and that is platonic love. I tell my brother I love him because of our familial bond. I tell Nancy I love her because we are romantically involved, still, after all this time. Concerning romantic love, I prefer Father Martin's definition. Love is not so much two people gazing into each other's eyes as it is two people gazing in the same direction.

Saturday October 24, 2026 - God could and would

Good morning. Starting to feel better maybe I think. My thought for today is God could and would. if He were sought. It's like the psaage in the Bible. Seek ye the Kingdom of righteousness. It doesn't say anything about finding that, just talks about looking for it. Same thing here. We don't have to find God, we just have to look. When I went looking for God many wondrous things happened. For one, I lost the obsession to kill myself with alcohol. 

Friday, October 23, 2026 - Sobriety First

Good morning. My thought for today is Sobriety First. or Serenity First. For me, the two words are synonymous. Can't have one without the other. I was taught early on that I would need to put recovery first above everything, because without recovery I would have nothing anyway. Even when Nancy and I got together, way back in 1998, I think I had 4 months sobriety and I told Nancy that the program was the most important thing in my life and if she ever got in between my program and me that there would be a fight and she would lose. That's when she told me about her black belt in Al-Anon. Here we are, almost 29 years later and sobriety still comes first.

Thursday October 22, 2026 - Surrender

Good morning. Hanging in there. My thought for today is Surrender. It is defined as to stop resisting, fighting, or trying to control something and to accept a reality, outcome, or authority beyond our control. In a spiritual sense surrender means letting go of our insistence on controlling everything and placing our trust in God or a Higher Power. It doesn't mean becoming passive or abandoning responsibility. It means recognizing the difference between what we can change and what we cannot. In AA, surrender is often the beginning of genuine change. It means recognizing that our own efforts to control our drinking have failed and becoming willing to accept help. Surrender is not necessarily giving up. Sometimes it means giving up the fight that prevents us from moving forward. “Surrender is not the end of the struggle to live. It is the beginning of learning how to live without struggling against everything.”

Wednesday October 21, 2026 - Fear

Good morning. My thought for today is Fear. Along with pride, fear has been called a chief stumbling block to true progress. Pride says, I don't need to do that. Fear says, I better not do that. What if I screw it up? What if I disappoint everyone? Somewhere in our literature, I don't remember where, it calls our fear self centered fear because after all doesn't everything go back to step three. Self-centered fear is fear that we will either lose a thing we possess or fear that we will fail.....to get something we demand. Fear of failing is a very real fear, but in the end it is only a fear and not a reality. My best course of action through fear is to ask God to remove my fear and direct me to what He woukd have me do.

Tuesday October 20, 2026 - Procrastination

Good morning. Still sick. My thought for today is Procrastination.The AI definition of the word is putting off a task you meant to do, often until the last minute, even though you know that delaying the task will probably make it worse. And it is usually choosing something easier or more pleasant right now over the thing that's actually important. I'm working on that, I just need to reorganize the spice rack first. A friend of mine says procrastination is a five syllable word meaning sloth and we akk know that sloth is just laziness with a cool name. I woke up at 7 am, did my readings and my prayers. One thing led to another and here I am at 930, still writing my thought of the day. Procrastination? Maybe a little. Laziness? Maybe a lot. And I still didnt get that spice rack reorganized.

Monday October 19, 2026 - Envy

Good morning. My thought for today is Envy.  According to the dictionary, envy is an unpleasant emotion characterized by discontent, resentment, or longing aroused by someone else’s qualities, achievements, possessions, or perceived advantages. Simply put, I want what you have and I am angry because you have it and I don't. In AA literature it says, "If you have decided you want we have and are willing to go to any length to get it, then you are ready to take certain steps." It's almost an encouragement to be envious. But, it gives you the answer, it tells you what to do. If you want the sobriety time that I or others like me have, you'll have to put in the time, that's how we did it. If you want the connection to God that I or others like me have, you'll have to put in the work, do the steps. That's how we did it. 

Sunday October 18, 2026 - Self Restraint

Good morning. My thought for today is self restraint. It reminds that before I speak or act, I need to consider what I will do or say, so that I do not damage a friendship or other type of relationship. I had a situation happen yesterday that didn't make me angry, but I was disappointed. I stopped for a few minutes before I reacted and thought of her reasons and they made sense. I was then able to view the situation realistically and to handle it more maturely. I wish I was able to do that every time something happened that I did not like, but oh well I am a work in progress.

Saturday October 17, 2026 - Tradition Three

Good morning. My thought for today is Tradition Three. The only requirement for membership in AA is a desire to stop drinking. Some people are confused and think that says a desire not to drink. Those are two different things. If I have never had a drink in my life but have seen what it does to others in my life, then I might have a desire not to drink, but that does not mean I am alcoholic. I am grateful there were no other entrance requirements because when I got here I had nothing anyway. I did have a desire to stop drinking and I did stop drinking on November 30, 1997. You do the math.

Friday October 16, 2026 - Unity

My thought for today is Unity. Safeguarding the unity of the fellowship I am in, or the unity of the church I belong to or the relationship I have at home, with Nancy, all those things are important to me. I remember one time I cut the grass and made our lawn look nice. I went even further and cut my neighbours grass so that the whole corner would look nice. That was a way to practice unity in my neighbourhood. 

Thursday October 15, 2026 - Gratitude

My thought for today is gratitude. I am grateful every day, for the obvious things. Roof over our heads, food to eat. Sobriety, etc.Today, I am especially grateful that Nancy did not have a major illness and that it was just something that could be fixed with medication and puffers. I am also grateful for all the friends we obviously have who sent love and thoughts and prayers. It was a long day yesterday. We got to Emerg about 9:45 am and Nancy didn't walk back into our home until 8:15 pm. Somewhere along the way, I picked up that bug or maybe another one while at Emerg. I don't feel too sick at this point, so I'll just take buckleys. It tastes bad but it works. Gratitude, I'm told, is an action word. So, don't just tell me you're grateful. Show me you're grateful. I'm attending the men's lunch at church today and I baked cookies for that to let the men of the church know how grateful I am that they accept me.

Wednesday October 14, 2026 - Carry The Message

My thought for today is Carry the Message. It is the suggestion made in Step Twelve. I can do that when I tell my story to others, either by speaking at a meeting or even by sharing at a discussion meeting. I carry the message through sponsorship. I carry the message by doing service work and service work in AA is anything that helps to make a 12th step possible. It is all connected. I wondered in the beginning what "the message" was. It states that in the twelfth step. If I do the first eleven steps, I will get a spiritual awakening. I can get it suddenly or I can get the educational kind that happens over time. But, I will get it. Recovery in AA involves establishing a relationship with God. Considering the way my life had been before I recovered, why would I not want a relationship with God. The simplest message I have carried is that if I can do it, you can do it.

October 13, 2026 - Powerless

My thought for today is Powerless. The dictionary definition is lacking the strength, ability, or control to change or influence something. As an alcoholic I have lost the ability to control what will happen once I start drinking, despite my intentions or determination. Powerlessness is not the absence of choices. It is recognizing where our power ends. I always have choices. First and foremost I can choose not to drink and I can choose to seek help and I can choose to practice recovery. Alcoghol is not the only thing I am powerless over. I am also powerless over people, places, and things. In the serenity prayer it talks about things I cannot change or control - other people - and about having the courage to change the things I can - myself. So, again, I have choices. I can choose to live in the solution or to die by staying in the problem. Most good ideas are simple.

October 12, 2026 - Listen to Learn

My thought for today is another slogan. Listen to Learn. Sometimes I think I have all the answers and that I no longer need to listen to what my sponsor says or to follow what my higher power is directing me to do. It is at those times that I ought to listen more and by listening I may learn more. A common spin on that slogan is Learn to Listen. 

