December 31

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
"No matter what you do, I will still accept you," is a powerful message and a wonderful gift to hear from another. One might think this kind of acceptance would cause a person to act irresponsibly. Instead, this acceptance frees a person to experience what needs to be learned. Knowing someone is there who understands and cares ultimately helps one to become more honest and responsible.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I be reminded that being loved and valued, no matter what one does, is necessary for a person's maturing process.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will be accepting of those I love. I will benefit, too, for I will become more lovable.

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December 30

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Often we rebel against our pain. In our painful moments we may feel much alone, and it is true that to some degree we are. Yet, isn't it the pain which we have faced which has ultimately given us compassion for ourselves and then for others? Sometimes when we are open and share our pain, someone responds, "Thanks, you have really helped me." These moments create a deeper awareness of our value and the meaning to our pain.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I have the courage to be open to what my pain is trying to teach me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Pain faced brings freedom.

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December 29

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
There are times in our life when we want to give up. Our pain seems to have no end. In a sense we are like the runner of a twenty-six mile marathon on the twenty-fourth mile. The runner may think it is impossible to finish the race, or maybe lose perspective. Yet, if there is a reflection on previous efforts, the decision will be made, no doubt, to continue the race or at least give it one last try. It does not matter how many people come in before or after, It matters only that there was no giving up. When the runner crosses the finish line, the pain turns quickly into jubilation.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I have the perseverance to continue my race.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will rejoice in my accomplishments. I will reward myself with something I enjoy, for I have done my best.

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December 28

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
To love someone is to give them something of ourselves. We risk being vulnerable; we want to share so much of ourselves. That person learns a great deal about how we feel and what we think. Our openness has given this person the power to hurt us. In sharing to this degree, we give up some of our personal power. Yet if we do not risk giving up some of our power, we will never experience what it feels like to be truly loved and cared about.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I be willing to take the risk to love and to be loved.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I would rather feel someone's love than have only my power.

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December 27

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Many of us continue seeking relationships where we end up feeling rejected and abandoned. Yet we resist believing we could gravitate to relationships which could cause us once again to question our worth. It is a known fact, though, that we tend to repeat what we have experienced, whatever feels familiar. The familiar may be miserable, but secure; we know what to expect. As we look honestly at our past relationships, how many times have we unconsciously been drawn toward someone who has not been able to be there emotionally over the long haul?

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May my new awareness, plus Your guidance, help me seek relationships where I feel valued instead of rejected.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I deserve to be valued.

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December 26

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Our length of time in the program can mean a lot or very little, depending on what we do with that time. The more we open ourselves to the healing of acceptance and surrender, the more growth we will achieve. On the other hand, we can sit in meetings for years and remain as closed and fearful as the day we came to our first meeting. At each meeting we have a choice. We can be open to the warmth and acceptance which awaits us, or we can remain closed. Our Higher Power uses this time to touch us through each other.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I be willing to do my part and not rest on my laurels.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
The gifts of growth and healing are available for me. I only need to accept them.

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December 25

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
For many people throughout the world, today is a day of celebration, giving and receiving, family gatherings, sharing and love, warmth and joy. For many people, however, these occasions may bring out feelings of sadness, loneliness, depression, grief, and perhaps even a sense of hopelessness. For any and all of us, perhaps it is most important in this holiday season that we accept ourselves and our feelings, whatever they are, and that we continue to believe and trust that we are not alone today.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to try to retain and maintain love and hope today.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Love is the most precious gift I can give and receive.

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December 24

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Do I remember how it used to be a struggle to get out of bed in the morning because I just plain did not care? Do I remember how it was almost impossible to leave my home because of fear? How about pouting? It is not wise to dwell on the past, but is important to check my progress. I need to realize how much I have grown and how far I have traveled from my bottom level. Seeing the improvements gives me the necessary encouragement to carry on and certainly adds to my confidence and self-worth.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to see how much better I am than I was.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will occasionally reflect on the "way it was."

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December 23

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
So often I have held back from risking, yet not understood why. I let fear control my life. Unless I challenge in the present my fear of losing love, control, or esteem, I will lose even more. Today is the only day I have. I will risk telling a significant person how I feel. I will also risk asking for something I have secretly been needing. And instead of losing, each time I risk I will ultimately gain.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I remember that to risk nothing is to gain nothing.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
If I am open, I will gain more than I will ever lose.

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December 22

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I am not always kind to people I meet. Some days I have to consciously work at being agreeable. I am not necessarily unkind, I just do not make that special effort to react positively. Those are the days when I am not particularly satisfied with myself. I am ordinarily a friendly, outgoing person. When I back away from someone I meet, it is me backing away from me. Then I realize it is time to act "as if" everything is okay - with me and with other people.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Remind me when I am being unfriendly I may be missing an opportunity to meet to best friend I could every have.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Life is a series of meetings; give them a chance to be meaningful.

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December 21

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Confusion seems to complicate my mind when I want to make decisions. My Higher Power is there to help me sort out what is most important right now, and I also have a program to help me. Am I using it? My life has been lived through other people for so long my own worth and identify are lost at times. I can take time to relax and find out who I am and accept myself today. I am a valuable person, and at times I do not recognize it.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
When I lose touch with my priorities, I know You will help me to see I must take care of myself first.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will choose to do the things which make me happy.

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December 20

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
We are used to the idea that death follows life. A less obvious progression, which is very obvious in nature, is that life follows death. Seeds must die in order to become plants. Caterpillars must die before butterflies exist. Old habits must die before new ones can be formed. In all of these cases the timing must be right. Then the old gives way to the new. As the old submits to this "death," our Higher Power supplies new life. As we work the program, we prepare the soil for the new life, and we learn to know when the time is right.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
As I submit to the death of the known patterns, I pray You will lead me to a new way of life with new patterns.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Surrender and let God do it.

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December 19

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I thought it was my responsibility in life to look for the bad. I thought I was supposed to look for everything wrong in every situation or person with whom I came in contact so I could tell them how to fix their problems. I put myself in charge. That is a tall order and a heavy burden. If I found everyone's imperfections, then they could change and would become perfect as I thought they should, I would not have any problems. This, of course, kept me from looking at me.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to allow others to take their own inventories and to ask myself, "Whose problem is it?"

