Take The Cotton Out Of Your Ears! AND – Put It In Your Mouth!
There are a lot of old phrases that meant quite a bit to folks like me that I rarely hear anymore. This is one of them.
Do you take offense to such a saying? If you do, the odds are good that you’re early in sodryety. An oldtimer explained it to me;
You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Everything you know about staying sober is on the first page of the Big Book, therefore when you open your mouth (at days, weeks, or months dry, …read more

That’s right! By telling on his/her disease and being truthful, the oldtimer manipulated the topic at yesterday’s meeting…
You were given cause to think, develop an answer based in the Twelve Steps, and respond accordingly. Did you?
Or, did you believe that the oldtimer was okay, didn’t truly need your help, wasn’t looking for an answer that would not only help him/her but others as well?
Or, did you make one up because you really had no idea what to say but needed to be heard anyway?
What do you think about this?
“How I work my program is none of anyone’s business!!! How anyone …read more

At the beginning of Step Four we found that “Creation gave us instincts for a purpose. Without them we wouldn’t be complete human beings.” Now, at the beginning of Step Five we’re told;
“All of A.A.’s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our natural desires… they all deflate our egos. When it comes to ego deflation, few steps are harder to take than Five. But scarcely any Step is more necessary to longtime sobriety and peace of mind than this one.”
Today, I’d very much like to offer my thanks to Sean A. from L.A., who said this on a …read more

Why do I have to admit the exact nature of my wrongs to another human being?
Page 72:
“The best reason first: If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking. Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. Trying to avoid this humbling experience, they have turned to easier methods. Almost invariably they got drunk. Having persevered with the rest of the program, they wondered why they fell. We think the reason is that they never completed their housecleaning. They took inventory all right, but hung on to some of the worst …read more

From the book “Back To Basics” (though I’m certain these definitions might be found anywhere…)
To be used as a guide for a Fourth Step – Liabilities and their definitions.
Resentment – “When we are angry or bitter toward someone for an extended period of time over some real or imagined insult, we are feeling resentment. It is a hostile or indignant attitude in response to an alleged affront or personal injury.”
False Pride – “is either feeling better than or less than someone else. Feelings of superiority include prejudice about race, education or religious beliefs, and sarcasm – putting someone else down …read more

Wow. That’s not all I have to say either… but… wow!
I am absolutely amazed this morning as a direct result of last night. Perhaps there is a small condo being erected in my gray matter
Having been given the opportunity to chair our group’s discussion meeting last night along with some time to consider a topic, I couldn’t decide between bringing up pride or tolerance. I chose pride. Wow…