October 11, 2026 - First Things First

Good morning! Happy Thanksgiving! My thought for today is First Things First. As a slogan, first things first reminds me that first and foremost I need to stay sober because without sobriety, I will have nothing else anyway. One of the ways I stay sober is through prayer, meditation, and reflection. My morning practice of that keeps me centered. It helps me remember that every day is a day to bring the vision of god's will into all my activities.

October 10, 2026 - Gossip

My thought for today is Gossip. It's nobody's friend, that's for sure. It has even be called a polite form of murder by character assassination. I like to think I'm helping someone when they're not there. Sometimes I should just mind my own business. What's that old saying? When I am pointing a finger at someone, three fingers are pointing back at me. At the end of the day, gossip is not an attempt to help them, it is an attempt to make us look good by pointing out that at least we don't do what they are doing. But, is what we are doing any better? 

October 9, 2026 - Third Step Prayer

My thought for today is the Third Step Prayer. "God, I offer myself to you, to build with me and do with me as you will. Relieve me of the bondage of self so that I may better do your will. Take away my difficulties, so that victory over them will bear witness to Your power, Your love and Your way of life. May I do Your will always. Amen." When I took the third step, which was in the form of a prayer, I made a decision that I would do what I thought God as I understood Him wanted me to do. I asked to be freed from the bondage of self, from the prison that selfishness and self-centeredness had placed me in, where it had kept me locked away from the sunlight of His spirit and i asked for freedom from that so I would be able to do better what I thought was His will. I also asked for God as I understood God to take away my difficulties, my selfishness, my dishonesty, my anger, my fear and vowed that if He could do that, then I would be a living testament to His power, His love, and His way of life. He has kept His word, now it is my turn to do as I said I would do. can I get a Amen.

October 8, 2026 - Surrender

My thought for today is Surrender. The defintion of surrender is the act of relinquishing control, power, or possession to another authority, force, or circumstance. On December 4, 1997, I surrendered control of my alcoholism to a power greater than myself. A little later, on January 29, 1998, I surrendered control of my life to that same higher power. Back then, I was sober but homeless and I said the Third Step Prayer when I was under the bridge. From that day until this, my life has been noticeably different. For one thing, I have not taken a drink or a drug and I have not wanted to take either. And that in itself is enough, to have silenced the voice that always spoke to me.

October 7, 2026 - God as I Understand Him

My thought for today is God as I understand Him. The dictionary definition of God is the supreme or almighty reality; the ultimate creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe. In major monotheistic traditions, God is understood to be a singular, eternal spirit who is perfect in power, wisdom, and absolute goodness. As a boy, I was raised to be Anglican. I went to Sunday School, followed the Ten Commandments, etc. At the age of twelve, I joined a street gang and stopped going to church. It would be over 50 years before I returned. During my separation from God, I did try to make my way back home a few times, trying various interpretations and finding all of them lacking somehow. In the end, I went back to the God I grew up with, the Christian God whose son gave his life for our sins. But, that is the God that I understand. It might not be the God that you understand and maybe you do not even understand God. Maybe you are still trying to find your way home. Or maybe you still trudge the Black Road of spiritual darkness. I have been on that road and it is not a pleasant space. I do not pretend to know all there is to know about God, but I know a lot more now then I knew when I was in the darkness. 

October 6, 2026 - Self-Seeking

My thought for today is self-seeking. Self-seeking means being primarily concerned with getting what I want or need—my advantage, recognition, comfort, control, or satisfaction—sometimes without adequately considering how it affects others. The Big Book reminds me that selfishness and self-centeredness is the root of my trouble, that I am driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking and self-pity. That is an indirect quote from page 62. I must be careful that I do not hide self-seeking with self-care. Maybe I hide a selfish motive behind a selfless act. I can ask myself "Am I trying to be helpful here or am I trying to control the outcome?"

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October 5, 2026 - Insanity

My thought for today is Insanity. Some people credit Albert Einstein as saying that the definition of insanity is Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Websters dictionary defines insanity as a state of severe mental disturbance or irrationality. I heard a speaker from Kentucky say that the definition of insanity was being in a twelve step program and not doing the twelve steps. I don't know which definition is appropriate. I do know that insofar as drinking was concerned, my attitude toward it was strangely insane. I drank regardless of what the consequences would be and even though I sometimes knew what the consequences would be, I drank anyway. Step Two reminds me that I can come to believe that a Power greater than myself will restore me to sanity, so there is a solution to my problem.

October 4, 2026 - Intimacy

My thought for today is Intimacy. Intimacy is a feeling of deep closeness, trust, openness, and connection between people. It involves allowing another person to know something of your genuine inner self—your thoughts, feelings, hopes, fears, vulnerabilities, and experiences—and feeling safe enough to be known. Intimacy is not always sexual or romantic closeness but can also be of a spiritual nature or it can be intellectual or emotional. Simply put, it is the closeness that develops when we allow ourselves to know and be known by another. A popular pun is Into Me See.

October 3, 2026 - Humility

My thought for today is Humility. The first thing that comes to mind is that humility is not thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less. Humility is having an honest understanding of myself without needing to think of myself as either better or worse than I really am. Humility, to me, is not having all the answers and being open to guidance, change, and service to others.

October 2, 2026 - Keep it simple

My thought for today is Keep it Simple. It is easy for me to complicate the shit out of things, so I try to keep all things simple. The thing for me to remember is I am an alcoholic. I have not had a drink for 10, 533 days, but that does not mean that it is safe for me to take one. I begin each day with prayer, meditation, and reflection. Every day. Not just the days when it's convenient, but every day. I go to a meeting every day and again not when it is convenient, but every day. I do a tenth step every evening. these are the things I did to get sober in the first place so to keep my day to day life simple, these are the things I continue to do each day. Complacency is a tricky foe and will complicate my life if given the opportunity.

October 1, 2026 - Easy Does It But Do It

My thought for today is Easy Does It...But Do It. I'm supposed to start working on my garden today, getting it ready for the winter. It needs to be weeded, and I have fresh soil to put on it and some tulip bulbs to plant in the new soil. It will be a lot of work and I'll need to take it easy as I do it, making sure I don't over extend myself, but I'll also need to be sure that I do it.That's what this slogan reminds me. Don't take on too much, but at least do what is required of me.

September 30, 2026 - But for the grace of God

My thought for today is but for the grace of god. It’s the intervention that shows up when your own power runs out. It’s God acting on your behalf without conditions, without bargaining, without waiting for you to be perfect. If not for God's grace or favor, I would very likely be dead or still dying slowly in some alcohol-induced state. In a meeting I was at last night, I drew attention to an event that happened almost 29 years ago, where a person I barely knew drove a couple hundred kilometers in a snowstorm to save me from freezing to death on the highway. That was most assuredly God acting on my behalf. There have been other instances where I might have died but did not, instances where I received help I didn't earn, protection I didn't deserve and strength I didn't generate. Instances where the grace of God intervened in my life. It is why I continuously give thanks to God.

September 29, 2026 - First Things First

My thought for today is First Things First. For me, that is prayer, meditation, and reflection. Every day. A member of my home group says, The days that I pray almost always turn out better than the days I don't. When I awaken, I read from three books, one AA, one Al-anon, one Alateen. And I read a passage from the Bible, lately it's one of the Psalms. Then, I think about those who are suffering. Some from alcoholism or addiction, others might be dying from some illness. Still others maybe their dog ran away. I ask God to have a care for them. then, I ask God what he wants me to do today and I pick a word from my god box. Today, it was First things first. I write about the word or slogan, like I'm doing right now and then I share my thoughts with over a hundred people on social media. I find that the prayer, meditation, and reflection keeps me focused, centered if you will, and helps me start my day in a much better way than with a few drinks. The big book reminds me that "frequent contact with newcomers and with others is the bright spot of my day." I try to maintain that contact first thing of my day.

