Your Daily Reprieve 05.23.26

 

Your Daily Reprieve for Saturday  May 23, 2026   Waynesville, NC

The truth of a thing is the feel of it, not the think of it.    -Stanley Kubrick   For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson   What is defeat?  Nothing but education, nothing but the first step toward something better. ~Wendell Phillips   In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage.   In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time. ~Robert Collier

BIG BOOK QUOTE   We grow by our willingness to face and rectify errors and convert them into assets. The alcoholic's past thus becomes the principal asset of the family and frequently it is almost the only one!   P124

Daily Share!     AA Speaker of the Day   ADAM T Firing Line Group Soberstock 2008 https://bit.ly/4dn7rw2   There are over 30000 thousand speaker recordings here. And they are FREE! https://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst       ZOOM Loose Garment Group https://us02web.zoom.us/j/238977518 Saturday & Sunday 9AM EST ID: 238 977 518 PW: 004 394

Celebrate Your Anniversary Here SHOW NEWCOMERS HOW IT WORKS!!   MAY 2026 Miracles   5/1 Douglas P. (Homestead, FL)…..44 5/1 Rhonda B. (Tucson, AZ)…..25 5/1 Connie L. (Palm Coast, FL)…..11 5/1 Stacey E. (Dothan, AL)…..20 5/1 Bryan E. (NYC)…..12 5/2 Marcia U. (Calabash, NC)…..30 5/4 Rob L. (Carcassonne, FR)…..36 5/5 Ricky Mc. (Tampa, Fl)…..12 5/5 Denny M. (The Villages)…..42 5/6 Cathy S. (Waynesville, NC)…..30 5/6 Jodi S. (Omaha, NE)…..9 5/7 Anthony A. (Mamaroneck, NY)…..30 5/7 Lisa B. (Canada)…..15 5/7 Sallie C. (Peaks Island, ME)…..8 5/8 Anne L. (Kent, UK)…..10 5/8 Mitch M. (Juliet, TN)…..3 5/8 Mickey B. (NYC/Southampton/Hobe Sound)…..38 5/9 Peter D. (NY, NY)…..14 5/10 John H. (Miami, FL)…..44 5/10 Jeffery A. (New Milford, NJ)…..33 5/10 Sue V. (Kittery, ME)…..20 5/12 Theresa S. (Aberystwyth, Wales)…..20 5/12 Susan K. (Cape Cod, MA)…..2 5/12 Greg S. (So. Carolina)…..15 5/13 Kevin C. (Bowling Green, KY)…..4 5/13 Gary V. (Portage, IN) …..40 5/13 Linda K. …..40 5/14 Caitlan D. (Cape Cod, MA)…..10 5/14 Marine Tom S. (Sarasota, FL)…..35 5/14 Nancy K. (Chaska, MN)…..48 5/15 Bill O’D (East Hampton, NY)…..22 5/15 Jana R. (Fernandina Beach, FL)…..13 5/15 Chris W. ( LI NY, Stuart Fl, São Pedro da Aldeia, Rj Brasil)…..37 5/17 David “LivinMyDream”(Elizabethton, TN)…..36 5/17 Alan T. (Sarasota, FL)…..34 5/17 Lisa B. (Punta Gorda, FL)…..15 5/17 John C. (East Hampton, NY)…..25 5/17 Lorie V. (Puerto Vallarta/Ottawa, IL)…..8 5/18 Bekky M. (Alabama)…..7 5/19 Chuck B. (Beachwood, NJ)…..15 5/19 Greg N. …..40 5/20 Steve P. (Old Saybrook, CT)…..1 5/20 Daniel D. (Palm Coast, FL)…..6 5/21 Britta G. (Mendham, NJ)…..38 5/22 Kevin S. (Fernandina Beach, FL)…..7 5/23 Erik A. (Mequon, WI)…..43 5/23 Phyllis C (Galveston, TX)……33 5/23 Diane W. (Asbury Park, NJ)…..3 5/25 Andrew B. (Sylva, NC)…..1 5/26 Monica F. (Los Angeles, CA)…..9 5/26 Lisa F. (Siracusa, Italy)…..22 5/26 Michael W. (North Vancouver)…..11 5/26 Jerry S. (NY, NY)…..44 5/26 Lee T. (Phoenix, NY/Clinton, CT)…..35 5/27 Bobby S, (Kelowna World Traveler)…..22 5/28 Krista D. (Bristol, VT)…..37 5/28 Philippe J. (Montreal, Canada)…..10 5/28 Brendan M. (Nantucket, MA)…..3 5/29 Kathleen S. (Bernardsville, NJ)…..25 5/29 Allen V. (Phoenicia, NY)…..18 5/29 George B. (Westlake, OH)…..13 5/31 Red L. …..48 5/31 Dave P. (Greer, SC)…..12 5/31 Art D. (Mequon, WI)…..42 5/31 Rhoda M. (East Hampton, NY)…..20   1340 Total Years of Sobriety         Drop a Buck in the Basket? PayPal paypal.me/TomMurphy Venmo @Tom-Murphy-160

