February 16, 2007 *********************************************************** Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought For The Day
One drink started a train of thought that became an obsession, and from then on, we couldn't stop drinking. We developed a mental compulsion to keep drinking until we got good and drunk. People generally make two mistakes about alcoholism. One mistake is that it can be cured by physical treatment only. The other mistake is that it can be cured by willpower only. Most alcoholics have tried both of these and have found that they don't work. But we members of A.A. have found a way to arrest alcoholism. Have I got over my obsession by following the A.A. program?
Meditation For The Day
I will try to be unruffled, no matter what happens. I will keep my emotions in check, although others about me are letting theirs go. I will keep calm in the face of disturbance, keep that deep, inner calm through all the experiences of the day. In the rush of work and worry, the deep, inner silence is necessary to keep me on an even keel. I must learn to take the calm with me into the most hurried days.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may be still and commune with God. I pray that I may learn patience, humility, and peace. ***********************************************************
Shoot- I think I'm more obsessive about my alcoholism now that I'm sober. But at least it's a healthy obsession. I notice stuff in characters in books and movies- little ticks that have to do with how they act relevant to alcohol. I read about it, write about my experiences and go to my meetings, the subject inevitably crosses my mind about twenty times a day no matter what. Thank god for the later referenced calm that lets me think about it from a detached, analytical standpoint. For sure I dont crave it anymore, oddly enough. I didn't think that would ever go away but it did- rather quickly, actually.
For me it wasn't necessarily one drink- it started before that, just with the thought of a drink. Although who am I fooling- I haven't thought of "one" drink for ages- they come in sixes and twelves. Three was a bare minimum, just to get things started.