September 28, 2026 - Easy Does It, But Do It

My thought for today is Easy Does It...But Do It. It isn't necessary for me to do everything today, but that does not excuse me from doing anything at all. I don't have to build the whole village today, but I should at least fix my own house.

September 27, 2026 - Hope

My thought for today is Hope. The dictionary defines hope as a belief in the possibility of a desirable future, combining desire for an outcome with expectation that it can realistically occur. When I came into recovery for my alcohol addiction, I was given hope that my future could be desirable without the use of alcohol or other drugs and I was offered the love of God as it manifested through the people I met. They offered me their love by sharing with me their experiences with their own alcoholic lives and how they received strength from their higher power, and the end result of that was the hope that maybe this could work for me too. It is why our preamble states that we are a fellowship of people who share our experience strength and hope with each other so that we may solve our common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

September 26, 2026 - Envy

My thought for today is Envy. The dictionary defines it as the painful awareness of another person’s good paired with the feeling that their good diminishes you. It’s not just wanting something — it’s the sting that someone else already has it. Like all of the other seven deadly sins, it creates other sins, such as resentment or detraction (speaking ill of someone in order to diminish them). Envy leads to hatred of others. In the Bible, in Genesis, chapter 4, Cain's envy of Abel leads Cain to commit murder.

In my recovery, envy can be one of the quiet, corrosive defects because it hides inside comparison, insecurity, and the old belief that I'm falling behind, I'm overlooked, or I'm deprived. It doesn’t look dramatic, but it can quietly pull me out of gratitude, connection, and humility. Similar to complacency, it can be subtle yet deadly.

September 25, 2026 - Live and Let Live

My thought for today is Live And Let Live which is about tolerance, a word I got just a few days ago. I live my life by spiritual principles that I learned when I came to AA, found a higher power and started living the way I thought he wanted me to live. Love. Patience. Humility. Gratitude. Forgiveness. Being of service to others. Honesty. Unselfishness. Those are the qualities I choose to live by. Not everybody in the world has those qualities. I must allow others to live their lives by whatever principles or lack of principles that they have. I might not agree with what they do or say, but as long as they are not hurting myself or others, then it should not interfere with me living my life.

September 24, 2026 - Not My Circus

My thought for today is Not My Circus Not My Monkeys. It reminds me that not everything is my business. Not every problem is mine to fix. It is the acknowledgment that whatever’s happening over there isn’t yours, wasn’t yours, and won’t be yours. When someone is doing something that I disagree with, I can console myself in the knowledge that it is not my circus, those are not my monkeys, and I don't know who hired those clowns. 

September 23, 2023 - Third Step Prayer

My thought for today is the Third Step Prayer. God, I offer myself to you, to build with me and to do with me as you will. Relieve me of the bondage of self, so that I may better do your will. Take away my difficulties, so that victory over them may bear witness to your power, your love and your way of life. May I do your will always. Amen. I said that prayer for the first time, formally, on January 29, 1998. I had already been without a drink for two months, because God had taken away my compulsion to drink, but I was now doing the twelve steps, of which the third step is a crucial part. 

I heard a funny story once. Three frogs are sitting on a fence. One frog makes a decision to jump off the fence. How many frogs are left on the fence? There are still three frogs on the fence because making a decision to do something and actually doing it are not the same thing. So, when you're ready, stop sitting on the fence and jump off.

September 22, 2026 - Tolerance

Good morning. My thought for today is Tolerance. Tolerance is defined as the capacity to endure, allow, or accept something you dislike, disagree with, or find difficult. Way back when I was getting sober, almost three decades ago, my sponsor told me that if there was some word whose meaning I wasn't clear on then I should look that word up. I still do that now but I can just google it these days, or ask AI. Back then, Webster's said that tolerance was the readiness to allow others the right to think, act, or believe as they see fit. The definition I found today was, according to AI, from Merriam-Webster. They are both smilar in meaning. It is about acceptance of things I disagree with. It would be great if everything went the way I wanted it to, if everyone's views were in agreement with mine, and if everyone had the same God as I do, but that just isn't so. And, if I want to have serenity in my day to day life, then I will need to accept those things as being the way they are supposed to be at this moment.

September 21, 2026 - Trust

Good morning. My thought for today is Trust. Trust is defined as the confident expectation that another party will act with reliability, honesty, and goodwill, even when you cannot fully monitor or control them. The one whom I trust first and foremost is God as I understand Him and it is certainly not within my power to monitor nor control Him. Whenever I think of the word trust I am reminded of Trust God, clean house, help others. Cleaning my house, taking inventory of myself and asking God to remove from me all my defects of character certainly required the confident expectation that God would act with reliability, honesty, and goodwill in my life. And just like the passengers on a plane that is crashing, I cannot help others until my own house is in order. I cannot help you put on your oxygen mask until mine is on first. So, that whole process of trust God clean house help others commences once I place trust in my God. Most good ideas are simple.

September 20, 2026 - Carry The Message

Good morning. My thought for today is Carry The Message. I am granted a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, so I try to carry the message to others and to practice these principles in all my affairs. That's an indirect quote from step twelve. There are different ways to carry the message. I can speak at meetings. I can sponsor others. I can write stories for the grapevine. I can be active in service. I can practice the twelve steps twelve traditions and twelve concepts in all my affairs, basically in everything I do. Personally speaking, I do write stories for the grapevine. I do speak at meetings if anyone asks me to. I am a sponsor. I am active in service. One of the things I have learned is that talking about carrying the message and actually carrying the message are not the same thing. And what is the message? I would think that was a no-brainer. I will have a spiritual awakening as the result of doing the twelve steps. After all, on page 29 of the big book, it says "Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own words and from his own point of view, how he established a relationship with God." So, you don't have to take my word for it. It's in the Book. Know what I mean, jellybean.

September 19, 2026 - Live and Let Live

Good morning. My thought for today is Live and Let Live. My sponsor taught me that the slogan is about tolerance. I always thought tolerance was how much I could drink, but apparently it is more than that. it is the readiness to allow others to think, feel, and act as they see fit. as long as it isn't harming myself or others, then it's okay. the first part of the slogan is Live, so I live my life by spiritual principles, at least I try to and the second part, to let live, is where I practice tolerance to allow others to live their lives by their own principles, or lack of. I'm going to an event today where I will be with people whom I do not like, so I will try to put this slogan into action in the hope that i will have a better day.

September 18, 2026 - Self Restraint

Good morning. My thought for today is self-restraint. It is defined as the ability to deliberately hold back an impulse, emotion, or desire so your behavior reflects judgment rather than urge. It is often said that nothing pays off like restraint of tongue or pen. When someone sends us a nasty email or text, our first thought might be to respond hastily or rashly which will eventually lead one of us to say or do something that later we will regret. Giving thought to our words or actions before we actually say or do them can have a much more positive outcome.

September 17, 2026 - Insanity

Good morning! My thought for today is Insanity. The dictionary definition of insanity is a severely disordered or unsound state of mind that impairs a person’s ability to understand reality, distinguish right from wrong, or meet the mental capacity required for legal responsibility. Other definitions I have heard are doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Or, knowing what to do and not doing it. Or, knowing what not to do and doing it anyway. Or, being in a twelve step program and not working the twelve steps. In all cases, it is having a distorted view of what reality actually is. I was at a meeting last night and one of the topics was Step Two: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. That would imply, of course, that we were insane to begin with and so far as my drinking was concerned, I was, as the book says, strangely insane. Luckily, there was a Power at work in my life that was restoring my distorted ways of thinking back to some degree of normalcy.

