THE EYE OPENER - April 17 2026

Loneliness drives more people to the Gin Mill than almost any other single factor – perhaps even the compulsion to drink.

In the old days when our society was objectionable to all our old friends, we would from sheer boredom go to the bar just to talk to someone. Anyone’s conversation was preferable to our thoughts. The drink was frequently only incidental.

Boredom is still one of our worst enemies. If you have an AA club, there is always some guy you can try to help. Regardless of your effect on him, the experience is bound to help you and will relieve you of your blues.

Published by Hazelden

EASY DOES IT #essentialsofrecovery

BEING NEEDED

The most general survey shows us that the two foes of human happiness are pain and boredom.

~ Schopenhauer ~

Filling a need is more vital than being loved When we are needed, we are automatically loved. No effort of ours can ever be too great or too small.

We have never heard anyone who is involved in a program of spiritual growth complain of being bored. The discoveries and excitement of spiritual exploration are limitless. Also, carrying a message of hope to those who still suffer strengthens our own hold on the serenity and security of a personal recovery.

Feeling needed is the greatest encouragement we will ever receive that our goals can be achievable.

If people stopped volunteering to fill other people’s needs, the end of civilization would be close behind. My pain is forgotten and my boredom is gone when I am needed.

©1990 by Anonymous. All rights reserved. Published by Hazelden®. 

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A.A. Thought for the Day

When we think about having a drink, we’re thinking of the kick we get out of drinking, the pleasure, the escape from boredom, the feeling of self-importance, and the companionship of other drinkers. What we don’t think of is the letdown, the hangover, the remorse, the waste of money, and the facing of another day. In other words, when we think about that first drink, we’re thinking of all the assets of drinking and none of the liabilities. What has drinking really got that we haven’t got in A.A.? Do I believe that the liabilities of drinking outweigh the assets?

Meditation for the Day

I will start a new life each day. I will put the old mistakes away and start anew each day. God always offers me a fresh start. I will not be burdened or anxious. If God’s forgiveness were only for the righteous and those who had not sinned, where would be its need? I believe that God forgives us all of our sins, if we are honestly trying to live today the way He wants us to live. God forgives us much and we should be very grateful.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my life may not be spoiled by worry and fear and selfishness. I pray that I may have a glad, thankful, and humble heart.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

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BOREDOM

Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves?

~ Nietzsche ~

Boredom is a form of conceit. When we are bored we are saying, “Okay, life, you are not doing your job of keeping me entertained.” To think that life, or those around us, or the world itself is here primarily to keep us amused and entertained is “stinking thinking.”

This thinking can screw up our attitude and take us back to the point where our addiction seems like the only way out of that boredom. We may be miserable, but at least we aren’t bored, we think.

Those who learn to work the Program find that life is far from boring. Each day brings many quiet moments of joy, compassion, and insight. Rich serenity replaces the empty landscape of boredom

I am not in recovery just to be abstinent; I am living to learn, to help others, and to keep bus through positive action.

©1990 by Anonymous, Published by Hazelden

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Step by Step #essentialsofrec #Recovery

” …(T)here is a substitute …It is a fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous. There you will find release from care, boredom and worry. Your imagination will be fired. Life will mean something at last. The most satisfactory years of your existence lie ahead.” 

– Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 11 (“A Vision for You”), p 152.

Today, if I have not already, let me take the first step toward a life that finally means something other than how bad the next hangover will be or how severe the consequences of my misconduct and, as promised in the Program, a belief and faith that the “most satisfactory years of (my) existence” do, indeed, lay ahead. And if I have taken the first step toward the promise of the Program, let me not squander it on some folly like self-pity or a thought that “just one, this one time” won’t hurt. Whether I have or have not already embarked on my own private journey of recovery, let me believe that sobriety and recovery can provide a life that is better, one that is more satisfactory than the one I have in drinking. Today, let me believe that I am worthy to work toward something better. And our common journey continues. 

Step by step. – Chris M. 

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Getting Out Of the Rut

“Many times in our recovery, the old bugaboos will haunt us. Life may again become meaningless, monotonous, and boring.”

~ Basic Text, p. 75 ~

Sometimes it seems as though nothing changes. We get up and go to the same job every day. We eat dinner at the same time every night. We attend the same meetings each week. This morning’s rituals were identical to the ones we performed yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. After the hell of our addiction and the roller-coaster craziness of early recovery, the stable life may have some appeal—for a while. But, eventually, we realize we want something more. Sooner or later, we become turned off to the creeping monotony and boredom in our lives.

