A couple of things were brought up today in our meeting. One was the Serenity Prayer a number of times in here, and the Fifth Tradition. Both of these are favorites of mine, as I know they are with others I have known in time.
Definitely the Serenity Prayer has rescued me from a lot of problems I once faced regularly. My wanting to fix things I know I should leave alone, but my ego would want to take over the control of some things I know I should leave alone. My desire to do this had already been shown to me that I need to let go and let my Higher Power do what I can never really do.
How often I know I need to say this prayer and look at the reality of my life. I had to learn that there are really few things I can change on my own. How often I have had to face the fact that I cannot change the mind of anyone, if they don’t want to listen. And yet I had to learn that there is one thing I can change, if I can muster up the courage, and that’s me, with the help of my Higher Power.
And that brought up the Fifth Tradition. Our primary purpose is to carry the message to the alcoholic who suffers. And, as I learned in here, that might not just be the new person. How often I have experienced suffering in myself and needed to hear what was being said in a meeting, which changed me within. And how often I have found others with time in here, who also need our help. It does happen.
Also, at times, I have had to remind myself of what the long form of this Tradition is. The group needs to be a spiritual entity, whose primary purpose is to carry the AA message to the alcoholic, who suffers. And it’s that we need to be conscious of. Why we are here.
Reminds me of the word “love”.
Anyway I was thinking about both of these subjects today and am grateful I was given the opportunity to listen to others and their thoughts. Just reminds me once again of why I am here. To stay sober a day at a time. Makes me so grateful for all I have been given in here. Need to thank my Higher Power and all those in this program, who have in one way or another helped me to learn what I need.