Friday, March 27, 2009

A.A.'s FREEDOMS
We trust that we already know what our several freedoms truly are; that no future generation of AAs will ever feel compelled to limit them. Our AA freedoms create the soil in which genuine love can grow. . . .LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 303

I craved freedom. First, freedom to drink; later, freedomfrom drink. The A.A. program of recovery rests on afoundation of free choice. There are no mandates, laws or commandments. A.A.'s spiritual program, as outlined in the Twelve Steps, and by which I am offered even greater FREEDOMS, is only suggested. I can take it or leave it. Sponsorship is offered, not forced, and I come and go as I will. It is these and other freedoms that allow me to recapture the dignity that was crushed by the burden of drink, and which is so dearly needed to support an enduring sobriety.

Most if not all of us who came to AA had no idea how rich our lives would become in helping others. The Gospel talks about keeping things simple and helping our neighbor, etc. etc. It was not till I got to AA and Alanon that I actually got the chance to live the Gospel's message..... and its been one not always easy to live... but certainly worth Living!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

no mas o menos

Ya no Corazonsito
No me digas eso...
Mejor vivir sin el sueno
O dulce beso...

Pero que dices?
No es real...
A tener la aqui...
Nunca cirer igual

Yo por me parte- no puedia hace mas que soy...
Y ella nunca cera menos ....
No derecho tengo
Esperar lo que no puede, y no pretendo.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

What is it to live with suffering?



Suffering is the necessary feeling of evil. If we don’t feel evil we stand antiseptically apart from it, numb. We can’t understand evil by thinking about it. The sin of much of our world is that we stand apart from pain; we buy our way out of the pain of being human.
Jesus did not numb himself or withhold from pain. Suffering is the necessary pain so that we know evil, so that we can name evil and confront it. Otherwise we somehow dance through this world and never really feel what is happening.
Brothers and sisters, the irony is not that God should feel so fiercely; it’s that his creatures feel so feebly. If there is nothing in your life to cry about, if there is nothing in your life to complain about, if there is nothing in your life to yell about, you must be out of touch. We must all feel and know the pain of humanity. The free space that God leads us into is to feel the full spectrum, from great exaltation and joy, to the pain of mourning and dying and suffering. It’s called the
Paschal Mystery.

The totally free person is one who can feel all of it and not be afraid of any of it.
from
Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p. 209, day 218 (Source: Days of Renewal)



Current mantra:Prayer and suffering are the two primary paths of transformation>

Dear Lord... soo many things come to mind... but not much of it is making any sense. Primarily I think of Country's preoccupation with money, money, money... no one wants to feel the fear of being fragile... who wants to admit to that? And what have our Corp gods done to rescue us from this sinking ship?? Well it seems they have taken the life preservers for themselves... and we should not be surprised after all... all goes to Ceasar which is Ceasars... and Let us, although afraid and unsure, give to God what is Gods.....
We are only passing through this place, after all.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

A WAY OUT OF ....

As Bill Sees It" Free Of Dependence,"( p. 63 )

I asked myself, "Why can't the Twelve Steps work to release me from this unbearable depression?" By the hour, I stared at the St.Francis Prayer: ..."It is better to comfort than to be comforted."Suddenly I realized what the answer might be. My basic flaw had always been dependence on people or circumstances to supply me with prestige, security, and confidence. Failing to get these things according to my perfectionists dreams and specifications, I fought for them... And when defeat came, so did my depression....

Reinforced by what GRACE I could find in prayer, I had to exert every ounce of will and action to cut off these faulty emotional dependencies upon people and upon circumstances.

Then only could I be FREE to Love as Francis had loved.-----Grapevine, January 1958


The St Francis Prayer is amazing..... and I'm glad it found its way to A.A. there is an element of "awe" when I hear this Prayer read in an AA meeting... I dunno... its a beautiful intertwining of saints and sinners... and that we might, just might be able to do the right thing for 24 hours... cause thats all we really got.

Winds of March blowing hard today.... and so comes another change of Seasons
...