There are sure to be times when we feel vaguely dissatisfied with our recovery. We feel as though we’re missing something for some reason, but we don’t know what or why. We draw up our gratitude lists and find literally hundreds of things to be grateful for. All our needs are being met; our lives are fuller than we had ever hoped they’d be. So what’s up?

Maybe it’s time to stretch our potential to its fullest. Our possibilities are only limited by what we can dream. We can learn something new, set a new goal, help another newcomer, or make a new friend. We’re sure to find something challenging if we look hard enough, and life will again become meaningful, varied, and fulfilling.

Just for today: I’ll take a break from the routine and stretch my potential to its fullest.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc

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A.A. Thought for the Day

By drinking, we escaped from boredom for a while. We almost forgot our troubles. But when we sobered up, our troubles were twice as bad. Drinking had only made them worse. In A.A. we really escape boredom. Nobody’s bored at an A.A. meeting. We stick around after it’s over and we hate to leave. Drinking gave us a temporary feeling of importance. When we’re drinking, we kid ourselves into thinking we are somebody. We tell tall stories to build ourselves up. In A.A. we don’t want that kind of self-importance. We have real self-respect and honesty and humility. Have I found something much better and more satisfactory than drinking?

Meditation for the Day

I believe that my faith and God’s power can accomplish anything in human relationships. There is no limit to what these two things can do in this field. Only believe, and anything can happen. Saint Paul said, “I can do all things through Him who strengtheneth me.” All walls that divide you from other human beings can fall by your faith and God’s power. These are the two essentials. Everyone can be moved by these.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may try to strengthen my faith day by day. I pray that I may rely more and more on God’s power.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation 

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BOREDOM

Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves?

~ Nietzsche ~

Boredom is a form of conceit. When we are bored we are saying, “Okay, life, you are not doing your job of keeping me entertained.” To think that life, or those around us, or the world itself is here primarily to keep us amused and entertained is “stinking thinking.”

This thinking can screw up our attitude and take us back to the point where our addiction seems like the only way out of that boredom. We may be miserable, but at least we aren’t bored, we think.

Those who learn to work the Program find that life is far from boring. Each day brings many quiet moments of joy, compassion, and insight. Rich serenity replaces the empty landscape of boredom

I am not in recovery just to be abstinent; I am living to learn, to help others, and to keep bus through positive action.

©1990 by Anonymous, Published by Hazelden 

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrecovery

BOREDOM

“Nothing is interesting if you are not interested.”

— Helen MacInnes

There is a subtle distinction between the “dry” alcoholic and the “sober” alcoholic.  The sober alcoholic chooses not to drink because he has accepted his alcoholism. The “dry” alcoholic is “not drinking” but is invariably angry and resentful — and he is new expressing these feelings. His abstinence is not exciting because he is not interested in it — he is bored.

The “dry” alcoholic is also boring to be around. Why? Because he is bored. His boredom makes him boring. He really wants to drink. He has stopped drinking for reasons that do not include the acceptance of the disease; he is still a victim of the disease.

Sobriety, by contrast, is an adventure into self. It greets the new day with enthusiasm and energy. Sobriety is the spiritual discovery of God in our lives.

Let me always remember that my interests in life reflect my interest in You. 

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THE BOREDOM BATTLE

Acceptance and Patience

All of us have times when we don’t enjoy our sobriety as much as we feel we should. Though we’re still grateful, we sometimes feel bored and depressed.

What we have to remember at such times is our bleak history of using alcohol as a quick fix for boredom. However ruinous and false it proved to be, alcohol did temporarily bring the miraculous change we sought.

We thought of alcohol as a means of uplifting our mood. We were very surprised to learn that it’s really a depressant. Maybe it lifted us up by depressing our self-doubt and self-criticism.

Whatever the nature of our drinking, we need to stay sober while fighting our battles with boredom. We can do that by accepting a bit of boredom without succumbing to it. Meanwhile, we can look for ways of easing boredom that don’t get us into trouble or lead back to the bottle.

I’ll not feel guilty or unworthy if boredom strikes me now and then. Today I’ll help manage my long-term boredom tendencies by practicing acceptance and patience for twenty-four hours.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation

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Today’s Gift #essentialsofrecovery

Somebody’s boring me – I think it’s me.

