Today’s Gift. May 21 2026

Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies. . . . –Erich Fromm
A robin comes alive by breaking out of its shell. The small bird struggles to break out of the safety of the blue egg. Once out, it struggles to grow, slowly learning how to eat, walk, and fly.

We, too, struggle as we grow. There is brokenness in all of our lives–broken hearts and broken dreams. Yet these experiences open our way to a world of growing. We find comfort in the presence of a Power greater than ourselves, in the same way a baby bird finds warmth near the body of its mother. We, too, can grow stronger every day, learning to take in nourishment and trying out our new wings.


What struggles have made me as strong as I am today?

Daily Tao / 130 – Struggle - May 10 2026

Life acquires meaning
When we face the conflict
Between our desires
And reality.



We all have differing personalities vying for predominance in our lives. Some come out at just the right moment. At other times, our aspirations and our fondest hopes find little support in our environment. Only a few can truly say that they are living their lives exactly according to their desires. For the majority of us, life is a series of conflicts between our inner ideas and outer constrictions. How will we test ourselves against the flexing of external circumstances?

Goals are important. Forbearance is also important. But the very process of struggle is equally essential. Rice must undergo the hardship of pounding in order to become white. Steel must endure the forge in order to become strong. Adversity is the tempering of one’s mettle. Without it, we cannot know any true meaning in our accomplishments. Of course, when things happen without struggle, it does not mean that we did not deserve it.

A musician may compose a brilliant piece in an afternoon. An artist will dash off a masterpiece in a single sitting. A writer will write significant passages as if they were dictated. Each might say, “It happened so fast!” But in reality, it took all of them years of dedication and struggle to come to that moment of climax. Thus even the virtuoso performance is the tip of a lifetime of struggle, and the gem of meaning is set in the metal of long perseverance.

A Day At A Time - May 1 2026

Reflection For The Day

For those of us who have lost our faith, or who have always had to struggle along without it, it’s often helpful just to accept — blindly and with no reservations. It’s not necessary for us to believe at first; we need not be convinced. If we can only accept, we find ourselves becoming gradually aware of a force for good that’s always there to help us. Have I taken the way of faith?

Today I Pray

May I abandon my need to know the why’s and wherefore’s of my trust in a Higher Power. May I not intellectualize about faith, since by its nature it precludes analysis. May I know that “head-tripping” was a symptom of my disease, as I strung together — cleverly, I thought — alibi upon excuse upon rationale. May I learn acceptance, and faith will follow.

Today I Will Remember

Faith follows Acceptance.

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 15 2026

Work for justice. Struggle for forgiveness.
Choose love.

~ Patricia Benson ~

Justice, forgiveness, and love sound far loftier than they are. Developing these qualities requires only that we live as we think God wants us to live. It’s as simple as that. Admittedly, when we have wanted to punish a significant person in our lives, we have often preferred “justifiable” anger or resentment over love. However, the emotional hangover that has followed the expression of our outrage has diminished any pleasure we might have gained.

Our inclination to forgive other people and our-selves, coupled with our decision to love rather than punish those who irritate us, seems to grow daily. Our changed perspective comes from our willingness to grow in recovery. We can be as peace-filled and as loving as we want. We’re in charge!

I will stay in control of who I am today. I can fulfill God’s wishes.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrecovery

NO MORE STRUGGLE. . .

And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone— even alcohol.

~ ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84 ~

When A.A. found me, I thought I was in for a struggle, and that A.A. might provide the strength I needed to beat alcohol. Victorious in that fight, who knows what other battles I could win. I would need to be strong, though. All my previous experience with life proved that. Today I do not have to struggle or exert my will. If I take those Twelve Steps and let my Higher Power do the real work, my alcohol problem disappears all by itself. My living problems also cease to be struggles. I just have to ask whether acceptance—or change—is required. It is not my will, but His, that needs doing.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc 

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A WOMAN’S SPIRIT #essentialsofrecovery

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other.

~ George Eliot 

Always seeing our struggles as the fault of others is a good indication that we need an attitude adjustment. There is no better place to get one than in this program of recovery. The women around us and the Steps that guide us can help us discover the joy of cultivating a new attitude.

Trying to determine the grand purpose of our lives can be overwhelming and anxiety-provoking. As alcoholics, we gravitate toward complicating the simple. That’s why one of our slogans is “Keep it simple.” We can apply this to all our relationships. Asking ourselves what we can do to help someone else, at every opportunity, defines our purpose in life quite clearly. Moment by moment, we’ll never doubt what to do next.

