DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrecovery

TRUSTED SERVANTS

They are servants. Theirs is the sometimes thankless privilege of doing the group’s chores

~ TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 134 ~

In Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis describes an encounter between his principal character and an old man busily at work planting a tree. “What is it you are doing?” Zorba asks. The old man replies: “You can see very well what I’m doing, my son, I’m planting a tree.” “But why plant a tree,” Zorba asks, “if you won’t be able to see it bear fruit?” And the old man answers: “I, my son, live as though I were never going to die.” The response brings a faint smile to Zorba’s lips and, as he walks away, he exclaims with a note of irony: “How strange—I live as though I were going to die tomorrow!”

As a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have found that the Third Legacy is a fertile soil in which to plant the tree of my sobriety. The fruits I harvest are wonderful: peace, security, understanding and twenty-four hours of eternal fulfillment; and with the soundness of mind to listen to the voice of my conscience when, in silence, it gently speaks to me, saying: You must let go in service. There are others who must plant and harvest.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc 

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DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #servants

TRUSTED SERVANTS

They are servants. Theirs is the sometimes thankless privilege of doing the group’s chores

~ TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 134 ~

In Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis describes an encounter between his principal character and an old man busily at work planting a tree. “What is it you are doing?” Zorba asks. The old man replies: “You can see very well what I’m doing, my son, I’m planting a tree.” “But why plant a tree,” Zorba asks, “if you won’t be able to see it bear fruit?” And the old man answers: “I, my son, live as though I were never going to die.” The response brings a faint smile to Zorba’s lips and, as he walks away, he exclaims with a note of irony: “How strange—I live as though I were going to die tomorrow!”

As a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have found that the Third Legacy is a fertile soil in which to plant the tree of my sobriety. The fruits I harvest are wonderful: peace, security, understanding and twenty-four hours of eternal fulfillment; and with the soundness of mind to listen to the voice of my conscience when, in silence, it gently speaks to me, saying: You must let go in service. There are others who must plant and harvest.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

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Daily Reflections #essentialsofrecovery

TRUSTED SERVANTS

They are servants. Theirs is the sometimes thankless privilege of doing the group’s chores.

 –TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 134

In Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis describes an encounter between his principle character and an old man busily at work planting a tree. “What is it that you are doing?” Zorba asks. The old man replies: “You can see very well what I am doing, my son, I’m planting a tree.” “But why plant a tree,” Zorba asks, “if you won’t be able to see it bear fruit?” And the old man answers: “I, my son, live as though I were never going to die.” The response brings a faint smile to Zorba’s lips and, as he walks away, he exclaims with a note of irony: “How strange — I live as though I were going to die tomorrow!”

As a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have found that the Third Legacy is a fertile soil in which to plant the tree of my sobriety. The fruits I harvest are wonderful: peace, security, understanding and twenty-four hours of eternal fulfilment; and with the soundness of mind to listen to the voice of my conscience when, in silence, it gently speaks to me, saying: You must let go in service. There are others who must plant the harvest.

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EASY DOES IT #essentialsofrecovery

SERVANTS

A servant who made service seem divine.

~ Longfellow ~

The recognition of the fact that we have servants to make growth possible is one of the first great discoveries that developed when we joined a 12-Step Group. These servants are as genuine as the sense of love that makes us truly sharing and caring people. Without the emotional servants that make possible changes in attitudes, we could never reach a new style in living. These servants are positive and active.

If the first thing we hear when we reach for recovery is “let us love you until you can learn to love yourself,” the second may well be, “honesty begins within your own self.” We recognize a long list or helping hands that join in steering us toward a comfortable recovery. These hands join in helping us find the way toward that wonderful destination.

My servants are the tools I find when I enter my Program. Some of them are called gratitude, perseverance, vigilance, belief, humility, tolerance, and acceptance. I must count the many, many more.

©1990 by Anonymous, Published by Hazelden

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As Bill Sees It #essentialsofrecovery

Servant, Not Master, p.259

In A.A., we found that it did not matter too much what our material condition was, but it mattered greatly what our spiritual condition was. As we improved our spiritual outlook, money gradually became our servant and not our master. It became a means of exchanging love and services with those about us.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

One of A.A.’s Loners is an Austrian sheepman who lives two thousand miles from the nearest town, where yearly he sells his wool. In order to be paid the best prices he has to get to town during a certain month. But when he heard that a big regional A.A. meeting was to be held at a later date when wool prices would have fallen, he gladly took heavy financial loss in order to make his journey then. That’s how much an A.A. meeting means to him.

