Now that I avail myself of the letters H-O-W suggested by friends in the Gamblers Anonymous Program—Honesty, Open-Mindedness, Willingness—I see things in a new light. In ways that I couldn’t have predicted and surely never expected, I’ve come to see things quite differently than I did before coming to GA. I feel good most days. …
The slogans used in Gamblers Anonymous are seemingly clear and simple. Yet they may still have different meanings for different people, according to their own experiences and reactions to the words and ideas. Take, for example, the slogan Let Go and Let God. For some people, it may suggest that all we have to do is sidestep …
How, exactly, can a person turn his or her own will and life over to the care of a Higher Power? All that’s needed is a beginning, no matter how small. The minute we put the key of willingness in the lock, the latch springs open. Then the door itself starts to open, perhaps ever …
Today I’ll try to settle for less than I wish were possible, and be willing to not only accept it but to appreciate it. Today, I’ll not expect too much of anyone—especially myself. I’ll try to remember that contentment comes from gratefully accepting the good that comes to us, and not from being furious at …
Gamblers Anonymous has taught me that the essence of all growth for me is a willingness to change for the better. Following that, I must have further willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails, and to take courageously every action that is required. “I am and know and will; I am knowing and willing; I …
When we’re faced with some condition or situation not to our liking, how can we have faith that all things are working together for good? Perhaps we have to ask ourselves just what is faith. Faith has its foundation in truth and love. We can have faith, if we so choose, no matter what the …
It is the privilege of wisdom to listen, Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote. If I try as hard as I can to cultivate the art of listening—uncritically and without making premature judgments—chances are great that I’ll progress more rapidly in my recovery. If I try as hard as I can to listen to the feelings and …
Many of us come to the Gamblers Anonymous Program professing that we’re agnostic or atheistic. As someone once put it, our will to disbelieve is so strong that we prefer a date with the undertaker to an experimental and open-minded search for a Higher Power. Fortunately for those of us with closed minds, the constructive …
Very few of us know what we really want, and none of us knows what is best for us. That knowledge is in the hands of God. This is a fact I must ultimately accept, in spite of my rebelliousness and stubborn resistance. From this day forward, I’ll limit my prayers to requests for guidance, …
For my own good, I’ll go to meetings and participate in discussions with an open mind that’s ready to receive and accept new ideas. For my own peace of mind and comfort, I’ll determinedly try to apply those new ideas to my own life. I’ll remember that the Gamblers Anonymous Program offers me the instruction …