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I can find more joy in looking for the good.

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December 18

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I have heard that the eagle is the only bird who will fly into a storm. I like relating to the eagle because I know the quicker I face my pain, the faster I pass through the stormy time. On the other side of the storm I always find a beautiful rainbow. In this rainbow the colors show me the strength and courage which I had not known I possessed. This strength and courage gives me hope to face whatever lies ahead.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Grant me the spirit of the eagle so I can continue to soar and become the person You created me to be.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Each time I face my pain I receive the gift of strength and courage.

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December 17

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
How I expend my time and energy during the day determines how I am going to feel about myself at bedtime. If I have used my time and energy in constructive and creative ways, I feel good about myself. If I have wasted the day in procrastination and negativism, I do not care very much for myself. When I am indecisive, I tend to procrastinate. If I have spent the day worrying about the past or the future, I have wasted energy, which leaves me physically but not mentally tired. I can choose early in the morning how I am going to feel late in the evening.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
God, help me to do first things first.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
When one thing gets done, it is easier to do the second and the third and more.

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November 26

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
When I was emotional - that is, living without the program - I depended upon being right (at all costs) as my source of self-worth. I had to be right and in control of all situations, the center of attention. Now that I have the program and the people in it to guide me along my way, I no longer need to be right; I need to be loving. I need to learn to listen and to share.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Oh, dear God, in all Your wisdom, love and care, I thank You for taking me in and giving me rest from my perfectionism. I surrender unto You this self-centered attitude and fear of mine.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Loving is the source of my self-worth.

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November 25

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I have come to realize that one of the ways in which I try to cope is to avoid all conflict and pain. What if today I found the courage to turn and face my difficulty? If I honestly and fearlessly looked at the person or the problem with a clear-eyed gaze, what might I see? I can believe that the person I fear could be a friend in need and that my problem looked at in perspective, will melt away or diminish in size.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Please give me the courage to stop running away from life's problems. Help me today to deal with at least one of my problems openly and honestly.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will win by turning and facing my foe.

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November 24

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Acceptance is hard to comprehend. I thought if I accepted something, that meant I liked it and I wanted it to stay. But this is not what acceptance is. Acceptance means being honest about what is happening in my life, what I am thinking, and what I am feeling. When I can stop denying and rebelling against myself, I can relax and let go of the control. When I stop trying to control, as the First Step suggests, I am open to the learning and healing which are waiting for me.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
When I begin to reject myself, help me to stop, for I am okay just as I am.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Knowing that acceptance opens me to healing and learning, I will accept whatever I see in myself today.


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November 23

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Using the slogan, "Look for the Good," has changed my whole attitude toward people, places and things. Before EA my motto was look for the bad. I found flaws in everything. When I saw the negative, I never considered the positive. Now if some negative thought pops up, I try to replace it with a positive one. If something negative outside myself comes my way, I try to let it flow past instead of through me.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Let me feel pleasure in my friendships and activities by dwelling on the positives they add to my life.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Look for the good; it is there!

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November 22

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Sometimes when I live my life in the way necessary for me to maintain my wellness, I meet with other people's disapproval. At the time it is necessary for me to find out if I am harming anyone. If not, I can quietly go about my business and continue to grow - without their approval. I know it is natural for me to want approval from my loved ones, but I must remember it is unhealthy for me to need and rely on approval like an addiction.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I have the courage to continue to grow - independently of others' opinions.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
When I need others' approval before I can approve of myself, it is a reflection of my low self-esteem.

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November 21

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Time spent dwelling on past situations or worrying about tomorrow's problems robs me of energy and lightheartedness and casts a shadow over all that today has to offer me. What I miss today can never be recaptured. Each circumstance and each experience of every day is meant to be a valuable aid in the fulfillment of my life. Living just for today, and in today, relieves me of stress and worry over situations which have not yet come to pass and of past situations which I cannot relive.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me remain within this day only so that I may enjoy to the fullest all that the day has to offer me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I only have today.

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November 20

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
My attitude toward the pain in my life will determine how I experience it. Pain is not the worst thing which can befall me. This is worse: not being able to feel. Pain is a natural part of life - like air, breath, love and death. It is not meant to diminish my life or me. Only if I resist it is my life made smaller and my misery increased. My happiness and my pain can live together for me.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to accept the things I cannot change.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I can enjoy my life today even though I may have emotional or physical pain.

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November 19

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I look at myself as a person and say, "This is what I am right now." I judge myself and create an attitude, usually negative, about myself. And it is that attitude which I have toward myself that determines how other people feel about me or how they will react to me. The program is teaching me to think about my assets rather than my liabilities. It is necessary for me to spend some quiet time daily trying to gain a more positive perspective on my life.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I develop a more positive attitude about myself. Help me to stop putting myself down, which will allow me to respect me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Accentuate my positives.

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November 18

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Usually as we face and deal with shameful experiences we begin to understand why we responded the way we did. Compassion for ourselves increases, and it feels so comforting. Finally we can talk to ourselves about the experiences with gentleness rather than criticism. Our gentle ways draw others to us. Through these relationships we realize even more, no matter how devastating an experience might have been in our past, once we share it, it becomes a help to someone in the present.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I remember I need no longer be alone with my pain.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Acceptance of my experience gives me compassion for myself and then for others.

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November 17

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
How often have I said, "It is not that I am angry, but......?" Yet my actions show that anger is exactly what I feel. Our program teaches me about feelings. I am learning one day at a time how to identify what I feel and to stop denying that I feel it. Feelings are natural. They tell me what is going on with me. The program does not teach me not to feel, but how to react to my feelings. Am I still denying my feelings?

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
With Your help may I begin daily to surrender uncomfortable feelings to You.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
It's okay for me to feel.

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November 16

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
One of the greatest benefits I have received from changing my life is the ability to really see and appreciate nature. During my unmanageable days I never looked at my surroundings. I did not care if the sun was shining or if it were raining. What a pleasure now to take a few serene moments out of a busy day to just look at the sun, blue sky, flowers, and even insects. How can I not thank my Higher Power for these creations?