September 16, 2026 - Gossip

Good morning. My thought for today is Gossip. The Big Book tells me it is a polite form of murder by character assassination. In the Traditions Checklist, under the very first tradition it groups gossip with taking other members' inventories. If you, me, and another member are in the coffee shop after the meeting and you say "I haven't seen Charlie around lately." And I say "Charlie started that new job last week and he has to work on meeting night." That is gossip, but in a benign way. I am talking about Charlie when he is not there but it is not an attempt to make myself look good by dragging Charlie down and that's what the intent of malicious gossip is. There's a saying somewhere in our literature "Have I heard or spread any gossip today?" That's because listening to gossip is just as harmful as speaking gossip. as with most things, it is better if I just stick to minding my own business and let you worry about yours.

September 15, 2026 - Health

Good morning. My thought for today is Health. It comes in different forms. Physical health. Emotional health. Spiritual health.They say if we work on our spiritual well-being then we straighten out physically and mentally. I have a family doctor and I meet with him fairly regular. He gives me directions to follow and as long as I do what he suggests, then my physical health is okay. For my spiritual health, I pray and meditate and for my mental health I go to meetings, share and listen to what others say and all that helps with my emotional health. 

September 14, 2026 - Think Think Think

Good morning. My thought for today is Think Think Think. If ever I think that a drink will solve whatever problem it is that I have or that I think I have, I need to think about the actual craving for the drink and why do I suddenly feel the need, I need to think about the consequences of taking the drink, play the tape through to the end, and I need to think about what I can do instead. I can call someone. I can go to a meeting. I can read some piece of AA literature. I can pray for strength to not do it. In other words, I need to do a lot of thinking about it. I need to think about those who have carried the message to me and how it will affect them, I need to think about those to whom I will one day carry the message to and I also need to think about what the drink will do to me. 

In another context, a member once shared that she was taught about the reading of the last paragraph of the Preface in the Big Book: "If you have a drinking problem, we hope that you may pause in reading one of the forty two personal stories and think: "Yes, that happened to me" or, more important, "Yes, I've felt like that" or, most important, "Yes, I believe this program can work for me too." Think think think.

September 13, 2026 - Say What You Mean Mean What You Say

Good morning. My thought for today is Mean What You Say and Say What You Mean and the last part of that is Don't Say It Mean. Communication is an integral part of a relationship. Just talking with each other is sometimes not enough. How we say what we say carries a lot of meaning and our actions and behavior ought to also match our words. Al-anon How It Works reminds me "It is easy to let our words convey compliance while our tone expresses contempt. This is a way of communicating anger without taking responsibility for it." If I say I'm going to be somewhere at such and such a time, then I should be there and I should not be late. This shows that I have integrity which was once described to me as doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. It is one thing to be honest when people notice that I am and another thing to be honest when I am alone and will receive no reward for it. People can not read my mind so I ought to clearly communicate my boundaries and expectations to them so that there will be no confusion later on.

September 12, 2026 - Willingness

Good morning. My thought for today is Willngness. The big book reminds me that if I have decided I want sobriety and that I am willing to go to any length to get it, then I am ready to take the steps that will help me get it. But, the willingness must be there. In the seventh step prayer we say My creator I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character that stands in the way of my usefulness. Again, we need willingness. When I sponsor new people, I can show them the path they ought to take, but I cannot force them to take it. They must decide for themselves if they will take it. They need to be willing to go to any length to get it. In my case, the any length simply meant surrendering to the truth that of myself I was nothing, that God would work the miracle and I would receive the benefit of sobriety.

September 11, 2026 - Complacency

Good morning. My thought for today is Complacency. It is defined as Self‑satisfaction that blinds you to real risks, problems, or the need for further effort. I sobered up by going to meetings, by getting a sponsor and taking direction from my sponsor and above all by finding a higher power and taking direction from that higher power whom today I choose to call God. I sobered up a long time ago, almost 29 years ago. My life today is good. I'm not sleeping under the bridge anymore. So, maybe I don't need to go to those meetings anymore, not as many at least. And, I have a pretty good handle on my sobriety, I probably don't need to take direction from my sponsor. Nor do I need guidance from God. I could probably do this on my own now. All that is a high grade of horseshit. The Big Book reminds me many times. Now, we need action and more action. The answer to my problems today is more spiritual development. I grow spiritually by doing those things. By regular attendance at meetings, by listening to my sponsor, and by being a sponsor myself, and by improving my conscious contact with God as I understand Him. Anytime I start thinking that I don't need to do this or I don't need to do that, that's when I need to do more of those things. 

September 10, 2026 - Keep It Simple

Good morning. My thought for today is Keep It Simple. It is easy for me to complicate things. Even though I have been without a drink for quite some time, I am still an alcoholic and I am still powerless over alcohol and I will still need a bit of help getting through my day. That's as simple as I can keep it. Throughout my day I will do service to A.A., I will do some sponsorship with alcoholics I know, and I'll go to a meeting tonight because those are the things I did to get sober many years ago and they are the things that will keep me sober today.

September 9, 2026 - Not My Circus

My thought for today is Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys. A reminder that not everything is my business. Some chaos is not mine to step into. Other people's drama is not mine to be an actor in. It is not my problem so I choose to walk on by without even slowing my pace. It’s the moment I stop pretending the chaos was ever organized, ever reasonable, ever mine to fix. It’s a clean refusal to participate in someone else’s mess and a reminder that the mess didn’t appear by magic. Someone else built that tent. Someone else opened the door. Someone else handed out the clown shoes. It is not my responsibility.

September 8, 2026 - Anonymity

My thought for today is Anonymity. Recently, I joined a few recovery groups online, on the facebook social media platform. Everyone seems very supportive of one another, but everyone knows you by whatever name you use on facebook, so there isn't very much anonymity. Personally, I don't care who knows I am sober and starting to get my life together, however, by letting everyone know that I am in Alcoholics Anonymous, am I damaging Alcoholics Anonymous. We learn in Tradition One that we must place the common welfare of our society before our own individual desires. I have more humility when I am more mindful of anonymity.  

September 7, 2026 - But For the Grace of God

My thought today is But for the Grace of God. God's grace is the favor of God. It is not given to us because of the good we do or denied us because we do not do good, it is simply offered to us and it is up to us to accept it. I am sure that without God's favor I would surely be dead today. Or sleeping outside in a tent. Or lying in a hospital bed waiting for the end to come. Instead, I am in my own home, surrounded by family and friends. I have a lot to be grateful for and I give thanks to God as I understand Him for showing me that I do not need to die the way I was dying but rather can live the way I am living.

September 6, 2026 - Honesty With Others

My thought for Today is Honesty With Others. Honesty with God is one thing, honesty with ourselves is another and honesty with other people is also another thing. In the 5th step, it says we admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. It is not a list of the things we did when we were drinking, it is more about why we did what we did. If we know why we did something wrong, then we can move toward its correction. With me, it was because I was selfish, dishonest, angry and afraid with whomever I came into contact with and so I acted poorly. To act better, I only need to do the opposite of how I acted in the past.

September 5, 2026 - Forgiveness

My thought for today is Forgiveness. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines forgiveness as the act of releasing resentment or anger toward someone who has harmed you, along with the willingness to let go of the desire for revenge. In the Lord's Prayer, which has been around for centuries, we ask God to forgive us our tresspasses as we also forgive those who trespass against us. In a later prayer, the Prayer of Saint Francis, we are told that it is by forgiving others that we ourselves are forgiven. Almost a century ago, in the AA book Twelve Steps Twelve Traditions, it talks about self-restraint. In looking at certain situations, we need willingness to accept the blame if it is our fault, and an equal willingness to forgive if the fault is not ours. What I come here looking for, I must come here looking with. So, the act of forgiveness is not something new; it has been around for quite some time and who am I to reject ideas and practices that have been in effect for centuries.Who made you or I so righteous? I will forgive you. Will you forgive me?

