Daily Reprieve

From Today’s Daily Reflections;

Day by day, we try to move a little toward God’s perfection. So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt. . . .   (As Bill Sees It, page 15)

When I first discovered that there is not a single “don’t” in the Twelve Steps of A.A., I was disturbed because this discovery swung open a giant portal. Only then was I able to realize what A.A. is for me:

A.A.is not a program of “don’ts,” but of “do’s.”

A.A. is not martial law; it is freedom.
A.A. is not tears over defects, but sweat over fixing them.
A.A. is not penitence; it is salvation.
A.A. is not “Woe to me” for my sins, past and present.
A.A. is “Praise God” for the progress I am making today.

END OF QUOTE

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I looked up the word maudlin because I just never use it and have not heard it used that often.  This was the definition I found:

An adjective meaning self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness.

The symmetry of the logic is appealing.  I do think that statements that indicate that drinking alcohol and isolated selfishness will kill me are implied “don’ts.”  Nothing is said directly become the program is meant to be suggestive only.

I agree with the spirit of today’s contribution.

This entry was posted on May 27, 2014 at 11:53 pm and is filed under Uncategorized with tags Addiction, Alcoholism, Journal, Life, Personal, Recovery, Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.