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to always be thankful for the loveliness of this earth. Remind me to set aside a few minutes of my day to really look at the world around me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
When life gets hectic, I will imagine myself sitting at the edge of a beautiful lake with the sun warming my body and the insects buzzing lazily around me.

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November 15

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Today I will try to remember that when I feel down, everything I do seems to come out wrong. When my self-pity begins to build, I will stop, rest, gather my thoughts and ask my Higher Power for help. God reminds me there is a tomorrow and that I can begin anew by living one day at a time. It makes life much easier. Twenty-four hours are enough for anyone. Today is a new beginning: yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is hope.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
God, never let me feel that any shortcoming of mine is greater than Your love for me. Remind me that no matter what I have done in the past, I can begin anew.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am beginning again.

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November 14

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
As I have worked the program, I have learned recovery from my emotional illness depends on developing a deep trust and sustaining faith in a Higher Power of my understanding. My misbeliefs and disbeliefs in God, developed because of past experiences and conclusions, created a vacuum of trust and faith. I had rejected God and therefore had a difficult time understanding and utilizing a spiritual approach to my emotions and my life. Looking back over my past there were several spiritual experiences in my life when I felt as if I were whole, healthy, and one with my self. I had taken down my defenses and let myself be. I was in the care of my Higher Power at these times. Do I still doubt a God of my understanding exists?

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
I have an urgent need to believe in You, God.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Faith requires honesty and effort.

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November 13

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
A smile, a letter of remembrance or encouragement, a pat on the shoulder, or a kind word could be the very thing which someone may need to make it through the day. We need each other. We all need phone calls, letters, and listeners. Hurts need to be understood and tears need to be shared. The old bucket brigade of yesteryear is a good example of people needing people. A fire in the community brought every able-bodied person out to form a human chain from the water source to the fire. A bucket filled with water was passed from person to person until it reached its goal. Every person in the line was needed and shared the responsibility for dousing the threatening flames. We are all needed with our special talents. Without us the world brigade would miss our hands.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Open my heart to others' needs and close my eyes to their shortcomings.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
More is accomplished with a pat on the back than with a knife in the back.

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November 12

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
When I have sudden changes in plans, I need to be able to adapt and not be thrown. As a controller I am somewhat rigid and easily upset by change. If I feel inadequate in the situation, it is hard to come up with "Plan B." It helps to be flexible when unexpected changes are necessary. God will help me with this if I admit my need and ask for help.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I see the situation as a challenge to be adequate, even when faced with surprises.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
God knows my frailties and will help me with them when I surrender them.

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November 11

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I am me. I can only be me by being unwaveringly honest and aboveboard in thought, word and deed. I can only feel I am making progress if I open my mind and listen attentively to others, allowing them freedom of expression and action, as I hope they would do for me. I can only achieve some measure of serenity by practicing tolerance, even if I do not want to. I can only be free of fear by trusting my Higher Power. I can only be at peace by sharing my burdens and joyful discoveries with others.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
God, please give me the mental and spiritual strength to face whatever comes my way today.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am me and that is all I have to be.

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November 10

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Broken relationships, or painfully unhappy ones, seem to be a common problem with people - one that causes immeasurable pain. Satisfactory sexual relationships are a need shared by many. Sex itself is something which does not get talked about much at our meetings, but relationships certainly do. Good relationships have a lot to do with good sex. When we communicate our feelings, we open ourselves to good relationships, which may be sexual relationships as well. In Step Four we sweep out all our trash, and then we get rid of it in Step Five. That leaves our hearts and souls clean and open to lasting relationships, and, in turn, to healthy and satisfying sex.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to verbally communicate my feelings to the person I care about most.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
If I want to improve my sex life, I will be vulnerable

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November 9

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
A key tool I have learned to use is to act "as if." It seems to give me confidence and the ability to be what I want to be. If I have to give a speech to many people and I am nervous, I act "as if" I am in complete control of myself and the speech, and it goes well. If I feel someone has hurt me and I am angry, I quietly explain my feelings and then act "as if" nothing has happened and we remain friends. It helps the anger disappear. If I am worried about the future, I act "as if" everything will turn out fine, and it generally does. If problems come my way and I am in turmoil over them, I act "as if" there are solutions and options, and they usually appear. When I am depressed, it really works miraculously to act "as if" life is wonderful. It is!

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Remind me to use this handy tool when I am in need of help.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
When I act "as if," it is.

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November 8

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
When things which usually upset me don't get to me, I know I have a hold on serenity. I just need to learn how to stay serene longer, more often, and through worse situations. Usually it helps to say to myself, "How important is it?" It also helps to be realistic about the situation, what is fair to expect, and what I can change. I also need to consider that I am the one who is hurt when I get upset. Sometimes it seems to help when I get upset, but only at my expense.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to not neglect my efforts toward serenity.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Serenity is my number one goal.

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November 7

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
There are predictable stages of growth, and when we go through them we are left feeling exposed and vulnerable. In the past many of us shut down the process of growing, for we did not wish to have these feelings. How lonely and bored we became while trying to remain in control. The program has helped us see our need for growth. Now we are able to understand that feeling exposed and vulnerable is part of a healthy, healing process. We embrace our growth periods with gratitude more quickly. As we are open, we become more of what we are capable of being.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I remember that to gain my own identity I must surrender my certainty.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Each growth process I encounter and meet head on gives me the gifts of freedom, spontaneity and aliveness.

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November 6

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
For a good part of my life it seemed people were always telling me to grow up. But no one ever told me where my "up" was. No one had a plan to offer for my life. I used to wonder when I would be mature. Now I know that maturity is not a place or destination. It is a never-ending road in this life. I can usually look back and see the progress I have made along this road. With the help of my Higher Power and the Twelve Steps of EA, I know I will continue to mature. I am growing into a much deeper awareness of who I am and why I am here.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Let me always remember I am growing and maturing each day in every way toward the good which is in me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am "ripening" at the proper stages on my road to maturity.