September 4, 2026 - Let It Begin With Me

My thought for today is Let it Begin With Me. That's a slogan I heard in Al-anon. It reminds me to stop worrying about what needs to be changed in others and to concentrate on what needs to be changed in myself and in my attitudes, to let the change begin with me. Also, it tells me not to wait for others to do the twelfth step call that I am able to do myself. The responsibility pledge states that "when anyone anywhere reaches out for help, let the hand of al-anon and alateen always be there and for that I am responsible and let it begin with me." As already stated, I ought to let the change start with me.

September 3, 2026 - Carry The Message

My thought for today is Carry The Message. I can do that in different ways. The most obvious ways are through service and sponsorship. Every time I sponsor an individual, I tell him or her what was told to me. I remember way back when I was a newcomer, I didn't want to hear any talk about God. I had been there, done that, and was not interested. One of the things I learned, from reading the Big Book and from listening to others share, was that in order to recover from alcoholism, I would need to find a Higher Power and to establish a relationship with that Power. That's the real message that was carried to me and the one I carry to others. When I talk to new people about that and they stop listening, I remember how I was and how patient my sponsor was with me. The twelfth step says we have a spiritual awakening as the result of doing the steps. An awakening implies that we must have been asleep. Know what I mean.

September 2, 2026 - Willingness

My thought for today is Willingness. The dictionary definition of willingness is the state of being willing and inclined to act, to help, or to cooperate.I remember when I was still sleeping under the bridge, I did the third step prayer which meant that I was willing to turn my will and my life over to the care of the God of my understanding, that i was willing to go where God lead me and to do what God wanted me to do. In return, God would remove my obsession to drink so I was willing and inclined to cooperate. I have not had a desire to drink or use since I said that prayer and that is almost 29 years ago. Oh, once or twice I might have thought that taking a drink would solve whatever problem I was having, but it was quickly replaced with the thought that taking a drink was never the solution to my problem, it just created more problems. Today, I am still willing.

September 1, 2026 - Boundaries

My thought for today is Boundaries. The definition of a boundary is a line or point where something ends or begins. It is also the point where behavior becomes acceptable or non-acceptable. For example, we do not drink, do drugs or even smoke cigarettes, anymore. So, we do not allow alcohol, drugs, or smoking in our home. We also do not allow people who are drunk or high in our home. And if you have a bottle or a bag of weed on your person, you are also not allowed in our home. If you have chewing tobacco or cigarettes on your person, we will accept you. The beautiful thing about boundaries is that they are not fixed in place. Unlike solid walls, they can be raised or lowered. Two things I have learned about boundaries. We should tell people what they are because they cannot read our minds, and we should enforce those boundaries if ever they are broken.

August 31, 2026 - Complacency

My thought for today is Complacency. It is defined as self-satisfaction that dulls awareness of real risks, problems, or needed effort. I'm doing well now so I don't need to go to a meeting tonight. Complacency is usually gradual. We miss a meeting and nothing bad happens to us, so we miss another and another and another. Now, it's a week since we've been to a meeting, a week since we've talked to our sponsor, a week since we've prayed, and then it's a month and still nothing bad has happened. We begin to think we don't really need those things and so we step further away from them. Whenever I talk to a person who has relapsed, the very first thing they say they stopped doing was going to meetings. Almost always, the second thing they stopped doing was talking with their sponsor. And, somewhere amid all that, they stopped talking with their higher power, whether asking for guidance or simply saying thank you for blessings received. Eventually, they wake up alone in detox, trying to figure out what happened. If they are lucky enough to wake up at all.

August 30, 2026 - Tolerance

My thought for today is Tolerance.Without even looking it up, I know the definition of tolerance is the readiness to allow others to think, feel, and act as they see fit. I don't have to like it or even agreee with it, but as long as their actions are not harming myself or others, then that's where they are at and I should allow them the right to be who they are.

The Big Book reminds me that "love and tolerance of others is our code." It's been working for almost a century and if it's working, why would I want to stop doing it.

August 29, 2026 - Selfishness

My thought for today is Selfishness. Selfishness is the quality of caring only for your own welfare, advantage, or interests, especially at the expense of others. When I drank, I would show up at a party with a six-pack so you would see I brought liquor, then I'd drink all your booze, start fights, break furniture, flirt with your woman if you were too drunk to notice, and then tell you about it the next day. I did not care about you or anyone else at the party except for me and how drunk I could get. I was like that with everything. Now that I'm sober, things are different. I usually wake up at 8 o'clock, but I'm going to a birthday meeting this morning and that's at 10, so I woke up at 7. Now, I have enough time to do my morning stuff which includes prayer, meditation, and reflection. I also wanted to bake cookies for the party. I'm pretty sure that's not selfish.

August 28, 2026 - Expectations

My thought for today is Expectations. Expectations are what we believe will happen, or what should happen. Sometimes I place expectations upon people to behave in a certain way. I don't tell them what these expectations are because they should know right. Being human they are fallible and often fail to live up to my expectations. This disappoints me and, since they did not know of the expectation to begin with, because they cannot read my mind, then they do not know they have disppointed me and so they do not apologize. The disappointment turns into resentment, and really none of this is their fault because the expectation was something I placed upon them which I did not communicate to them. In order to remain happy, I can either better communicate what my expectations are or not to have any in the first place.

August 27, 2026 - One Day At a Time

My thought for today is One Day at a Time. I cannot change what happened yesterday and I cannot predict what will happen tomorrow. The only day I have any control over is today and even though I may make a plan for today, still I cannot plan the outcome. When Nancy and I got together all those years ago, I said it would be nice if I promised her the moon and the stars and that I'd love her until the end of time, but I didn't really know what I'd be doing at the end of time. I only knew what I was doing that day. So, all I could promise her was one day. Today. That was March 24, 1998. I work my program that way too. According to a daily counter that I have, I have not had a drink in 10, 497 days, one day at a time.

August 26 2026 - Amends

My thought for today is Amends. Taking concrete action to repair harm I have caused, not just apologizing, but attempting to return things to the way they were before I screwed them up. I ought to be careful that in making amends I do not cause further harm. I remember, when I was very new and before I even had a sponsor to guide me, I was making amends to my first wife about being unfaithful to her when drinking. She asked me who I was unfaithful with. Without hesitation, I told her, and in so doing, I damaged a few more relationships in an attempt to save mine. Doing the steps is one thing, doing the steps properly is something else altogether.

August 25 - No Matter How far Down

My thought for today is No matter how far down. That is part of the promise No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. My alcoholism brought me to the point of homelessness, so when someone comes in who is or was homeless, then I can say yeah I know where you've been. My experience can be of a benefit to them. And not all of us are have the same story. There is a saying that you don't have to take the garbage truck all the way to the dump. Some of us have been homeless, some of us have been in prison, some of us lost our jobs or our families or our standing in the community. No matter what it is, we will see that our experience can give others strength and maybe even hope.

August 24, 2026 - Self Restraint

My thought for today is Self-Restraint. It is defined as the deliberate ability to hold yourself back from an impulse so your behavior reflects judgment rather than urge. Thinking before I speak or act so that I do not say or do something which will cause harm to someone. The AA book Twelve Steps Twelve Traditions says that the practice of self-restraint requires and honest analysis of what is involved. I would get that by pausing and looking at the situation calmly and rationally. It requires willingness to accept the blame if it is my fault and an equal willingness to forgive if the fault lies elsewhere. Sometimes saying "I'm sorry" is not as difficult as saying "I forgive you".

