AA Thought for the Day - July 15 2015

AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AA-Alive.net)

July 15 2015

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Tradition Seven
"Every AA Group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions."
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 160

Thought to Ponder . . .
The Twelve Steps tell us how it works; the Twelve Traditions tell us why it works.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alive.

A Member Shares:
Hi, I'm Jocelyn, an alcoholic.  My sponsor always says that giving to the basket is not required to be part of AA; only a desire to stop drinking is.  However, she also states that giving to the basket is a responsibility because this is what keeps the meetings going for those who enter the doors with the desire to stop drinking.  She then asked me what I would have done if the doors to AA weren't open.  What would I have done if AA didn't exist?  Where would I have gone?  Would I have gotten sober, or would I have just accepted my fate to be that I die drunk?  Then, she also asks me how much money did I spend on my booze?  It didn't matter if I was working or not, I always found a way to get my booze.  It didn't matter if I was down on my luck or not, there was always a way and, let me tell you, a bottle of booze costs a lot more than a dollar, and I drank a lot more than one bottle at a time.  So the other point she had hits home as well.  If I put that dollar in the basket every time I go to a meeting ... even if I go to meetings seven days a week … that's only thirty dollars a month.  I sure spent a heck of a lot more than that on booze.  And when my sponsor puts it like that with all the other factors together, it kind of makes me realize that my dollar in that basket at each meeting counts.  It also shows a commitment to my belief in this program which helped me to be here, and be able to help someone else after me.  Without that money in those baskets, there's no way to pay for the rent for the meeting rooms or for the literature that could save a person's life.  Many seem to think the basket is unimportant, and that the message is the only important thing.  The reality is that the message truly is the most important thing, but that basket has its place too.  Thanks for letting me share.
To respond to the sharer, please email DTShare@aa-alive.org and it will be forwarded to them.
(All shares are reproduced with the kind permission of the person sharing)

Thanks to all of you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength and hope in carrying the AA message.
Blessings in sobriety to all,
In love and service,
joanna b
dailythought@aa-alive.org

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