1. 12 & 12, p.122
2. A.A. Comes Of Age, p.31 

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day #essentialsofrec #Reccovery #Service

 29
September
A.A. Thought For The Day

Having got this far, shall we pause and ask ourselves some searching questions? We need to check up on ourselves periodically. Just how good an A.A. am I? Am I attending meetings regularly? Am I doing my share to carry the load? When there is something to be done, do I volunteer? Do I speak at meetings when asked, no matter how nervous I am? Do I accept each opportunity to do twelfth-step work as a challenge? Do I give freely of my time and money? Am I trying to spread A.A. wherever I go? Is my daily life a demonstration of A.A. principles? Am I a good A.A.?

Meditation For The Day

How do I get strength to be effective and to accept responsibility? By asking the Higher Power for the strength I need each day. It has been proved in countless lives that for every day I live the necessary power shall be given me. I must face each challenge that comes to me during the day, sure that God will give me the strength to face it. For every task that is given me, there is also given me all the power necessary for the performance of that task. I do not need to hold back.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may accept every task as a challenge. I know I cannot wholly fail if God is with me.

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As Bill Sees It #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Servants

17
September 

Servant, Not Master, p.259

In A.A., we found that it did not matter too much what our material condition was, but it mattered greatly what our spiritual condition was. As we improved our spiritual outlook, money gradually became our servant and not our master. It became a means of exchanging love and services with those about us.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

One of A.A.’s Loners is an Austrian sheepman who lives two thousand miles from the nearest town, where yearly he sells his wool. In order to be paid the best prices he has to get to town during a certain month. But when he heard that a big regional A.A. meeting was to be held at a later date when wool prices would have fallen, he gladly took heavy financial loss in order to make his journey then. That’s how much an A.A. meeting means to him.

1. 12 & 12, p.122


2. A.A. Comes Of Age, p.31

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As Bill Sees It #essentialsofrec #Alcoholism #Recovery #Step12

11
July 

Carrying the Message, p. 192

The wonderful energy the Twelfth Step releases, by which it carries our message to the next suffering alcoholic and finally translates the Twelve Steps into action upon all our affairs, is the payoff, the magnificent reality of A.A.

********************************

Never talk down to an alcoholic from any moral or spiritual hilltop; simply lay out the kit of spiritual tools for his inspection. Show him how they worked with you. Offer him friendship and fellowship.

1. 12 & 12, p. 109
2. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 95

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Step by Step #essentialsofrec #Program #StepByStep

17
June

“Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with these motives and God will keep you unharmed.”

 – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 7 (“Working With Others”), p 102.

The Program’s marching orders.

Today, how willing am I to set out with the Program’s message when called upon? Am I willing to sacrifice a quiet night at home after a rough work day if I get a call to go to the home of someone still drinking? Am I willing to drive to the opposite end of the state to get someone admitted to a treatment center or hospital? Am I willing to pop for the check to feed someone who’s been on a days-long drunk without eating? Am I willing to shelter the homeless sufferer one night before I can get him to doctor? Am I willing to talk to someone still drinking and put myself in his shoes, remembering I was once where he is now? Can I listen and advise without moral judgments or scare him away with benefits of the Program when those payoffs are too far away from him? If called upon to do anything that carries the message, like subbing at the last minute for a pre-scheduled meeting speaker who didn’t show, will I step up? If any of my answers is “no,” I have let the Program, myself and my co-alcoholics down, and I have neglected my responsibility to carry the message and give back what I have received. Today, let me prioritize the command to carry the message if the request conflicts with anything else. Let me remember that I once was the one in desperate need. And our common journey continues.

 Step by step. – Chris M.

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29
March

TRUSTED SERVANTS

They are servants. Theirs is the sometimes thankless privilege of doing the group’s chores.

 –TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 134

In Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis describes an encounter between his principle character and an old man busily at work planting a tree. “What is it that you are doing?” Zorba asks. The old man replies: “You can see very well what I am doing, my son, I’m planting a tree.” “But why plant a tree,” Zorba asks, “if you won’t be able to see it bear fruit?” And the old man answers: “I, my son, live as though I were never going to die.” The response brings a faint smile to Zorba’s lips and, as he walks away, he exclaims with a note of irony: “How strange — I live as though I were going to die tomorrow!”

As a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have found that the Third Legacy is a fertile soil in which to plant the tree of my sobriety. The fruits I harvest are wonderful: peace, security, understanding and twenty-four hours of eternal fulfillment; and with the soundness of mind to listen to the voice of my conscience when, in silence, it gently speaks to me, saying: You must let go in service. There are others who must plant the harvest.

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?