HOW POWERLESSNESS MAKES ROOM FOR GRACE -“We are not cured … . What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.” (The Big Book, p. 85)
“In his state of complete powerlessness the individual perceives the time he has left to live as a brief reprieve.”
– Theodor Adorno (1903 – 1969) German philosopher
“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING … IS THAT THEY WORK” –
“Our program is
a set of principles
written so simply that
we can follow them in our
daily lives. The most im
portant thing about
them is that they
work.” (The Basic
Text, p. 9)
Featured Comment:::… “One mystery for me is that this is a question of which came first, the chicken or the egg. I need trust in order to convince myself to turn things over to god, but in order to trust, I need proof that if I let go, whatever it is isn’t going to go to complete crap. And my life wasn’t great, but it wasn’t complete crap before either. So I’m learning to just let go of things I have no control over anyway. But the things I’m managing quite well I will continue to do so.” – Adam
“A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity.” – Robert Hall (1764 – 1831) British clergyman (on friendships including w/ an addict)
“The exodus
from Egypt occurs
in every human being,
in every era, in every
year, and in every
day.”
– Rabbi Nachman Breslov (1772 – 1810) Ukrainian Rabbi who revived the Hasidic movement
“All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals– usually brief–were inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization.” “Over any considerable period, we get worse, never better.” (The Big Book, p. 30)
Today’s
“When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it.” – Bernard Bailey (1916 – 1996) U.S. comic book founding-father
HAPPY, SLAPPY JOY & FUN CAN BE CONTAGIOUS – “… we are not a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn’t, want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life.” (Life with Hope, p. 162)
OUR SPIRITUAL WEALTH RESERVOIR OVERFLOWS FREELY –
“By helping others
to stay clean, we enjoy
the benefit of the spiritual
wealth that we have found.
We must give freely and
gratefully that which has
been freely and grate-
fully given to us.”
(The Basic Text,
p. 49)
“Never expose yourself unnecessarily to danger; a miracle may not save you … and if it does, it will be deducted from your share of luck or merit.” – The Talmud (c. 500 CE) Judaism’s basic text
Today’s SFZ