Well stated Jim, sorry it took me so long to read it. I can see that
it's been really busy on this website. You reminded me of my trip. I
recently went to Pa to house,ferret,cat and dog sit for my daughter,
( a sober gift) when one night I noticed the wine in the fridge. My
AA teaching rattled in my brain. GO TO A MEETING! I looked up
meetings in the area, used a google map and NO Excuses. It was so
good to feel at home, I am thinking of moving. NO BS or bananas
here. 21yrs coming up soon. Boy after the first, it goes by too
quick. Now it's to many meetings, so little time! Thanks for the
reminders. God Bless, Sally B.

--- In We_Have_Recovered@yahoogroups.com, "Jim K." <jknyc@...> wrote:
>
> Sitting in many meetings today it is apparent that some of our
> members think that obsessive and repetitive behaviors are the basis
> for recovery in AA. Here are some of the things that I've heard
many
> people do in the name of "my program":
>
> - Call a sponsor every day - often at the same time each day.
>
> - Attend a meeting every day.
>
> - Read specific passages in various books each day.
>
> - Do the next "right thing".
>
> - Avoid every situation where there may be drinking.
>
> - Take routes which avoid bars or liquor stores.
>
> - Choose each day not to drink.
>
> - Avoid being hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
>
> Each of these are fundamentally good acts but and can be beneficial
> but do we sometimes put too much faith in what become empty and
> meaningless acts? Are we, at times, employing a human solution to a
> spiritual problem? Are the actions we take rooted in fear rather
> than faith?
>
> Aside from daily prayer, meditation and self-examination there is
> nothing I would say that I do on a daily basis regarding staying in
> fit spiritual condition.
>
> - Calling a sponsor each day? In the beginning I probably mastered
> this for a week and found it more beneficial to see him at meetings
> instead.
>
> - Attending meetings each day? I did for much of my first year. But
> then it occured to me - what if there were no meetings to attend?
> What would I do then? I began to build my house on a rock instead.
I
> go 3 times a week or so today.
>
> - Specific passages each day? I have a daily read but can be placed
> in a position to miss it from time to time - business travel, etc.
> Haven't gotten drunk because of it...
>
> - Do the next right thing? I try to pray for the knowledge of God's
> will for me and the power to carry that out. But I needed to go
> through the 12 steps first before I developed enough of a
conscience
> to know what the "next right thing" was.
>
> - Avoiding situations where there may be drinking? Take routes to
> void bars and liquor stores? Assuming I am spiritually fit...I can
> do anything and go anywhere if my motives are pure. Drinking is all
> around me in the business world and holds no interest to me.
>
> - Choose each day not to drink? When did I ever get the power of
> choice in drink? Still don't have it after 27 years. I am still
> powerless, my life is still unmanageable - by me! My life is great,
> I have a Manager and my choice today is to remain in fit spiritual
> condition - the drink question then takes care of itself!
>
> - H. A. L. T. - Yet another good idea but, and here's the rub, if I
> am hungry, angry, lonely or tired it still does not excuse my
> behavior.
>
> So to be superstitious and believe that slipping on a banana peel
> and falling into a gin mill and getting drunk out of the blue is to
> believe in a human solution to this spiritual malady.
>
> Stepping on banana peels and nary a "slip"-
>
> Jim - Recovered!
>