Milt L. from Cleveland, OH speaking on “Dumb Guy Approach to the 12 Steps” in San Diego, CA – June 21st 1997
Here’s an old saying that has special, strong meaning for us. Simply stated, it is this: Above all other concerns, we must remember that we cannot drink. Not drinking is the first order of business for us, anywhere, any time, under any circumstances. This is strictly a matter of survival for us. We have learned that alcoholism is a killer disease, leading to death in a large number of ways. We prefer not to activate that disease by risking a drink.
Tonight, we talk about First Things First
Cliff R. from Oceanside, CA speaking at Specific Group, Las Vegas, NV June 22nd 2000
It is very important to get plenty of rest when we stop drinking, because the notion of having a drink seems to arrive from nowhere with greater ease when we are tired. Many of us have wondered why we suddenly feel like taking a drink, for no apparent reason. When we examine the situation, time after time we find that we are feeling exhausted and hadn’t realized it.
Chances are, we have used up too much energy and have not had enough rest. Generally, a snack of some kind or a little nap can change our feelings completely, and the idea of a drink vanishes. Even if we can’t fall asleep, just a few minutes of lying down, or relaxing in a chair or a tub, take the edge off the fatigue.
Tonight, we talk about Getting Rest
Cliff R. from Oceanside, CA speaking on the topic of “Principles of Service” at the Stateline Retreat in Primm, NV – December 9th – 12th 2010
On the walls of thousands of A.A. meeting rooms, in any of a variety of languages, this invocation can be seen: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.
A.A. did not originate the Serenity Prayer. Versions of it seem to have been used for centuries in various faiths, and it is now widely current outside A.A., as well as within the Fellowship. Most of us have found these words a wonderful guide in getting sober, staying sober, and enjoying our sobriety. Whether we see the Serenity Prayer as an actual prayer or just as a fervent wish, it offers a simple prescription for a healthy emotional life
Tonight, we talk aboutThe Serenity Prayer
Cliff R. from Oceanside, CA speaking at the Road to Recovery Convention 2002 in Reykjavik, Iceland – September 13th – 15th 2002
When we were first trying to achieve sobriety, many of us found
ourselves taking a drink without planning to. Sometimes, it seemed to happen practically without our knowing it. There was no conscious decision to drink, and there was no real thought about possible consequences. We had not intended to set off an entire drinking
episode.
Now we have learned that simply postponing that first drink, putting something else in its place, provides us with a chance to think about our drinking history, to think about the disease of alcoholism, and to think about the probable results of starting to drink. Fortunately, we can do more than just think about it, and we do. We can contact someone using our smartphone.
Tonight, we talk about Smartphone Therapy
Chris C. from Portland, OR, Gail L. from Akron, OH, Cliff R. from Oceanside, CA and Dick T. from Las Vegas, NV speaking at the Stateline Retreat in Primm, NV – December 9th – 12th 2010
Certain set times, familiar places, and regular activities associated with drinking have been woven closely into the fabric of our lives. Like fatigue, hunger, loneliness, anger, and overelation, these old routines can prove to be traps dangerous to our sobriety.
When we first stopped drinking, many of us found it useful to look back at the habits surrounding our drinking and, whenever possible, to change a lot of the small things connected with drinking.
Tonight, we talk about Changing Old Routines