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November 5

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
There are so many ways I can be helpful to others. When I am feeling sorry for myself, I will try to remember what I can do. For example:

• I can be a friend to someone who feels friendless.
• I can make a call to someone I am concerned about.
• I can share love with someone who feels unloved.
• I can just listen to someone who needs to talk.
• I can be with someone who is lonely.
• I can send a cheery card to someone who is ill or having a tough time.
• I can share my experiences with someone who is confused.

None of these things take more than a little effort and yet they can accomplish wonders.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Let me help myself by helping others.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
It takes so little to do so much.

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November 4

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
It is not easy to admit I am powerless over my emotions. After all, I would not be this way if everyone or everything were not like they are. After all, I am able to keep my emotions suppressed inside me. After all, I should feel the way I do. But, it is an honest program. I must admit my anger lasts too long and is too severe. My depression is to deep an immobilizing. My fear is too overwhelming and ever-present. I have tried to handle these feelings, but I am unable to. I do not control them. They control me. Indeed, I am powerless over my emotions.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me remember that powerlessness is a condition, not a feeling.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am powerless over my emotions!

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November 3

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
A river cannot be rerouted successfully without making a new channel and damming up the old one. If you put the dam up without a new channel being ready, the water may or may not go where you want it to. It may cause flooding or break the dam, or it may rechannel itself into an undesired place. So it is with our habits. If we stop an old habit without being ready to (usually because someone tells us to), we chance failing and getting discouraged. We chance forming other undesirable habits. We chance getting ourselves so discouraged we give up.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Remind me that progress takes time and patience.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
My habits were not formed overnight. I need to give myself time to replace negative traits with positive traits.

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November 2

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Yesterday I had a "slip." I let my feelings run amok. Feelings I had not felt for a long time surfaced. It frightened me to realize these feelings are still with me and that I have not been "cured." I must remember it is human to have lapses and to concern myself with doing well today and not worrying about yesterday. Feeling guilty does not make me noble or solve any of my problems. Guilt only drags me down.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I forgive myself, as I know You have forgiven me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Human feelings are okay for me to have because I am human, thank God.

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November 1

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Can atheists be at home in EA? Yes, I found the program when it became apparent that self-will wasn't going to work and that I needed to turn my life over to something. Nature was my ready choice for a Higher Power. But in my Fourth Step I learned I was addicted to Nature for relief from social pain. So I turned to Mankind, asking that our connections be restored. Probably my Higher Power will change further, but it is certain that my bonds with Mankind and Nature are sounder now - and more spiritual. I am becoming a better atheist!

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May self-will never again prevent me from seeing what a small thing a difference of ideas is in the spiritual adventure we share.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Turning it over works. I will turn it over, then wonder "to what," if I must.

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October 31

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Halloween - the traditional day for disguises and masquerades. Most of my life I have been wearing masks and showing a phony facade to the world. Much of the time pride has been at the root of this deception (self-deception as well), usually disguising itself as a virtue. I have a never-ending job of uncovering, pride daily so it does not push me backward. Forward is the way I want to go. Pride hides my faults from me and keeps me from helping others, as well as myself. It slows my growth and gives me a false sense of security.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
I pray I can be realistic enough to accept my assets without being proud.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am through with masks and masquerading - except at Halloween parties.

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October 30

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Loneliness is a feeling many of us do not want to admit having. Perhaps our false pride stops us. It is hard to acknowledge we could be at a huge party and still be lonely. Few of us who are married or have significant others want our friends to realize it is possible to be lonely even in a strong relationship. And yet we must not hold these feelings in. It is, never to let ourselves get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. It can be dangerous for us not to share our loneliness. Let us break down the pride barrier and call a friend today. Maybe that friend is lonely also.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Grant me the courage to accept and express my loneliness.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Reach out for comfort.

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October 29

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I awaken this day with the faith that there will be enough time to accomplish all that is necessary. As I think of the tasks ahead, I do not concentrate on how many there are or how long they might take. I know my Higher Power is with me in all my undertakings. I can start each job calmly, believing God will aid me in my work and the tasks will be accomplished in the right manner and at the right time. My hands and mind will be guided all day. When the work is done for the day, there will be time for play.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Thank You for Your guidance throughout this day in the completion of my appointed tasks.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Anything is possible with God's help.

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June 26

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Whenever I pray for God's will for me, I must understand that as I move throughout this day, I am probably doing what I should be doing. I was afraid that God's will for me would be something outlandish I would not want to do. I have come to believe God's will for me is to take care of the responsibilities in my present day life the best way I can.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
If I pray for anything specific today, may I understand that Your will hear me and respond.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
God always answers prayers: sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes wait.

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June 25

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I will not compare myself to others. In comparing, I become so preoccupied with the effect I produce and what others think of me that I forget who I am. I envy their talents so much I neglect to appreciate and develop my own. God creates only one of a kind and chooses the length of time each of us needs to gain insight and understanding. The insight God gives each one of us will be different because we are different.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May my Higher Power help me stop playing games with my personality and see my character defects so I can change my negative aspects into positive ones.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Don't compare.

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June 24

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
In dealing with many people and situations in my life, I find I feel I must hid the true me. Sometimes my emotions, especially fear, get in the way of relating to other people, and I feel I do not fit in. But there is hope! At an EA meeting I can be myself. I can share my feelings and show my emotions. I can be me. As I find strength through EA meetings and friends, I find this strength beginning to carry over in other areas of my life.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I always remember that being emotional is not bad and does not make me weak. My emotions are given to me by You as a way to express all my inward feelings.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will love and accept myself as I am.

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June 23

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Before becoming a part of the program, I was selfish and inconsiderate. There were so many times I said, "Me first." I manipulated and maneuvered others into doing what I thought was right. Selfishly, I demanded that everyone else do what I wanted. If they didn't, I sulked and I stormed. If that didn't work, I developed a headache or a mysterious pain to get the attention I thought I needed or deserved. I am trying today to be more considerate of others, more aware of their needs.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Although I know I need to take care of myself, help me to be considerate of others' needs.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I'm important; others are too.