My purpose is to help someone else today. If I think someone is causing me a problem, perhaps I should address my attitude.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

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A WOMAN’S SPIRIT #essentialsofrec #Truth #Struggle

There are many realities. We should remember this when we get too caught up in being concerned about the way the rest of the world lives or how we think they live.

~ Natalie Goldberg ~

One of the most elusive truths we’ll ever struggle to grasp is that everyone has a unique perspective about every circumstance, a perspective that reflects a personal understanding of the universe. We never doubt that truth for ourselves, of course. We simply fail to acknowledge that it’s true for everyone else too.

There are times we can’t shake the need to be right; our egos seem to depend on it. Unfortunately, we can’t maintain any real peacefulness if we are always in conflict with others who have their own viewpoints. Winning the “battle” then becomes a painful victory. Believing in valid, separate realities is only difficult at first. But like any other opinion or attitude, it can become habit with enough practice. We have nothing to lose by giving it a try.

I don’t need everyone to agree with me today. I only think I do.
© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

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DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #AA #Struggle

NO MORE STRUGGLE. . .

And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone— even alcohol.

~ ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84 ~

When A.A. found me, I thought I was in for a struggle, and that A.A. might provide the strength I needed to beat alcohol. Victorious in that fight, who knows what other battles I could win. I would need to be strong, though. All my previous experience with life proved that. Today I do not have to struggle or exert my will. If I take those Twelve Steps and let my Higher Power do the real work, my alcohol problem disappears all by itself. My living problems also cease to be struggles. I just have to ask whether acceptance—or change—is required. It is not my will, but His, that needs doing.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

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AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX #essentialsoffrec #Recovery #Prayer

PRIMING THE PUMP

An understanding faith is the life of prayer. It is a great mistake, however, to struggle to produce a lively faith within yourself. That can only end in failure. The thing to do is to act as though you had faith. Act out what you wish to demonstrate, and you will be expressing true faith. This is the right use of the will, scientifically understood.

Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done (Matthew 21:21).

This statement of Jesus is perhaps the most tremendous spiritual pronouncement ever made, Jesus knew the law of faith, and proved it many times. We shall move mountains when we are willing to believe we can, and then not only will mountains be moved, but the whole planet will be redeemed and re-formed according to the Pattern in the Mount.

© 1931 by Emmet Fox

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A WOMAN’S SPIRIT #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Adjustment

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other.

~ George Eliot 

Always seeing our struggles as the fault of others is a good indication that we need an attitude adjustment. There is no better place to get one than in this program of recovery. The women around us and the Steps that guide us can help us discover the joy of cultivating a new attitude.

Trying to determine the grand purpose of our lives can be overwhelming and anxiety-provoking. As alcoholics, we gravitate toward complicating the simple. That’s why one of our slogans is “Keep it simple.” We can apply this to all our relationships. Asking ourselves what we can do to help someone else, at every opportunity, defines our purpose in life quite clearly. Moment by moment, we’ll never doubt what to do next.

My purpose is to help someone else today. If I think someone is causing me a problem, perhaps I should address my attitude.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

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Elder’s Meditation of the Day

“Telling about our lives is important for those who come after as, for those who will see our experience as part of their own historical struggle.”

–Linda Hogan, CHICKASAW

How important it is for us to support one another? How important it is for us to know our culture and to share our experiences with one another? How powerful it is to be authentic? How important it is to hold no secrets? I am as sick as my secrets.

Grandfather, allow me today to be willing to share with my brother and sister. Let my eyes see You in their eyes. Let me not judge them but only love them. Grandfather, help me, for I am Your humble servant.   

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Daily Tao / 130 - STRUGGLE #essentialsofrecovery

Life acquires meaning

When we face the conflict

Between our desires

And reality.

We all have differing personalities vying for predominance in our lives. Some come out at just the right moment. At other times, our aspirations and our fondest hopes find little support in our environment. Only a few can truly say that they are living their lives exactly according to their desires. For the majority of us, life is a series of conflicts between our inner ideas and outer constrictions. How will we test ourselves against the flexing of external circumstances?

Goals are important. Forbearance is also important. But the very process of struggle is equally essential. Rice must undergo the hardship of pounding in order to become white. Steel must endure the forge in order to become strong. Adversity is the tempering of one's mettle. Without it, we cannot know any true meaning in our accomplishments. Of course, when things happen without struggle, it does not mean that we did not deserve it.

A musician may compose a brilliant piece in an afternoon. An artist will dash off a masterpiece in a single sitting. A writer will write significant passages as if they were dictated. Each might say, "It happened so fast!" But in reality, it took all of them years of dedication and struggle to come to that moment of climax. Thus even the virtuoso performance is the tip of a lifetime of struggle, and the gem of meaning is set in the metal of long perseverance.