August 23, 2026 - Keep It Simple

My thought for the day is Keep It Simple. The thing for me to remember each day is that I am always an alcoholic and I can always complicate things. Even something as mundane as what to make for supper. Today is Sunday so I try to have something resembling a Sunday dinner. Today, I'll try to keep that simple. Meat, potatoes, green vegetables, gravy, dessert. How hard can that be. As for me and my affliction, I'll go to church to improve my conscious contact with my higher power whom I call God. I'll do some sponsorship work later and go to a meeting. Those are the things I usually do to maintain sobriety so those are the things I will do today. I don't have to fix the whole village today. I just need to work on one house. My own.

August 22, 2026 - self seeking

My thought for today is Self-seeking. To be interested only in doing things which give you an advantage over other people.That is definitely how I used to be. Since coming into recovery, from alcoholism, I have as the Big Book says lost interest in selfish things and gained interest in my fellows. I sponsor many people these days and I try not to ask anything in return. The simple act of offering my help with no strings attached, engenders trust and makes it easier for them to accept my help and later to offer help to others. That's my plan, at least. 

August 21, 2026 - Open Minded

My thought for today is open-minded. This always reminds me of Step Two, that it is possible for me to recover from alcoholism if I do not close my mind to spiritual principles. For many years, my mind was closed. As a boy, I went to to church and to sunday school, I tried to follow the Ten Commandments, I did all the things we're supposed to do to live by God's will. When I was twelve, I joined a street gang and drifted away from Church. I was gone for some fifty years and by the time I got here I did not believe in God, I did not want to believe in God and I didn't care if you believed in God as long as you did your believing someplace else other than where I was. As I sat in meetings, I saw that those who chose to believe in a Power greater than themselves were getting better, they had nice jobs and nice homes, and nice families, and those of us who chose not to believe, well quite frankly, we had nothing. So, I saw my only option was to open my mind to whatever it was they were doing, to at least be willing to believe there was a Power greater than me, and to do as I thought He would want me to do. And guess what. I have been sober for three decades,  and when I woke up this morning I looked around at all the things I knew I would never have again, and I am in awe.

August 20, 2026 - Self-esteem

My thought for today is Self-esteem. The dictionary defines self-esteem as confidence, satisfaction, or respect for oneself. Often, we hear people say they suffer from low self-esteem so that obviously means, they don't have very much self-confidence or respect for who they are. It's the experience of seeing yourself as less than you are. This manifests as an inability to accept compliments, feeling undeserving of good things, constantly apologizing for one's behavior, avoiding challenges because of anticipated failure. In order to rebuild self-esteem, it can be helpful to look at positive traits, identifying strengths that you do have, and by practicing right-sized humility. Spend time with people who treat you well. If your low self-esteem is the result of some trauma, then by all means seek professional help through therapy. It's not about weakness, it's about repairing.

August 19, 2026 - How Important Is It

My thought for today is How Important Is It. If it is my sobriety (or my serenity) then it takes precedence over everything, for without my sobriety I would lose everything anyway. If it is something that is interfering with my sobriety (or my serenity), then I need to ask myself will this be important tomorrow or next week or next month? The answer ten times out of ten will be no. So, I ought to get rid of it, promptly and without regret. Most good ideas are simple.

August 18, 2026 - Greed and Lust

My thought for today is Greed and Lust. The dictionary defines greed as an excessive desire for more than we need, usually in reference to wealth or power, but it might also be for food or sex and lust is defined as a strong, often uncontrolled desire for sex but it can also be for wealth and power. In the book Twelve Steps Twelve Traditions, it says "nearly every serious emotional problem can be seen as a case of misdirected instinct." Greed and lust are definitely misdirected instincts. In each, we want and try to obtain more than is our fair share. What we ought to be thinking is that we already have enough and to be grateful for what we do have. As for lust, it is usually wanting the feeling without seeing the person and so if we use reverence we are able to see the person and not be blinded by our insatiable desire. Gratitude and reverence can redirect our instincts to where they ought to be.

August 17, 2026 - Working With Others

My thought for today is Working With Others. I do that through sponsorship and with general twelfth step work, carrying the message of hope to new people.I remember the gentleman who took time out of his busy schedule to talk to me when no one else could get through to me, who was patient with me and my stubbornness, who calmly explained to me how the program worked and what the limitations of his help would be. He taught me about boundaries, how to place my own and how to respect those of others. He taught me about responsibility and commitment, how to own up to mine and how to mind my own business and just worry about the things I was responsible for and to let you worry about yours.I learned that the best way to carry the message was to tell you what happened to me and what I have done to get where I am. Everybody is different, but our literature does state that when a new person wishes to do the twelve steps, because I have had the experience myself, I can give them much practical advice and that's what I endeavor to do. What they do with the information I give them is entirely up to them.

August 16, 2026 - Acceptance

My thought for today is Acceptance. Acceptance is the clear acknowledgement of reality as it is and not as I would want it to be.It would be wonderful in everything in life was the way I thought it should be. If the weather was sunny with no wind when I wanted to have a barbecue. If the minister's sermon was on a topic that I wanted to hear and not on a topic that I needed to hear. If meetings never got in the way of things I wanted to do. If everyone in my life could live forever and no one died before  was ready to let go of them. Yes, life in Bernie's world would be grand, yet life in Bernie's world is seldom so uncomplicated. There are many times when reality sets in and I need to accept life as life is. Arguing the point gives me no serenity. Using acceptance and gratitude is a much better path to take.

August 15, 2026 - Health

My thought for today is Health. Health is not just the absence of disease or infirmity; it is a state of complete physical, emotional and social well-being. I have physical health problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, but it is being treated with improved diet, medication, and exercise. My emotional health is doing alright. Aside from alcoholism, I do not have any pressing issues of mental instability and even my alcoholism is being treated through increased spiritual development, attendance at meetings, and service to others. And my social health has improved considerably over the years, also by finding and establishing a relationship with my higher power, which has enabled me to form true relationships with the people around me. So, for today, I am healthy.

August 14, 2026 - Unity

My thought for today is Unity. It is defined as the state of being a single, undivided whole. In AA, unity is our collective responsibility to work together so the group can serve its primary purpose. I am learning to practice unity not only in my group but in my personal life as well. After all, I am taught to practice the principles I am learning in all my affairs, in every aspect of my life. The two of us ought to consider the welfare of our marriage so that we might live in harmony together. The same would apply at the workplace. I'm retired now so I don't need to worry much about that, but perhaps in the volunteer work I do. I ought to consider the welare of the various projects I undertake.

August 13, 2026 - Anger

My thought for today is Anger. The dictionary defines anger as an emotional state of heightened displeasure that arises when a person feels blocked, threatened, mistreated, or violated. Anger is not always a bad thing. Anger is the emotional response that arises when a core need, value, or boundary feels threatened — and it mobilizes energy to restore balance. When properly directed, anger can be constructive. Anger is not always resentment. A resentment is anger I feel again and again, but sometimes I am angry about a thing or a person only the one time, so it does not become a resentment.

August 12, 2026 - Envy

My thought for today is Envy. According to Aquinas, a Catholic theologian and philosopher, envy is not just wanting what others have; it is the sorrow of knowing that they have it and I do not. It may not always be a thing, such as wealth or power, but it may also be status, affection, a talent, or a character trait. In Christian theology, envy is one of the seven deadly sins because it leads to detraction, resentment, division, refusal to rejoice in God’s gifts and an inability to see one’s own blessings. Charity is the quality of love that rejoices in another's good and can often be the antidote to envy because it is its opposite. Shifting from comparison to gratitude can also be a cure for envy. To draw again upon Aquinas, envy shrinks the soul, chairity expands it.