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June 22

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
In the past I often got so distracted I forgot what it was I had set out to do and ended up doing nothing. Then I spend the rest of the day blaming others for my problems and berating myself for losing sight of my goal. Am I learning to concentrate on the task at hand? Am I stopping to check the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional attitudes which all help to keep my train of thought on the track? Am I setting reasonable goals and remembering "First things first?"

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help direct my day. Remind me to stop along the way to remember a concept, a step, a slogan, or a Just for Today to keep me aware of You.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will attach my mind to the engine and not to the caboose.

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June 21

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Sometimes I find myself totally engrossed in wondering what someone close to me is thinking, what that person is doing or is going to do next. I ask myself questions like: "How can I help or change the situation?" "What if...?" "How will I handle the problem if....?" I suddenly realize I am wasting away my own time and causing turmoil within myself. All my thoughts will do nothing to help or change a situation, so I must let go and wait to see what happens.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I realize the time I spend thinking about a situation or person is a form of controlling, and that my own sanity depends on turning it over to You.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
My thoughts cannot change another person or situation. I can change only myself!

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June 20

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
When I hit my emotional bottom, my sense of humor was one of the blessings I lost. It seemed so strange to me to see other people laugh. What was so funny? My whole world had fallen apart. I was irritated by people who could laugh. I was jealous because I missed my old friend, humor. I was emotionally locked up. When I came to EA, I was pleased to read that one of the promises of the program was that my sense of humor would return.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Thank You for the gift of my returned laughter.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Laughter is one of the keys which open doors to serenity.

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June 19

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
While I was working on a jigsaw puzzle, I became aware of how much my life has been like this puzzle. Some pieces of my life fit into other pieces with ease, while some do not mesh at all. On reflection, I realize that when I surrender problems of my Higher Power, those pieces of my life go together easily. When I take over the controls, no matter how I push and tug, none of the pieces fit. When my negative emotions take over, the colors of the puzzle and the colors of my life do not blend. The puzzle could never be finished if I continue in that manner. When I relax and work with my brain instead of hostile feelings, the pieces seem to go together of their own volition - just like the parts of my life.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
When I struggle and flounder, help me to remember how jigsaw puzzles get put together.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
To solve a puzzle of life, turn it over and relax.

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June 18

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Those of us who have been sexually abused as children tend to feel a lot of shame, fear, and rage. If we do not face these feelings, we will hang on to self-defeating behavior. When we are willing to face our shame, fear, and rage, we can start to heal. It may be scary and painful to face those experiences from our past, but the option of not facing that pain seems far worse. A painful existence by denial is comparable to living in a self-made hell.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
God, please help me to trust at least one person today with my secret pain.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I do not have to continue feeling guilt and shame for childhood experiences.

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June 17

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
My life can be like scrambled eggs! Try as I might, I can't put those eggs back together again, so I have to explore my alternatives. How? With HOW - Honesty, Openness, and Willingness. With HOW, my life is still scrambled eggs, but now I can cope and accept that scrambled eggs are good, too. HOW adds to my life and makes it better, just as adding bacon, toast, and jelly make the scrambled eggs more satisfying.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I realize that I can live with unsolved problems.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
However the egg is prepared, it can be good!

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June 16

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Today I shall pause and consider all the positive and wonderful circumstances of my life, free gifts from my Higher Power, which are showered upon me. It is time to state my gratitude for these blessings. I am grateful for my health and for my life. I am grateful for the loving and lovely people in my life: family, friends, and co-workers. They contribute to my happiness and well-being. I am grateful for the beauty surrounding me: sun, sea, blue sky, flowers, and even rain. I am grateful for my sense of humor, which eases my way along life's path. I am grateful especially for the EA program which has taught me about appreciation and gratitude, as well as a way of life.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Thank You, Higher Power, for all the blessings of my life. Help me always to remember gratitude.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am blessed with a good life!

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June 15

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
In the past I was taught to believe I was being conceited, selfish, and shameless if I liked myself. I could have a good time, but not give myself any credit. This attitude led me to dislike myself and lack self-acceptance. I must be free of this attitude if I am to have emotional health. My sanity depends upon acceptance and love for myself as I am. It is essential that I appreciate me; only then can I enjoy being me.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to appreciate myself as I am.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Not only is it okay for me to feel good about myself, it is necessary.

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June 14

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Our Higher Power allows all of us complete freedom to do whatever we want. Why, then, can't I give others the same opportunity? Am I playing God in their lives? No. I even go one step further and believe I can force my will on them. "Live and let live," tells me to let go of them to make their own choices. Just because something is not right for me does not mean it is not right for them. I need not condone the actions of others, but I can accept the person.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I quit pulling strings to change others. Remind me that You are guiding those I love, and even those I do not like so well.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am not responsible for the actions of anyone else.

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June 13

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
The thought of changes in my life used to fill me with dread. I felt uncertain and insecure when I realized my old patterns would not be the same. Now the thought of change is exciting. My life would be so dull and uninteresting if I never tried a new way of doing things or never accepted a challenge. I could not grow if I did not step out with faith to do more and be more than I thought I could do or be. Challenges fill my life with excitement. Sometimes I cannot meet the challenge, but I know new ones will keep coming which I probably can meet. There is a joy in anticipation of learning, feeling, and experiencing new ways of living and growing.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
I know You are with me through every change, and I expect, accept, and give thanks for the change.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Life is for living and growing, no matter what my age.

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June 12

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
One of the biggest hurdles to staying well emotionally is self-pity. Self-pity breeds all kinds of "I" trouble. It is like being on center stage with the spotlight on ourselves. It is the minor injury we let drag on for a while so we can let more people share in our pain. It is the tough, emotional time when we feel so sorry for ourselves that we cannot see the world around us. It is a fog because our "eyes" are focused on ourselves. Sometimes asking God to help us over a crisis is the hardest things to do. The reason is that our prayers may be answered, and then we have to go on again. We may have to change, and we cannot feel sorry for ourselves any longer.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
I pray that I may have a willing heart and that I will lean on Your strength and love.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
When we take our "eyes" off ourselves and begin to focus them on others, our "I" trouble clears up.