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

Daily Reflections #essentialsofrecovery

NO MORE STRUGGLE

And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone — even alcohol. –ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84

When A.A. found me, I thought I was in for a struggle, and that A.A. might provide the strength I needed to beat alcohol. Victorious in that fight, who knows what other battles I could win. I would need to be strong, though. All my previous experience with life provided that. Today I do not have to struggle or exert my will. If I take those Twelve Steps and let my Higher Power do the real work, my alcohol problem disappears all by itself. My living problems also cease to be struggles. I just have to ask whether acceptance — or change — is required. It is not my will, but His, that needs doing.

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A Day At A Time #essentialsofrecovery

Reflection For The Day

We’re often told that alcoholics and other addictive persons are perfectionists, impatient about any shortcomings — especially our own.  We tend to set impossible goals for ourselves, struggling fiercely  to reach our unattainable ideals.  Then, of course — since no person could possibly meet the extremely high standards we demand of ourselves — we find ourselves falling short.  Discouragement and depression set in;  we angrily punish ourselves for being less than superhuman.  The next time around, rather than setting more realistic goals, we set them even higher.  And we fall farther, then punish ourselves more severely.  Isn’t it about time I stopped setting unattainable goals for myself?

Today I Pray

May God temper my own image of myself as a super-person.  May I settle for less than perfection from myself, as well las from others.  For only God is perfect, and I am limited by being human.

Today I Will Remember

I am not God;  I am only human. 

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Elder’s Meditation of the Day #essentialsofrecovery

“The Elders say that if you want something good, you have to suffer for it.”

–Chuck Ross, LAKOTA

People sometimes have a misconception of sacrifice.  This is a strong word for Indian people.  On the other side of sacrifice is another whole world.  During sacrifice, our beliefs are tested.  We may all have good beliefs but if you test a good belief, then you get real beliefs.  Real beliefs make new people; real beliefs make new self images.  Real beliefs allow determination and desires and faith to come true.  Good is always available to us but we often can’t bring it within until we let go of the old ways. We let go of the old ways by suffering.   Suffering is only letting go of things that don’t work anymore.  On the other side of suffering is a new world.

Creator, help me to let go of old ways.  Let my old thoughts and beliefs be abandoned.  Every change is preceded by struggle.  Help me go through the struggle today. 

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One Day At A Time #essentialsofrec #OA

STRUGGLE

“Our way is not soft grass, it’s a mountain path with lots of rocks. But it goes upward, forward,toward the sun.” 

~ Ruth Westheimer

I’ve been in a Twelve Step program for a while now. When I look back, I sometimes think how easy the journey has been to find the peace, serenity and love I’ve been given — thanks to the program. I brought a lot of denial with me when I joined the program, and apparently I’m still in some denial. I’m so grateful to be where I am today that I have forgotten the struggles I’ve faced to get here.

No wonder some newcomers look at longtimers and think they’ll never be able to get there! When I stretch my memory, I remember running headlong into the Fourth Step and thinking it the scariest thing I’d ever faced in my life. I know that first one was traumatic–holding my pencil to do it, getting the first page down, and admitting so many things that had been shaming me for decades. I usually don’t think about that today. Now I know firsthand the cleansing of a good Fourth Step and I look forward to them as I peel the onion and find more defects.

When I look back over my journey, I can remember sitting in an emergency room using the slogan “One Day at a Time” for the first time. I changed “one day” to “five minutes” because it was all I could handle. But it got me through that day and the next two days. A few years ago I read that the slogans are the handrails to the Steps. I wish I’d known that before. For me to use that slogan when I did was an act of faith ~ and at the time my faith was shaky. After having proved to my satisfaction that there is a Higher Power out there who wants the best for me, I have faith now. Maybe this is why I look back on my journey and have a hard time finding the struggles. Maybe it’s my new attitude of gratitude that keeps me looking to the positive rather than the negative. Whatever the reason, I’d like to say that
I struggled in the program, but it was worth it.

One day at a time…

I will remember to turn to the program to help maintain my peace and serenity,especially through the bad times.

~ Rhonda

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Just For Today #essentialsofrec #NA

Walls

“Reaching out is the beginning of the struggle that will set us free. It will break down the walls that imprison us.”
Basic Text, p.80

Many of us came to NA emotionally shattered. Years of using people and allowing them to use us had taken their toll on our ability to trust anyone, ourselves included. But the love and acceptance we found in Narcotics Anonymous encouraged us to reach out and get close to others.

