TOPICS 5/28/2026
DAILY REFLECTIONS
1) At one time or another most AA groups go on rulemaking benders… after a time, fear and intolerance subside. (And we realize) we do not wish to deny anyone his chance to recover from alcoholism. We wish to be just as inclusive as we can, never exclusive.
AA TRADITIONS: HOW IT DEVELOPED, p. 10-12
AA offered me complete freedom and accepted me into the fellowship for myself. Membership did not depend upon conformity, financial success or education and I am so grateful for that. I often ask myself if I extend the same quality to others or if I denied them the freedom to be different. Today I tried to replace my fear in intolerance with faith, patience, love and acceptance. I can bring these strings to my AA group, my home in my office. I’m making an effort to bring my positive attitude everywhere that I go…
KEEP IT SIMPLE
2) “Who dares nothing, need hope for nothing.”-Johann Friedrich Von Schiller
As we grow in recovery, will need to change our behaviors, values, and beliefs to stay sane. This takes courage. Courage is doing what is needed in spite of fear. Courage means facing what we can’t change. We can’t change the fact that we have hurt people. We can’t change the fact that we have an illness. And we can’t change the fact that we need help from others. Courage also means facing those things we can change. We need courage to be honest, to have faith, and to be humble. And we need courage to let people know how important they are.
A DAY AT A TIME
3) We’ve all had times when we felt alienated, when it seemed, we had nowhere to turn and no one to turn to. When we don’t know which way to turn, when there seems to be no one to help us, even then we’re not alone or without help, the presence of God is always with us. When we need strength or courage or comfort, God is always there with us as the help we need. Even before we turn to God, His love, reaches out to us; His loving Spirit in us, hears our cry and answers us. Do I truly believe that I no longer need to be alone?
BIG BOOK QUOTE, pp. xxix-xxx
4) I do not hold with those who believe that alcoholism is entirely a problem of mental control. I’ve had many men who had, for example, worked the period of months on some problem or business deal, which was to be settled on a certain date, favorably to them. They took a drink a day or so prior to the date, and the phenomenon of craving at once became paramount to all of their interests, so that the important appointment was not met. These men were not drinking to escape; they were drinking to overcome a craving beyond their mental control.