— Dylan Thomas

Sobriety and recovery are supposed to be fun. Otherwise no one would do it. If we’re bored or stagnant, it’s because we’re not doing recovery right.

Recovery is a wonderful adventure filled with new faces, growth, love, acceptance, laughs, peace, serenity, comfort, and fellowship. If we can’t find any of that, we need to find out why. Maybe we’re purposely trying to avoid the good stuff of sobriety so we can set ourselves up to use again. Or maybe we just need to try some new friends or get involved with a social activity. Today we have the power to take action on our own behalf.

Today don’t let me get away with blaming my boredom on somebody or something else.

From the book:

Our Best Days by Nancy Hull-Mast

Our Best Days by Nancy Hull-Mast. © 1990 by Hazelden Foundation

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FR. LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #essentialsofrecovery

BOREDOM

“Nothing is interesting if you are not interested.”

~ Helen MacInnes ~

There is a distinction between “dry” and “sober.” Sober alcoholics choose not to drink because they have accepted their alcoholism. Dry alcoholics are not drinking but are invariably angry and resentful and do not express these feelings. Their abstinence is not exciting because they are not interested in it; they are bored. They really want to drink. They have stopped drinking for reasons that do not include acceptance of the disease; thus, they are still victims of it.

Sobriety, by contrast, is an adventure into self. It greets the new day with enthusiasm and energy. Sobriety is the spiritual discovery of God in my life.

Let me always remember that my interests in life reflect my interest in You.

© 2008 Leo Booth 

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A.A. Thought for the Day

I have gotten rid of most of my boredom. One of the hardest things that a new member of A. A. has to understand is how to stay sober and not be bored. Drinking was always the answer to all kinds of boring people or boring situations. But once you have taken up the interest of A.A., once you have given it your time and enthusiasm, boredom should not be a problem to you. A new life opens up before you that can be always interesting. Sobriety should give you so many new interests in life that you shouldn’t have time to be bored. Have I gotten rid of the fear of being bored?

Meditation for the Day

“If I have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.” Charity means to care enough about other people to really want to do something for them. A smile, a word of encouragement, a word of love, goes winged on its way, simple though it may seem, while the mighty words of an orator fall on deaf ears. Use up the odd moments of your day in trying to do some little thing to cheer up another person. Boredom comes from thinking too much about yourself.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my day may be brightened by some little act of charity. I pray that I may try today to overcome the self-centeredness that makes me bored.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation 

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WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrecovery

THE BOREDOM BATTLE

Acceptance and Patience

All of us have times when we don’t enjoy our sobriety as much as we feel we should. Though we’re still grateful, we sometimes feel bored and depressed.

What we have to remember at such times is our bleak history of using alcohol as a quick fix for boredom. However ruinous and false it proved to be, alcohol did temporarily bring the miraculous change we sought.

We thought of alcohol as a means of uplifting our mood. We were very surprised to learn that it’s really a depressant. Maybe it lifted us up by depressing our self-doubt and self-criticism.

Whatever the nature of our drinking, we need to stay sober while fighting our battles with boredom. We can do that by accepting a bit of boredom without succumbing to it. Meanwhile, we can look for ways of easing boredom that don’t get us into trouble or lead back to the bottle.

I’ll not feel guilty or unworthy if boredom strikes me now and then. Today I’ll help manage my long-term boredom tendencies by practicing acceptance and patience for twenty-four hours.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation 

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Today’s Gift #essentialsofrecovery

Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you.

—Madeline Bridges

Sometimes we feel lazy or bored, and then we don’t do our best work. Maybe our writing becomes hard to read, or we miss a porch when delivering newspapers. Perhaps we are daydreaming instead of listening closely to what a friend is trying to tell us. When we are not really paying attention to our activities or the people around us, we’ll likely miss out on something important because we do receive in equal measure what we give. And this truth works in every aspect of our lives.

When we treat our friends, our families, even people we don’t know well with kindness, we’ll experience kindness in return. Our own actions and attitudes toward others are what we can expect from others as well.

How can I increase the kindness in the world today? 

