Thursday, June 23, 2016

Foundation For Progress

           The "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous states, "the idea that somehow, someday, the alcoholic will control their drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker.  The persistence of this illusion is astonishing.  Many pursue it to the gates of insanity and death.  We learned, some of us through relapse, that we had to fully concede to our innermost self that we are alcoholic...The delusion that we are like other people has to be smashed."
           We learned through the program of Alcoholics Anonymous that we must admit we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable. We must concede to our innermost self that we are alcoholic and, yes, we must admit complete defeat. Once we have done this we have THE FOUNDATION FOR PROGRESS, in the actual program of Alcoholics Anonymous, upon which we can build a real and honest life.  This life of pure contribution allows us to be who we were created to  be, thus restoring our self-esteem and allowing others to be themselves around us without any judgement on our part.  Our real and honest life will be ours to live, measured in and by the love we give away.

Written by Armand

3 comments:

  1. As an alcoholic in full possession of both the symptom and the disease, my life, regardless of any achievements or accomplishments, had no real meaning to me. Strangely and sadly, I meant more to others than I did to myself. That, to me, is as basic as the problem can be. I was foundation-less. Many years later and through the incorporation of All Twelve Steps into my life, I've become a person living life aided versus unaided. The Presence of The Power Within me and the yearning - not just the willingness - to rely on The Power has given me a stylus for co-designing a life of action and peace. A life as it was meant to be lived within a life that was meant to be. While others have received the benefit of this transformation, the most certain recipient of The Gift is me. Giving it away - its ultimate purpose - has provided an unshakeable foundation for living The Gift.

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  2. Armand, I really appreciate your emphasis on honesty and authenticity, two important aspects of caring for our souls.

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  3. Spiritual Being thank you so much for that...Armand

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