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June 11

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Most of us can relate to the feelings of being used. Have we ever looked behind our feelings of being used? Why did we continue putting ourselves in situations which left us feeling inadequate, angry, guilty, and shameful? Were we not really being pleasers? It is one thing as a child to do things which bring us approval, but as adults we have the freedom of choice. We are not at the mercy of others for our self-worth. If we remain people-pleasers, it is our own choice.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
If I feel used, may I remind myself I am responsible for what happens to me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
No one can use me unless I allow it.

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June 8

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I used to think I had to make everything perfect for my children. If they were given too much homework, I felt I should say something to the teacher. If my child did not play as many innings in a baseball game as I thought he should, I figured it was my responsibility to let that coach know how unjust I thought he was and try to change him. I cannot make life perfect for my children - or for me, for that matter. It helps to try and determine how important the situation is. There really are not that many cases I have discovered which are important. However, at the time I often think it is of the utmost importance. I cannot change the coach, I cannot change the teacher, and , in fact, there are really very few people I can change - probably no one but myself. I do not always know what is best, nor is it realistic to attempt to make things perfect.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to give others permission to be different from me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
My serenity comes from knowing it is okay if it is not my will.

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June 7

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I know that when I plant seeds of positive thoughts, more positive thoughts bloom from the seeds. The same is true of negative thoughts. I have the freedom to choose which of these seeds will be planted in the garden of my mind today. I can choose whether I will be content and serene for this twenty-four-hour period or whether I will be depressed and in pain. I can direct my energies into healthy or unhealthy attitudes. I can be creative and productive or idle and destructive. I have learned that negativity can destroy me, so my choice is obvious.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to weed out negativity.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will reap a harvest of serenity, which comes from the positive thought seeds which I plant.

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June 6

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
As my emotional illness progressed, I was able to cope with less and less. My world became smaller and smaller until I was finally trapped inside a prison of my own devising. This was my emotional bottom. Now I am recovering. Now I can be more aware of this beautiful world, and not take for granted, or ignore, the many things provided by the God who I understand. I can bring new things into my life. I believe life is meant to be full, rich, and joyful.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I find one new thing for which to thank You. Help me let gratitude crowd out envy, wanting, and resentment.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
To thank my Higher Power for what I discover in my search.

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June 5

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Too often I agonize over a problem as if all solutions depend on me. I try to anticipate what to do and what to say. I seem to have to torment myself a while before I remember it is not all up to me. God can help me and is willing to do so, but I have to ask. Often I "discover" the solution quite soon after I ask. How wonderful to have such a friend to rely on.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I remember to ask for Your help early in a problem.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
My Higher Power is my constant and willing source of help.

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June 4

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Letting someone love me seems, such a simple thing, but, in my emotional turmoil, I had to make it complex. I had to start asking why. Why would someone want me? What were they after? What is this going to cost me? I found it impossible to receive a natural, tolerating, caring, free-flowing acceptance from another person. My first experience in this area was EA. I was totally accepted with no strings attached. With the help of these great people, I learned to accept their love. I learned that love is not control or manipulation. Love is letting people be themselves and loving them that way.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Your love has no strings attached. Help me to love the same way.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Allowing someone to love me will not make me less of a person, but more of a human being.

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June 3

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
There are so many things I cannot change! What other people say and do and feel is beyond my power, just as is the weather, the passing of time, and my basic physical makeup. To wish otherwise is to waste my energy on a dead end. When I accept the things I cannot change, I free myself to recognize opportunities in every situation. For my own serenity, I will take what good I can from everything I encounter today and leave the rest.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
When the door is locked to me, please guide me toward the door which is open.


TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will focus on accepting myself just as I am.

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June 2

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
When battling with crippling emotions, it is so easy to run in different directions or to remain immobilized, unable to decide where to start. In this state of confusion, I am like a wheel stuck in the mud, going nowhere. The antidote to this indecisiveness is my daily program. By deciding how I will spend the time given to me today, I am placing my wheels on firm ground. The slogan, "First things first," can help me determine the order my day should follow. Another saying, "How important is it?" can guide me in any uncertainty, either in planning my time or in handling interruptions.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Give me a push if my wheels get stuck.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
This day is a gift. How I use it determines how much I enjoy the gift.

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June 1

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Sometimes I forget that I am never alone and have a terrible feeling of deprivation because of absence of friends and loved ones. On those days I have to remind myself of God's presence within me. I have forgotten for that moment that God is always with me - at home, at work, in the car, or even in unfamiliar surroundings. Wherever I am, God is with me. When I remember that fact, a feeling of peace and serenity enfolds me, and I relax. I feel strong, courageous, and loved. I can do all that is required of me this day. I can get along without the friends and loved ones until their return because my Higher Power is with me.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
On lonely days, remind me of Your presence.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
God and I conquer the world.

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May 31

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Suicide is the ultimate act of desperation. It is the final giving up. Life is over! No more goals, not more hopes, no more dreams. Maybe we feel that is what we want. Many of us have contemplated suicide; many more probably will. What has held us back? For me it was the knowledge of what it would do to my family. My father and an aunt both committed suicide, and I remembered what those experiences had done to me. No matter how hopeless my life was, and it was pretty bad, I could not leave my loved ones with those same feelings. As long as there is life, there is hope - an old cliché but still very true. Life can, and will, get better. Turn it over to your Higher Power and wait one more day.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Oh, God, when my loved ones took their own lives, it left me feeling abandoned and angry. Help me understand that when I have problems, I can turn them to someone for help.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I can live this one day - one hour at a time.

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May 30

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
This morning I do not feel so well. I feel stodgy and off-balance for no apparent reason. I just do not feel like being "spiritual." But I can go and sit down, or slouch down, and write about how I am feeling, about all of me, and open a window to my Higher Power. I know God is there with what I need. Why do I sometimes want to resist? Why do I say no to being open? It seems to take a lot of personal willfulness to oppose this resistance. That is why I feel so good when I say yes. I really am lovable.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to stop resisting.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
My power comes in surrendering!

