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MajestyJo
Average Member
Canada
590 Posts |
 Posted - 10/23/2007 : 13:03:01
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AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
October 23, 2007
Honesty
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.
Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not
completely give themselves to this simple program,
usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable
of being honest with themselves.
There are such unfortunates.
They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way.
They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living
which demands rigorous honesty.
Their chances are less than average.
There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders,
but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Honesty isn't an event ... it's a process.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O W = Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.
Yes, it's cut and paste. It is from the Big Book and it is HOW this program works. Some people tend to forget this.
Honest with myself and others about my disease, my defects, about my life. Being honest that I had old patterns and behavior that no longer served me in recovery. I had to be honest with me and see the person for who I truly was and look at my motive and intent. Being honest with my Higher Power. He keeps me coming back to the lesson until I learn.
A mind which was so narrow, biggotted, unforgiving, and single of purpose for so many years, had to be opened. Open to new ideas, concepts and the right to live and let live and give people the right to be who they are. There was no blueprint to working this program, everyone had to find their own way and work/digress at their own pace. As a long-timer once said, "Don't keep such an open mind that everything falls out of it."
Willingness to go to any length to stay clean and sober. Willing to walk my talk and allow others to do the same. Willing to continue to grow and live in today. Willing to work the steps on a daily basis. Willing to live the program 24 hours not 2-4 hours a day. Willing to change. Acting out in old behaviors and patterns doesn't carry a message of recovery. Willing not to hurt others to make myself feel better. Willing to work the principles of the program into my life. Willing to to make amends, saying I'm sorry doesn't cut it.
Constitutionally incapable of being honest with ourselves is knowing the truth and right from wrong but doing it anyway.
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Love Always,
Each Day is a New Beginning, so have a great one. |
Edited by - MajestyJo on 10/23/2007 13:05:22 |
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Carol87
Starting Member
16 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2007 : 14:18:20
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LOL ... I get this in my e-mail and post it in two other discussion groups ... without reading it ... Thanks for getting my attention !!
In another group we had a member who liked to be contradictory and thought this should be WHO instead of HOW .... well, I like HOW but if WHO has more meaning, then go for it! Even though honesty was a 'big deal' for me from YOU, honesty from me was entirely different ... I was in denial so long and until I got honest with ME and admitted I had a problem I was in misery ... and if I were being totally honest I would also say that it can continue to be a problem on those days when I think I can "do it myself" and not ask for help if need be ...
I would like to say that rigorous honesty is OK, brutal honesty I'm not so sure about ... comments on that ?? |
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MajestyJo
Average Member
Canada
590 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2007 : 03:01:11
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I don't think it is good to be so brutal that you hurt someone else. It is best to say nothing than bring someone else down to make myself feel better. Mind you lying by omission is still lying.
I try to tell it as it is. I think you can be honest but it is how you chose your words, the moment you chose to say them, and the context in how you chose to share them.
I never try to set out and hurt anyone although sometimes a little touch love and honesty is good.
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Love Always,
Each Day is a New Beginning, so have a great one. |
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