August 11, 2026 - First Things First

My thought for today is First Things First.For me, the most important thing I need to do is stay sober. I managed to get sober by finding and establishing a relationship with God. In order to stay sober I need to maintain that relationship. So, the first thing I do each day is prayer, meditation, and reflection. I wake up, do a few readings, one from an AA book, one from an Al-anon book, one from an Alateen book, and I also read one of the Psalms in the Bible. Then, I hold a cross in my hands that I received at my confirmation a few months ago and say a prayer for anyone I know who is suffering whether from this disease or from some other ailment. Then, I ask God what he wants me to work on today and I pick a word from my god box. Today, it was the slogan First Things First. After I have journalled a bit about my thought for the day, I share it with all of you. I don't know if this is what all of you need to do each day but I do know that it's what I need to do. This slogan is good for reminding me to prioritize things I need to do.

August 10, 2026 - Complacency

My thought for today is Complacency. It is defined as a state of self‑satisfaction that dulls awareness of real risks, problems, or needed growth. I stop seeking further spiritual development because I feel I have developed enough and it can be so subtle that I am not even aware that I have stopped doing the things that are necessary for me to maintain my sobriety and/or serenity. Reminding myself of things I have to be grateful for can often return me to the proper frame of mind. Humility is another way to overcome complacency. When I realize that I am not well enough yet to stop praying or going to meetings or talking with my sponsor. 

August 9, 2026 - Expectations

My thought for today is Expectations. Expectations are future-focused beliefs about what is likely or supposed to occur. It may be realistic or unrealistic. In most cases, an expectation is a pre-meditated disappointment. Human beings are fallible and will often fail to live up to our expectations since in most cases we do not tell them what our expectations are. We are hoping they will read our minds and that usually doesn't happen. A simple solution is to let people know what our expectations are, what our boundaries are, or better yet, not to have expectations at all.

August 8, 2026 - Step Seven

My thought for today is Step Seven. "Humbly asked Him to remove my shortcomings." One way to do that is by saying the seventh step prayer each day. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character that stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. I do not say that prayer each day, but I do ask God what do you want me to work on today. Today, it's this step. Anger stands in the way of my usefulness. Fear stands in the way of my usefulness. Dishonesty stands in the way of my usefulness. Selfishness stands in the way of my usefulness. I'm sure I have other defects of character but those are the my biggest ones, so those are the ones I need the most help with. For you, it may be something else.

August 7, 2026 - Serenity Prayer

My thought for today is the Serenity Prayer. The short form is the one I usually say. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. A lot of wisdom in those three lines. The rest of the prayer is also helpful, though we do not say it as often. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that He will make all things right, if I surrender to His will, that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. It is about acceptance, and trust, and faith, not always easy things to have but necessary in order for us to have our serenity.

August 6, 2026 - Service

My thought for today is Service. Bill W said that service is anything that makes a twelfth step call possible, meaning that I can be a leader of a committee or I can be the guy stacking chairs or shaking people's hands at the door.  All those jobs are vital and none are more so than the other. I often say that I have been sober since November of 1997 and I have been involved in service of one form or another since November of 1997. I think the two are connected.

August 5, 2026 - Sobriety First

My thought for today is Sobriety First. The Big Book reminds me that "we all had to place recovery above everything, for without recovery we would have lost both home and business." I try to plan my life around my meetings and not my meetings around my life. If I need to do something on meeting night, I do it before the meeting or after the meeting, never instead of the meeting, and for the reason already mentioned. Without my sobriety, I would have nothing anyway. 

August 4, 2026 - Step Ten

My thought for today is Step Ten. "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it." It does not say "if we were wrong"; it says "when". They knew we were human and fallible and that we would make mistakes and so they gave us directions on what to do to correct those mistakes. The first direction is to promptly admit it. As in the first step, once we are aware of what the problem is, then we can move toward the solution.

August 3, 2026 - Say What You Mean & Mean What You say

My thought for today is Say What you Mean & Mean What You Say and Don't Say It Mean. Let what you do match what you said you were going to do. We have a saying in the rooms of AA. He can talk the talk but he can't walk the walk. Don't spout platitudes of love while engaging in and secretly justifying behavior that bristles with hostility. That comes from a question in Tradition One of the Traditions Checklist. In other words, if we're going to say that love and tolerance of others is our code, then our actions toward others should be loving and tolerant. 

August 2, 2026 - How important is it

My thought for today is How Important Is It. If it is my sobriety, then it definitely is important, because without my sobriety I will have nothing else anyway. If it is something that threatens my sobriety or my serenity, then will it be important tomorrow? next week? next month? next year?  Chances are it will not be. Therefore I ought to discard it promptly and without regret.

August 1, 2026 - Live and Let Live

My thought for today is Live and Let Live. I re-connected with an old friend last night and it looks like we'll be walking the road to recovery together again. She has been following a different path lately. Ultimately, our goals are the same and I'm not saying her way is a  wrong one; it's just different from the path I am on. So, this slogan is appropriate. I will walk my path (live) and I will allow her to walk hers (let live) and hopefully we can meet somewhere in the middle and maybe we will learn from each other.                                                                  

July 31, 2026 - Intimacy

My thought for today is Intimacy. The moment when vulnerability becomes a bridge instead of a risk. Intimacy strengthens trust once we see that our vulnerability is a form of truth-telling, and that truth, when met with gentleness, becomes the foundation of real connection. Intimacy is a mutual state of closeness created when two people share their inner world — thoughts, feelings, fears, hopes, truths — and each person responds with care, honesty, and respect. It’s the result of vulnerability offered and safety returned, repeated over time. Intimacy isn’t just closeness; it’s earned closeness. As the saying goes. into me see.

July 30, 2026 - God could and would

My thought for today is God could and would. I got that slogan just a few days ago. They say you get the lesson until you learn it. When I start my morning ritual, I read from a few daily readers. Recently, I added a reading of the Bible, specifically one of the Psalms, this morning it was psalm six. A rough translation of that psalm is that God is waiting for us to search him out and that although we be sinners, he will still listen to our prayers. "The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer." God could and would, if He were sought. Most good ideas are simple.

July 29, 2026 - Live and let live

My thought for today is Live and Let Live. A slogan about tolerance. I used to think tolerance was how much I could drink without passing out. But the dictionary defines tolerance as the readiness to allow others to think, believe, and act as they see fit. This slogan is in two parts. I "live" my life by basic spiritual principles of humility, gratitude, love, forgiveness and tolerance. And I let others "live" their lives by whatever principles or lack of that they choose to live their lives by. I don't have to like it and as long as it is not harmful to myself or to others, then it's acceptable to me. It's really quite simple.

July 28, 2026 - Amends

My thought for today is Amends. I made my amends during the 8th and 9th step of my recovery process. The idea is to practice my program well enough so that I don't create situations where I have to make amends in the future. Alas, I, too, am less than perfect and sometimes I make mistakes. The 10th step encourages me to be on the lookout for when my defects of character crop up and when I am wrong - not if I am wrong - then I can make amends quickly. Apologizing for harm done to others is a good start, but ideally I need to get the situation back to where it was before I messed it up and as long as I do not harm others by doing so, then I am on the right track.

July 27, 2026 - Gratitude

My thought for today is Gratitude. I don't have to think much about the things I am grateful for. One of those things is people, specifically the people I sponsor. When I talk with them, especially the newer people, I am reminded of how I was, when I was new and I am grateful that I no longer think like that. When I hear of people being sick and perhaps dying, I am grateful that it is not me or anyone close to me. Oh I have health problems, but they are manageable. When I see in the news all the stories about unhoused persons, I can be grateful that I have a home. Yeah, it doesn't take me long to see what I am grateful for.