The longer we stayed clean, the more we began to long for greater intimacy with our loved ones. We began reaching out in deeper, more meaningful ways, even though we might get hurt. Despite our fears of rejection, we decided to risk revealing ourselves, our beliefs, and our needs. We decided to let down our defensive walls.

The freedom we’ve found has been worth the risk involved. We know there is still work to do before we will be completely free of the barriers built by years of active addiction. But by reaching out to other addicts and allowing them to reach out to us, despite our human failings, we have come to know that we have a great capacity for love and intimacy. When set free of their restraining walls, our hearts hold great power.

Just for today: I will let down my personal walls and reach out to others. I will allow my heart the freedom to love and be loved.

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Keep It Simple #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Solution #Faith

14
August


There are time we must grab God’s and walk forward.

— Anonymous

Sometimes we struggle with being part of the problem, instead of being part of the solution.

Inside we know this, but somehow we can’t Let Go and Let God.

To let go takes faith that the outcome will be okay. When we have faith, we know our Higher Power believes in us and will guide us. When we have faith, we believe in ourselves.

When we let go, we let go of our need to always be right. Letting go first takes place on the inside. Letting go allows us to change how we view what’s happening. Often, all we really need is this change of attitude. This is the beauty of faith: it allows us to see the same thing in different Ways.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, permit me to let go. Let me see that believing in You must also mean believing in myself.

Action for the Day: I will review my life since entering the Twelve Step program. I will work at seeing what good partners my Higher Power and I make.

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One Day At A Time #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Suffering #Behaviour

 6
July

SUFFERING


“The desire to stop suffering is not the same thing as the desire to stop the behavior we are doing which causes us to suffer.”

–Dr. James Golden

Our disease of addiction causes tremendous suffering to ourselves and to those around us. It consumes our lives and often leads to painful losses. No matter how profoundly we long to be rid of our disease, recovery is not something that falls into our laps just because we want it. We don’t magically stop being compulsive eaters just because that’s our desire. It would be great if recovery happened magically and all we’d have to do is say, “I don’t want this disease any more; I don’t want to suffer any longer.” If it were that easy, we’d immediately find ourselves in a place of complete and total recovery. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

In the depths of my disease I cried out to the God of my understanding to help me achieve abstinence and an alleviation of my suffering. What was the answer to my prayers? This wonderful Twelve Step program.

One of the first things I learned was that I could wish and hope and pray, but until I put feet to my prayers and actually started working the Steps, I wouldn’t recover from my disease. God will only do for us what He can do through us. If I’m not willing to do even a little bit of the work, I shouldn’t expect recovery. If I won’t take the first step on this journey, I can’t expect to reach my final destination. I can do some things for myself — like putting the Steps into practice — but what about the things I can’t do for myself? I’ll let God handle those.

One day at a time…
I’ll remember that it’s not enough to want to stop suffering from my disease; I also need to do some footwork to make it happen.

~ Jeff

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One Day At A Time #essentialsofrec #Struggle #Recovery #OA

20
June 

STRUGGLE

“Our way is not soft grass, it’s a mountain path with lots of rocks. But it goes upward, forward,toward the sun.”

–Ruth Westheimer

I’ve been in a Twelve Step program for a while now. When I look back, I sometimes think how easy the journey has been to find the peace, serenity and love I’ve been given — thanks to the program. I brought a lot of denial with me when I joined the program, and apparently I’m still in some denial. I’m so grateful to be where I am today that I have forgotten the struggles I’ve faced to get here.

No wonder some newcomers look at longtimers and think they’ll never be able to get there! When I stretch my memory, I remember running headlong into the Fourth Step and thinking it the scariest thing I’d ever faced in my life. I know that first one was traumatic–holding my pencil to do it, getting the first page down, and admitting so many things that had been shaming me for decades. I usually don’t think about that today. Now I know firsthand the cleansing of a good Fourth Step and I look forward to them as I peel the onion and find more defects.

When I look back over my journey, I can remember sitting in an emergency room using the slogan “One Day at a Time” for the first time. I changed “one day” to “five minutes” because it was all I could handle. But it got me through that day and the next two days. A few years ago I read that the slogans are the handrails to the Steps. I wish I’d known that before. For me to use that slogan when I did was an act of faith ~ and at the time my faith was shaky. After having proved to my satisfaction that there is a Higher Power out there who wants the best for me, I have faith now. Maybe this is why I look back on my journey and have a hard time finding the struggles. Maybe it’s my new attitude of gratitude that keeps me looking to the positive rather than the negative. Whatever the reason, I’d like to say that
I struggled in the program, but it was worth it.

One day at a time…
I will remember to turn to the program to help maintain my peace and serenity,especially through the bad times.

~ Rhonda

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