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day #essentialsofrecovery

A.A. Thought For The Day

When an alcoholic is offered a life of sobriety by following the A.A. program, he will look at the prospect of living without alcohol and he will ask: “Am I to be consigned to a life where I shall be stupid, boring and glum, like some of the righteous people I see? I know I must get along without liquor, but how can I? Have you a sufficient substitute?” Have I found a more than sufficient substitute for drinking?

Meditation For The Day

In God’s strength you conquer life. Your conquering power is the grace of God. There can be no complete failure with God. Do you want to make the best of life? Then live as near as possible to God, the Master and Giver of all life. Your regard for depending on God’s strength will be sure. Sometimes the reward will be renewed power to face life, sometimes wrong thinking overcome, sometimes people brought to a new way of living. Whatever success comes will not be all your own doing, but largely the working out of the grace of God.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may try to rely more fully on the grace of God. I pray that I may live a victorious life. 

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Walk In Dry Places #essentialsofrec

What should We accept?
Acceptance

Alcoholics usually have trouble accepting ordinary setbacks and limitations that other people live with all the time. Sometimes it seems much easier to just get drunk than to accept boredom and frustration.

The irony of such behavior is that we then have to accept much more failure as a result of problems created by drinking. Our drinking brings far more pain than it removes.

Learning acceptance in sobriety is part of the growing-up process.  Along with learning to accept things we cannot change, however, we learn there are some things we don’t have to accept. Living sober gives us the power and confidence to make such changes.

I’ll repeat the Serenity Prayer today if I begin to feel disturbed or threatened. I will face life realistically while knowing I have many opportunities for growth and change. 

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Walk in Dry Places #essentialsofrec #Boredom #Acceptance

The Boredom Battle
Acceptance and Patience.


All of us have times when we don=t enjoy our sobriety as much as we feel we should. Thought we’re still grateful, we sometimes feel bored and depressed.
What we have to remember at such times is our bleak history of using alcohol as a quick fix for boredom. However ruinous and false it proved to be, alcohol did temporarily bring the miraculous change we sought.
We thought of alcohol as a means of uplifting our mood. We were very surprised to learn that it’s a really a depressant. Maybe it lifted us up by depressing our self-doubt and self-criticism.
Whatever the nature of our drinking, we need to stay sober while fighting our battles with boredom. We can do that by accepting a bit of boredom without succumbing to it. Meanwhile, we can look for ways of easing boredom that don=t get us into trouble or lead back to the bottle.

I’ll not feel guilty or unworthy if boredom strikes me now and then. Today I’ll help manage my long-term boredom tendencies by practicing acceptance and patience for twenty-four hours. 

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec

Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrec #Boredom #FrLeo

BOREDOM


“Nothing is interesting if you are not interested.”

— Helen MacInnes

There is a subtle distinction between the “dry” alcoholic and the “sober” alcoholic. The sober alcoholic chooses not to drink because he has accepted his alcoholism. The “dry” alcoholic is “not drinking” but is invariably angry and resentful — and he is new expressing these feelings. His abstinence is not exciting because he is not interested in it — he is bored.

The “dry” alcoholic is also boring to be around. Why? Because he is bored. His boredom makes him boring. He really wants to drink. He has stopped drinking for reasons that do not include the acceptance of the disease; he is still a victim of the disease.

Sobriety, by contrast, is an adventure into self. It greets the new day with enthusiasm and energy. Sobriety is the spiritual discovery of God in our lives.

Let me always remember that my interests in life reflect my interest in You.

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TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY #essentialsofrec #Boredom #Recovery

 22
November


A.A. Thought for the Day

I have gotten rid of most of my boredom. One of the hardest things that a new member of A. A. has to understand is how to stay sober and not be bored. Drinking was always the answer to all kinds of boring people or boring situations. But once you have taken up the interest of A.A., once you have given it your time and enthusiasm, boredom should not be a problem to you. A new life opens up before you that can be always interesting. Sobriety should give you so many new interests in life that you shouldn’t have time to be bored. Have I gotten rid of the fear of being bored?

Meditation for the Day

“If I have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.” Charity means to care enough about other people to really want to do something for them. A smile, a word of encouragement, a word of love, goes winged on its way, simple though it may seem, while the mighty words of an orator fall on deaf ears. Use up the odd moments of your day in trying to do some little thing to cheer up another person. Boredom comes from thinking too much about yourself.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my day may be brightened by some little act of charity. I pray that I may try today to overcome the self-centeredness that makes me bored.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

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