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May 29

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Everyone needs a quiet place - a place to think, to pray or dream, where we can go to organize our thoughts and close out the clutter of the outside world. Many people take time in the morning when they get out of bed to meditate and receive the message which their Higher Power has for them. Many of us wait until the late evening when our families are asleep and the house is quiet. Some people often feel their regular weekly support meetings are a refuge where they can receive love, friendship, and emotional nourishment to strengthen them. A private talk and a cup of coffee with a friend can also put things in perspective.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me find my quiet place.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
R & R: rest and recuperate; relax and repair; renew and recover.

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May 28

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
It is hard to believe that self-discipline can mean freedom. In my old way of thinking, discipline meant work, drudgery, a chore, or something to rebel against. But I have learned that disciplining my reactions, keeping my "cool," rolling with the punches, and living one day at a time has brought order to my chaotic life. Self-discipline gives me a sense of accomplishment, self-confidence, self-respect, and it frees me to go on to a new endeavors.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to discipline myself so I can be free to be me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I can do it.

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May 27

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
My Higher Power gave me this body and the free will to use it or abuse it. Today I will bless my body and all the organs which are a part of it. Bodies are true miracles. Picture your heart pumping fresh blood to your little toes and your lungs sending oxygen throughout. I thank God for every function and faculty of this priceless possession. Today I will treat my body as it should be treated, with proper food, rest, exercise and attention. I will clean it carefully and dress it in clean and appropriate garments. I thank God for the everyday healing which constantly renews and rebuilds the miracle of my body.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May my body continue to be healed, and may I always treat it with respect.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
A healthy mind needs a healthy body.

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May 26

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Sometimes I dwell on a problem which has no quick and easy answer. It might be a troubled relationship, a problem at work, sexual difficulties, physical pain, or any of a multitude of situations that cannot be fixed instantly to my liking. By remaining focused on a negative aspect of my life, I activate character defects such as self-pity, resentment, anger, and false guilt. When I accept the fact that life involved much problem-solving, and a necessary ingredient for sane living is the ability to peacefully endure until a solution is discovered, I am able to let go of the urgency of the problem facing me. By not tying up all my energies in the unpleasantness and hopelessness of a problem, I free myself to turn to my Higher Power for help in finding the right answer.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to let go of my childish desire to have no problems, and to patiently trust that answers will unfold as I continue to work the program.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I can live at peace with unsolved problems.

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May 25

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Each morning I place myself and all my worries and problems into God's loving care. I ask my Higher Power to take charge of my life for this day. I surrender my mind, my body, my life and my will, asking for the strength and courage which I need to keep going. I turn my family and friends over to God also, asking that they be helped with their health, happiness, and any concerns they may have. When I have done this, I then ask for specific help with problems such as too little patience, intolerance, my habit of criticizing, and unforgiveness. This starts the day off on the right track for me.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Thank You, God, for being there so I can turn myself over to Your safekeeping.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
The day is easier when my concerns are in God's hands.

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April 25

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
What a joyous feeling when I realize it is never too late to begin again. There is never a time when it is too late for me to start all over. How delightful to know this day can be my turning point - the beginning of a whole new way of life. It is never too late to turn to my Higher Power, who patiently waits for me. It is never too late to surrender my burdens and to enter into a more spiritual life. It is never too late for me to make amends, to forgive, and to forget. If I need to correct things, it is never too late to do so.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Thank You, God, for the knowledge that I can always start over without any shame.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
It is never too late.


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April 23

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I neither liked nor accepted most of my feelings. I either denied them or suppressed them. This denial and suppression caused my symptoms of anxiety, panic, insomnia, depression, etc. Feelings always come out somewhere. By willpower alone I have never been able to stop feeling what I did not wish to feel. Only to the degree that I accept my feelings can I surrender them to a Higher Power. Only in this process will the feelings be free to change. Many times I find myself with a feeling I do not want, I try to talk it away without accepting it. This is when I get locked into the feeling I want to be rid of. I must go back to Step One for powerlessness, Step Two for believing in a Higher Power, and Step Three for surrender.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to accept my feelings and then surrender them to You. Remind me that if they are not changed quickly, it might be I need to learn something from what I am experiencing.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Feelings can only change when they are accepted and surrendered.

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April 21

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Relating to another person intimately over an extended period of time is one of the most difficult things to do. We not only have to deal with our own problems, we have to deal with theirs, and our relationship. This increases the sources of potential problems considerably. It also increases the potential for growth and happiness. This is hard to see when in the midst of problems. If we can learn to relate while maintaining our individuality, we will have grown and found one of the keys to happiness and serenity. Often our partner or spouse will serve as a very clear mirror of ourselves. This can increase our awareness and acceptance so we can take action on those areas where we need work.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
I pray I may be grateful for those around me who help me to see myself, because they are aiding me in my recovery.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Relationships, even those which cause pain, encourage us to grow.

Emotions Anonymous (Find a meeting near you!), Order Today

April 20

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
My "day," my time here on earth, is part of God's plan for me. When things are following the natural flow, all seems to go well. How many times, through what I once termed coincidence, were the plans for the day changed for the better? I can stay out of trouble and accept whatever comes when I remember who is in charge of my life. My Senior Partner quite often has different and better ideas of how my day will unfold.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I trust that Your plans for my day will be just what I need.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will rely on my God to get me through whatever this day brings.

Emotions Anonymous (Find a meeting near you!), Order Today

April 19

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Meditation can be a gift from our Higher Power. We can accept that gift without questioning whether we deserve it or not. It is like an EA meeting inside ourselves wherein our Higher Power says, "I do not care where you have been or what you have done. I am glad you are here, and I love you right now just as you are. You are precious to me, no matter what."

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
You are always ready to give me the gift of Yourself. All I have to do is come to a meeting with You. Fear of not deserving Your unconditional love is often all that stands between You and me.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I am deserving of unconditional love.

Emotions Anonymous (Find a meeting near you!), Order Today

April 18

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
There were many times before the program when I did not know what to do next, so I tried to do everything at once. I ended up filled with anxiety and accomplished nothing except to make an already upsetting situation worse. Am I looking at priorities today, sorting them out, handling only the things I can, and leaving the rest to God?