12&12   Step One - "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable." When first challenged to admit defeat, most of us revolted. We had approached A.A. expecting to be taught self-confidence. Then we had been told that so far as alcohol is concerned, self-confidence was no good whatever; in fact, it was a total liability. Our sponsors declared that we were the victims of a mental obsession so subtly powerful that no amount of human willpower could break it. There was, they said, no such thing as the personal conquest of this compulsion by the unaided will. Relentlessly deepening our dilemma, our sponsors pointed out our increasing sensitivity to alcohol--an allergy, they called it. The tyrant alcohol wielded a double-edged sword over us: first we were smitten by an insane urge that condemned us to go on drinking, and then by an allergy of the body that insured we would ultimately destroy ourselves in the process. Few indeed were those who, so assailed, had ever won through in single-handed combat. It was a statistical fact that alcoholics almost never recovered on their own resources. And this had been true, apparently, ever since man had first crushed grapes. p. 22

Twenty-Four Hours  A.A. Thought For The Day The Twelfth Step of A.A., working with others, can be subdivided into five parts, five words beginning with the letter C; confidence, confession, conviction, conversion, and continuance. The first thing in trying to help other alcoholics is to get their confidence. We do this by telling them our own experiences with drinking, so that they see that we know what we're talking about. If we share our experiences frankly, they will know that we are sincerely trying to help them. They will realize that they're not alone and that others have had experiences as bad or worse than theirs. This gives them confidence that they can be helped. Do I care enough about other alcoholics to get their confidence? Meditation For The Day I fail not so much when tragedy happens as I did before the happening, by all the little things I might have done, but did not do. I must prepare for the future by doing the right thing at the right time now. If a thing should be done, I should deal with that thing today and get it righted with God before I allow myself to undertake any new duty. I should look upon myself as performing God's errands and then coming back to Him to tell Him in quiet communion that the message has been delivered or the task done. Prayer For The Day I pray that I may seek no credit for the results of what I do. I pray that I may leave the outcome of my actions to God.

Daily Thought ^*^*^*^*^ (\    ~~    /) (    \(AA)/    ) (_ /AA\ _) / AA \ ^*^*^*^*^ Powerlessness Who cares to admit complete defeat? Practically no one, of course. Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal powerlessness. It is truly awful to admit that, glass in hand, we have warped our minds into such an obsession for destructive drinking that only an act of Providence can remove it from us. c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 21   Thought to Consider. . . We surrender to win. *~*AACRONYMS*~* S W A T Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, and Trust

DAILY REFLECTIONS   SPIRITUAL HEALTH When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 64   It is very difficult for me to come to terms with my spiritual illness because of my great pride, disguised by my material successes and my intellectual power. Intelligence is not incompatible with humility, provided I place humility first. To seek prestige and wealth is the ultimate goal for many in the modern world. To be fashionable and to seem better than I really am is a spiritual illness. To recognize and to admit my weaknesses is the beginning of good spiritual health. It is a sign of spiritual health to he able to ask God every day to enlighten me, to recognize His will, and to have the strength to execute it. My spiritual health is excellent when I realize that the better I get, the more I discover how much help I need from others.

POT LUCK     Today's Meditation: Over and over again in life, I face defeat.  Things that I attempt fail; things that I want to have happen, don't; things that I push for are rejected by others; circumstances outside of my control force awful things to happen in my life. . . you get the idea, of course, because the same things happen to you.  But each time they happen, we have a choice as to how we'll face those defeats and how we'll react to them.  If we allow them to knock us down, it's important to remember that we have allowed them to do so. But no matter how difficult they may be to cope with, defeats have silver linings.  For most of us, just getting to the point at which we face defeat has meant a lot of work, a lot of perseverance, and a lot of gumption.  We've reached a point at which we can be defeated because we've dared to risk and we've put our best foot forward in an effort to accomplish something important.  When defeat happens, if we look at what has occurred and we figure out why we've ended up being defeated, we can learn also what has gone right, and just how defeat happened. As Wendell says, defeat can be a "first step towards something better."  If we learn the lessons that it has to teach us, we can use those lessons in our next attempt at success; if we approach our next risk knowing what we now know, our chances of succeeding are definitely greater. We will face defeat.  I enter everything I do knowing that all does not end up in success.  If I keep this in mind, I can pay attention to what I do and notice how it affects the tracks that things are on, and I can see later what changes I can make to improve my chances for avoiding defeat later--though a defeat later, of course, will bring new lessons all its own.

