Don G. Dinsdale Loc: El Cajon, CA (San Diego County)

Being Sober/Clean Isn't Just Not Using: It's Not Being "Bitchy", or Overeating, or Smoking or Other Harmful Behaviors, It's Finding God or Higher Power To Learn Direction From... Don D.

I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. ---- Winston Churchill

We are used to learning the hard way. Many of us think we're so different that we can do things our own way. But then we get into too much trouble & pain. The first A.A. members were just like us. They knew how much they hated being told what to do. They may have been the first to discover : " You can always tell an alcoholic ; ....... but you can't tell him much !! "

And so, they ' suggested ' we follow the Twelve Steps. They didn't say that we 'must ' do anything. And they didn't say working the Steps is the only way to get sober & then live sober. They just said the Steps worked for them. " If you want what we have, & are willing to go to any length to get it "....... this is how you will get, what we have got.

Today we find that the Steps work just as well for us too. IF ...... ( IF being the key word ) ...... IF WE WORK THEM, ....... & THEN CONTINUE TO USE THEM. But we don't have to work them. We don't have to get sober & then stay sober. We can return to the madness of using at any time. We just like our new sober life better than our old drinking or drugging life. It seems as though " we've found an easier softer way " through life. And we're learning how to live this new life by using the Steps, & taking life as it comes, "one day at a time."

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me be open to your teaching lessons. Teach me gently. Help me to listen & learn.

Action for the Day

I will list five ways that I get in the way of my own learning.