July 26, 2026 - Self-Restraint

My thought for today is Self-Restraint. I need to be careful when a situation throws me off balance. As they say, nothing pays off like restraint of tongue or of pen. One of my defects is that my mouth works faster than my brain does, so I need to stop and think a minute before I respond to a text message or a voicemail. That way I will not ruin the relationship by saying something that I really do not mean. I guess my thought for today could just as easily have been Think! Think! Think!

July 25, 2026 - God could and would

My thought for today is that God could and would. It's one of the three pertinent ideas. The first is that we are alcoholic and could not manage our life. the second is that no human power could relieve us of our alcoholism and the third is that God could and would, if He were sought. As I always say, we don't have to find God we just have to look for Him. One place I have found Him to be is in meetings. So, look for Him there.

July 24, 2026 - Trust

My thought for today is Trust. Whenever I think of trust, I think of God. Trust, after all, is defined as assured reliance upon the character, strength, ability or truth of someone of something. I am reminded of the slogan Trust God Clean House Help Others. Helping Others is what I'm all about now. But, I am unable to help others until I first help Bernie and the best way for me to help Bernie is to clean house, to get to the core of what is ailing me and take steps to correct that. I can do that in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth steps of my recovery program, but I should not embark on that task until I have placed my trust and my reliance upon God. Sometimes I get confused about what God is doing or why He does things, like take people close to me. I need to trust God and trust that He has a plan and that it is beyond my comprehension. I need to continue to have faith that all will be well if I keep close to him and perform his work as best as I can.

July 23, 2026 - Not My Circus Not My Monkeys

My thought for today is Not my circus, not my monkeys. A reminder that not everything that happens in the world is my business, nor is it my responsibility to fix. The moment I stop auditioning for roles in someone else's drama, then I can start focusing on what is my responsibility. 

July 22, 2026 - Serenity Prayer

My thought for today is the Serenity prayer. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. A lot of wisdom and strength in those few lines. I cannot change other people and there are some situations that I have no control over either, so I ask God for the serenity to accept those situations or people. Serenity would be the calmness to accept rather than try to control. I also ask for the strength to make any changes that I am able to. These would likely be changes in my own thought and actions. And finally, I ask for wisdom to tell the difference between what I can change and what I cannot change.

July 21, 2026 - Working With Others

My thought for today is Working With Others. The best way for me to do that is through sponsorship. The twelfth step encourages me to carry this message to others and that's what I try to do. I'm not always successful. But every now and then, someone takes the direction I offer and applies it to their life on a daily basis and they start to change. The message is pretty basic. If I can do it, you can do it. One gentleman at a meeting back in my early days said he had a spiritual awakening the day I took my suglasses off and sat up front. What he didn't realize is that someone was carrying that message to me, I was listening and eventually I started to change. Now, I do the same thing. As the Big Book reminds me, concerning working the steps, having had the experience myself, I can offer the new person much practical advice. What they do with that advice is between them and their Higher Power.

July 20, 2026 - Insanity

My thought for today is Insanity. I have heard it described a few different ways. The most common definition is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I heard a roundup speaker from Kentucky say that his definition of insanity was being in a twelve step program and not working the twelve steps. Another speaker said that insanity was knowing what to do and not doing it, or knowing what not to do and doing it anyway. In all cases we do the wrong thing instead of the right thing. Whenever I did things Bernie's way all I ever got were Bernie's results. But, when I tried to do things God's way, things usually got better. As I always say, the days that I pray almost always turn out better than the days I don't.

July 19, 2026 - Anonymity

My thought today is Anonymity. I never keep my involvement in AA a secret if I think it might help someone I know. By the same token, I do not shout it from the rooftops. Lately, I've become aware of anonymity on the internet. If I make a post on social media and state in that post that I am in AA, then all I have really done is reveal my own involvement. If you or anyone else in AA, clicks like on that post or comments that they are also in AA then I have encouraged others to break their anonymity and the best way to not do that is not to make the post in the first place. I used to say that I was never worried who saw me staggering or crawling home from the bar so why should I worry about who knows I'm in AA. But, it is my responsibility to protect AA and if it ever breaks apart, it will be from within, so I'll do my part to keep that from happening. All this assumes that I am in AA. 

July 18, 2026 - Humility

My thought for today is Humility. I am always reminded of the saying that humility is not thinking less of myself; it is thinking of myself less. Humility is the focal point of Step Seven: "Humbly asled Him to remove our shortcomings." the step used to read "Humbly, on our knees. asked Him....." But we always tell new people it's God as you understand God and some people wouldn't appreciate being told to pray on their knees, so the changed the wording. The important fact is that we are praying, asking God to remove our emotional deformities, our shortcomings as they say. The step doesn't say humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings and they were removed. But, just as the reading earlier on suggests, we don't have to find God, we just have to look for Him. So, we don't strive to become perfect, we just strive for progress toward becoming better people.

July 17, 2026 - Step Ten

My thought for today is Step Ten. "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it." When I did step 4, "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves." I learned what my defects of character were. In the tenth step, I keep an eye out for those defects. Nancy and I do a daily inventory each night before we go to sleep. we review our day to see where we did well and to see where we did not do well. The thing I try to keep in mind is that it says "when" we were wrong, not "if", because the guys who wrote these steps almost a hundred years ago, they knew we would be wrong and when we are we ask God's forgiveness and we ask what corrective measures we can take to make tomorrow a better day.

July 16, 2026 - One Day At A Time

My thought for today is One Day At A Time. I remember, back in 1997, when I tried to stop drinking, I had tried to quit for the rest of my life. But, then I asked myself what will I do on New Year's Eve? What will I do on my birthday? What will I do on your birthday? A longtimer said to me one day why don't you just try not to drink today? So, I gave that a shot. A day turned into a week, four weeks became a month, 12 months became a year, ten years became a decade, then half a century, and it just keeps adding up. Ultimately, all we really have is today. We never know what the day will bring. We never know when the next storm will come so we should always be ready. I start each day in the same way, with prayer, meditation, and reflection, because the days that I pray almost always turn out better than the days I don't.

July 15, 2026 - Intimacy

My thought for today is Intimacy. Intimacy can best be understood as a state of secure vulnerability. A willingness to be open and to feel that our openness will be treated with care. Intimacy requires trust and it strengthens that trust once we see that our vulnerability is met with care instead of judgement. It becomes not a liability, but rather a bridge. Intimacy comes in four basic types. Spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical intimacy. Spiritual intimacy is when we let others see our inner selves. It is linked with emotional intimacy where we reveal our feelings, needs, or hurts without fear of being unsafe. Intellectual intimacy allows us to share ideas through honest conversation and phyical intimacy lets us explore through touch and closeness. It is not done only through sex and in some cases may not involve sex. All types of intimacy ought to be something we choose. Into-me-see.

July 14, 2026 - Fear

My thought for today is Fear. I remember I was afraid of dying or more specifically I was worried about my wife dying and me being left alone in the world, or vice versa. Then I remembered that I can ask God to remove my fears, whatever they may be, and then try to live my life as if I did not have those fears. I realized that things will happen as they are meant to happen and by living in fear of what tomorrow might bring will only take me away from the joys of what is actually happening today. I'm still not crazy about the idea that someday I will die, but I try not to let it control my living.

July 13, 2026 - Help Others

My thought for today is Help Others. Back when I was drinking/using, the only person I wanted to help was myself. I had no interest in helping you unless there was something in it for me. And then I met the folk in AA. They seemed genuinely interested in helping me without regard for anything I could or would do for them. They told me to keep coming back. They suggested that I figure out who God was and try to live as he would have me live. I began slowly as the big book told me to lose interest in selfish things and to gain interest in my fellows. So, that is my purpose today. To help others, or to at least have a kind and tolerant view of each of those whom I would try to help. My God shows me how to do that. Every now and then, I meet someone like me and I just smile and tell them to keep coming back....