AN INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT

From my 1880s meditation book: "When we do our work in the great present...we are like to Him with whom there is no past or future...We walk without fear, full of hope and courage and strength to do His will, waiting for the endless good which He is always giving as fast as He can get us able to take it in." G. Mc Donald .....sent by 12 Step Jan
To our Readers: If you would like to share an inspirational thought or a saying that perked your ears at a meeting and helped your recovery, please send it to hngbook@gmail.com .

Saturday, May 30, 2009

One Day At A Time

I haven't blogged for a while. I am having knee surgery on June 10th and am "patiently"? waiting for the day to come. I have a torn Miniscus. The problem started the end of March while I was still in Arizona. It has been a long haul. Thank God for meetings and AA friends. I am trying to keep a positive attitude but always seem to feel like I am on the brink of a major "Pitty Party". It seems to be looming there just waiting for me. The program is there for me to work in this situation. I admit that I am "Powerless" over this all. I need to remind myself daily to be "grateful" that I have a good Doc. That my knee can be fixed. That "This too shall pass". There, now I feel better. Thanks.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

IOU AA

Please forgive me, I'm not the greatest blogger so.......

A little background...... Last week I went to visit my brother, his wife Abby and their 16 month old daughter Pheobe in Ma. for 6 days. My sister-in-law has chosen to be a stay at home mom. (The only way to go as far as I'm concerned!). My husband joined us later in the week and we had a really great time. I was able to get to 3 meetings while I was there. I don't believe that just because I'm on vacation I take a vacation from AA. I love going to meetings in different places.
I'm a 49 year old woman who was not able to have her own children,though early in my recovery I had a really difficult time accepting that. Eventually with the help of my Higher Power, my Sponsor and the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous I made it through that period of my life.
God has since blessed me with many things. A long happy marriage to another sober alcoholic, many friends in the fellowship and a loving family being just a few.
This past week with my brothers' family was an experience I won't soon forget. When Abby asked me if I'd like to put Pheobe down for her nap I didn't give it a second thought. What I didn't realize when I took her upstairs was I was about to have one of the most moving spiritual experiences I have ever had. You see I have never given a baby a bottle before. Imagine a darkened room, a rocking chair, a warm small body against yours, small grunts and sucking noises, you get the picture.
I was quite literally moved to tears.
I was allowed to put her down for nap and to bed for the rest of my visit. On the last morning I had one of those AA aha moments. All the work, all the growth leads to these moments. We are allowed, we have earned the privilege again to participate in life on life's terms.
For those that know me this will come as no suprise when I finish with this is another reason why IOU AA.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Simple Remedies


My backyard trees have gotten so tall and thick, I have to get on my roof to see much of Pusch Ridge, but it's always worth the climb. It takes a little effort, but it's a simple answer.
About two years ago, I had some surgery on my face that required putting an ointment on the incision for quite a long time. It was one of those antibacterial salves in a tube, expensive but absolutely necessary to guard against infection and promote healing. I guess it worked. Last week, I had another little incision and the medical directions now say to use vaseline (cheap) and add that the antibacterial salves do NOT do a thing to prevent infection. I grew up with vaseline; we always had a jar and used it for lots of things, from lubricating plumbing joints (now we have to buy special tapes and compounds) to salving scrapes and scratches.
Last week I asked my 96-year-old Dad how they dealt with life in the Depression. He said, "Well, for one thing, since I couldn't afford a car, most of your mother's and my dates were walks." I remember my parents loving to go on walks.
The AA Program is teaching me to use the things in life, the tools, that work every time. And, the tools are so simple and inexpensive. All I really have to pay is attention (the hard part).

Friday, May 8, 2009

Moms & AA

Each year as Mother's Day approaches, I think back to my early days in AA.
I was 35, didn't have a pot to pee in, or a window to throw it out of.
My mother was 70 and had a house with several pots & windows, and since I was sober she allowed me to live there with her.

So there we were, just the two of us: I was newly sober, and she had just retired.
What a Great first year of sobriety that turned out to be!

Every day I went to work, came home, and took a brief nap and quick shower while she got dinner ready for us. We ate and talked. and talked. and talked until an AA fellow or two would come by to pick me up to take me to a meeting. This was the routine every day for the year or so that we lived together. She would often invite some of my new friends to come for supper. She also got very proficient at taking detailed phone messages from scores of AA's who would call.
During that time I also got to know her as a person, not just my mother. Adult to adult. What a blessing that was for me.

Eventually I got back on my own two feet and got a place of my own, and my mother moved to a new town with lots of retirees in the neighborhood.

Two years later, my older brother (who had always been a very heavy drinker) died of stomach cancer at age 41. I remember standing at my mother's side at the wake and being glad that I was able to be there to help her through the sad occasion. I was only able to do that because I was sober. I shudder to think where I would have been otherwise.
I also remember that as the many AA's came to give their condolences, she would greet each one of them with a smile on her face, and bright eyes, and remembering many of their names, would say things like; "thank you for helping my boy", "I remember how much you helped my son", or "I pray for you guys every day". All this while grieving the loss of her first son!

My mom passed away ten years ago after what she described as a long and happy life.

When I think of these things, I'm not sure whether the lump in my throat is because I know I had a great mom, or because I am grateful for the joy that Alcoholics Anonymous brought into her life, or I'm grateful for what AA has done for all aspects of my life. Probably all of the above.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Acceptance, what page was that?!!!

I recently spent 3 weeks with my elderly parents. Need I say more?! My Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's a year ago. It's been really difficult to watch the deterioration of a once vital,active woman to someone I don't know. I feel like I'm losing her.
Luckily there is a 7am meeting about 5 minutes away from their home in Tarpon Springs Fl. every day and I know everyone there since I've been going to it for several years every time I visit. I even have a Fl. sponsor.
Living in Ohio I find it easier to make extended visits as opposed to several shorter ones throughout the year.
This time I actually went down with the attitude of Let Go Let God for the first time and carried it through the whole visit.
You'd think after 19 years of sobriety this would come a little easier but alas some are thicker than others!
I will say this, Acceptance is truly the answer to ALL my problems and makes my life a lot easier when I can apply the principle. Of course starting my day with a meeting helped immensely.