**NEW** Excellent Resource Blogs, Audio and Video Articles   https://takethe12.org/   *****   "AA Recovery Interviews" Podcast https://aarecoveryinterviews.com   Blog http://todaysreprieve.blogspot.com/     Wee Willie’s Sobriety First Media AA CD’s Literature and tapes https://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst     AA Membership Survey 2022 Alcoholics Anonymous 2022 Membership Survey | Alcoholics Anonymous     Committee Consideration from the 73rd General Service Conference In response to a Committee Consideration from the 73rd General Service Conference regarding any possible future changes to literature written by A.A.’s founders,  that committee agreed it would be beneficial to gather shared experience from the Fellowship regarding this topic. Questionaire   How Should We Treat A.A. Founders' Writings?  https://bit.ly/3uhEPBK       DR. PAUL O. There is More to Quitting Drinking Than Quitting Drinking (Audio Book) Introduction http://bit.ly/1IlFBbp Part I http://bit.ly/1MPV5Za Part II http://bit.ly/1Ksd9eA Part III http://bit.ly/1GQCGGE Part IV http://bit.ly/1Ip0hn8 AA CDs Literature and tapes https://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst       ZOOM MEETINGS   Loose Garment Group https://us02web.zoom.us/j/238977518 Saturday & Sunday….Pot Luck…0900 ID: 238 977 518 PW: 004 394       ARCHIVES     AA World Service Board Meeting Highlights October 2023  https://bit.ly/3GlcOvE       A New Pair of Glasses in PDF (download) is available at: https://bit.ly/4bUr0Js     Bill Schaberg Writing The Big Book Video Readings https://www.youtube.com/@billschaberg8911/videos   BIG BOOK for DUMMIES https://bigbookfordummies.com/       *Angel Force USA www.AngelForceUSA.com   Angel Force USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. OUR MISSION STOP SUISILENCE The avoidance of discussion about suicide Our goal is to raise awareness of the military suicide epidemic.       RICHMOND WALKER & THE TWENTY-FOUR HOUR BOOK Glenn C. (South Bend, Indiana) Talk given at the 8th Annual National A.A. Archives Workshop, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sept. 27, 2003 https://www.prestongroup.org/aa_docs/24_hours_a_day.txt       MEDITATIONS http://www.11thstepmeditation.org/   Loving Kindness Meditations   With Music   http://www.excelatlife.com/mp3/direct_download.php?file=lovingkindnessmusic.mp3     Voice only http://www.excelatlife.com/mp3/direct_download.php?file=lovingkindness.mp3   ***** Free Guided Meditations http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22 Resources   Great Minds Quotes https://twitter.com/GreatestQuotes       MOOJI GUIDED Meditation http://bit.ly/2Ogwe9v     **Podcasts** https://boiledowlaa.org/ https://www.aagrapevine.org/podcast     12 Step Meditations  www.stepmeditation.com   These are 12 meditations, each about 12 minutes long and the content (other than the meditation instructions) are straight from the text of the big book and 12 & 12 (created by Matt H.)     Speaker Recordings   Wee Willie’s Sobriety First Media AA CD’s Literature and tapes https://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst *****   The Lights are On http://xa-speakers.org/     Recovery Speakers http://recoveryspeakers.com/   Miscellaneous Sources Living Life Fully http://www.livinglifefully.com/     Twenty Four Hours a Day Since 1954, Twenty-Four Hours a Day has become a stable force in the recovery of many alcoholics throughout the world. With over nine million copies in print (the original text has been revised), this "little black book" offers daily thoughts, meditations, and prayers for living a clean and sober life. A spiritual resource with practical applications to fit our daily lives. Copyright 1975 Hazeleden Foundation   Tammy’s recovery links http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/   AA Photo Archives http://www.rewritables.net/cybriety/aa_photos.htm   Heard at A Meeting https://twitter.com/heardinameeting   Breast Cancer Site Take a minute and click to provide free mammograms https://thebreastcancersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/bcs/home   MEN FIGHTING CANCER TOGETHER America’s largest volunteer men’s cancer support group and advocacy national nonprofit organization. http://malecare.org/     Prayables http://prayables.org/     Daily Thought http://groups.google.com/group/TransitionsDaily   Speaker Recordings Stories of Recovery - A 12-Step Collection https://storiesofrecovery.org/index.html