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
I ask for Your help to do all I can reasonably do today. Help me to stop, relax, wait, have patience, and be aware that during times of trouble You will continue to care for me, as You did when things were going well.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I will do the best I can, no matter what comes, and leave the rest to God.

Emotions Anonymous (Find a meeting near you!), Order Today

April 17

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Our thoughts are like the environment - they started out clean and beautiful. Over the years we dump a lot of garbage into our minds. Some things decay over time (are biodegradable), while other things last forever and leave a garbage dump. The biodegradable refuse is excellent fertilizer - we learn from our mistakes. The plastic and metal must be disposed of - resentments, hate, envy, greed, etc. Just like the environment, there is a need for a one-time wholesale cleanup, once the situation is realized to be bad. Occasionally a new pocket will also need substantial work as new ground is covered. Those areas which have been cleaned will need continued policing to make sure they are actually clean and that there is no new buildup.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to be aware of the location of the garbage dumps in my life so I can pick and sort the fertilizer from the junk. Help me learn from the past and get rid of the things which are getting in the way of my recovery.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Not all garbage is useless, nor is all that we are keeping useful.

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April 16

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I was addicted to fantasizing. For days I would be intoxicated by this fantasizing. I robbed myself of today, of myself , and of other people. Some of my common escapes were: sleeping, drugs, alcohol, reading, and TV. They kept me away from people. But I have learned, I need people. Why did I try to escape from people? Because of fear of rejection and of the unknown.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Give me the strength to live in today and to continue to reach out to people.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
What I am is real. I cannot escape from the reality that is me.

Emotions Anonymous (Find a meeting near you!), Order Today

April 15

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I came into this program to learn more about myself and about the emotions I had hidden and repressed. Fear kept me from thinking rationally and from making decisions and acting in a way which was true to myself. It prevented me from setting any priorities in my life. When I acted out of fear, I hurt my self-image. Fear kept me from reaching out and letting others get close to me. It did allow others to see the truly unique person I am.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Thank You for the freedom to grow.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Trust!

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April 14

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Freedom can mean the ability to say no to unproductive habits and unsatisfying ways of living. Freedom means surrendering my powerlessness to my Higher Power. It enables me to turn loved ones and troubles over to God's care. Freedom gives me the strength to say no when I want to, and need to. Freedom can mean to be in control of what I do with my thoughts, feelings, and reactions. In the same way, freedom allows me to say yes to positive and productive attitudes. In other words, I am free to be the best me I can be.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Thank You for my freedom, which can be another word for self-discipline.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Only the disciplined are free.

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April 13

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I came into EA afraid - afraid of the past, present, and future; afraid of people, even those people who love me and whom I love. And afraid of being hurt again. EA has taught me that the opposite of fear is faith. As I learn to trust people, I trust my Higher Power, and my fears lessen. Trust in people, trust in my Higher Power, and trust in myself go hand-in-hand.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I remember that as I trust others, my Higher Power, and myself, my faith grows.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Faith challenges fear.

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April 11

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Step Eleven warns us to be careful of wishful thinking and rationalizing, and to be conscious of what we may mistakenly believe to be divine guidance. Talking things out with someone else is suggested so we may gain perspective and understanding before we act. God most often speaks to us through other people. When we draw closer to the God of our understanding, we may be tempted to put aside people and rely only on our Higher Power. If we withdraw from human relationships, thinking we are divinely inspired, we will once again find ourselves becoming self-righteous.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I remain humble enough to recognize my need to continue to reach out to people.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
My relationship with God must be balanced with my relationship with people.

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April 10

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Secrets create a wall, which keeps us lonely and isolated. They can also keep us from experiencing love. The more secrets I carried, the more shame I felt. The more shame I experienced, the more I wanted to close myself off from others. No longer do I have to alienate myself from others. There are people who are waiting and willing to listen to my secrets. They will not shame me. Instead they will understand because they have dealt with their own shame. By sharing my secrets I gain acceptance, belonging, and trust in my value as a person.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
May I have the courage to share the secrets I have tried to keep buried in my subconscious, for I realize this will set me free.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
By sharing my shame, I can join the human race.

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April 9

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
The word surrender was never a part of my vocabulary. It meant weakness or quitting or being cowardly. It frightened me when I heard people at meetings say, "You have to surrender." I had to unlearn what had been instilled in me since childhood. I had to get rid of the old "never give up" adage that was so much a part of my life. It was extremely difficult to change that part of my background. But what a relief to not have to be responsible for the whole world and all its inhabitants anymore. What a great comfort to be able to let go.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to surrender my whole being to You daily.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Surrender is serenity.

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April 8

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
There seems to be a lot of contention about the concept of a Higher Power. Many easily accept the idea. Others find difficulty with it and blame their inability to acknowledge a Higher Power on what they perceive as logic. When we apply this to Step Two, we can see that no matter how we try to define our understanding of our Higher Power, we will come to a point where our concept does not make any sense. This we cannot change. Can I accept my Higher Power on its own terms, even though my Higher Power eludes logic?

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
To You whom I call my Higher Power, help me to believe You can restore balance to my life. Help me to avoid shading my understanding of You by molding You to my own ability to perceive.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
The concept of a Higher Power is profound and may elude logic.

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April 7

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
All I have are these twenty-four hours. Each second, minute, and hour I have a choice. Do I realize how many choices I do make each day, however, small they are? I am responsible when I am making decisions. Each choice I make helps me to grow. Some decisions I make might be right, some might be wrong, but I grow from all of them. I gain more confidence with each decision I make.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Give me the courage to make decisions.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
The worst choice may be to make no choice, but even that is a choice.

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April 6

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I am complex. My emotions do not have to make sense - they just are. As I accept them, contradictions an all, I can choose how I want to act. When I deny their existence or try to force them into my current understandings of my pattern, they control my actions. I become angry when there is no reason; I become depressed over nothing. As I accept myself, I find things make a lot more sense. This understanding usually comes without my exerting an intense effort. It most often "occurs" to me. This comes because, as I can accept all of me, I am open.

MEDITATION FOR TODAY
Help me to remember my future growth is unlimited.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Today I can accept.

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