WALKING THE WAY WE TALK (Our daily application of steps 10 & 11)

It has been said the “two minded man is unstable in all his ways.” When we first embark on the path this is readily obvious. In trying to live we may have been gracious, helpful, kind even giving if we thought there was something in it for us. Once we got what we needed or it became clear we weren’t going to get what we needed we could and did turn on a dime becoming angry, petulant even downright abusive; usually to those who cared about us most. Our motives clearly were wrong, our actions based in selfish and self centered pursuits. When existing seemingly only in the secular world there are dozens if not hundreds of excuses and rationalizations that can be dredged up to justify this type of behavior. Living on the Spiritual Basis we now know that the supposed separation between the secular and the spiritual is nonexistent, everything connected. We cannot treat some people with dignity, respect while looking down our nose at others. Show patience, tolerance, kindness and love towards some but not all. He wants to enjoy a certain reputation, but knows in his heart he doesn’t deserve it (AA pg.73). Our happiness, peace of mind, our serenity is contingent on our actions. Heart versus head. Action versus intention. “We cannot think our way into right living, we must live our way into right thinking.” Common sense would thus become uncommon sense (AA pg.13). Simple but not easy; a price had to be paid. It meant destruction of self-centeredness. I must turn in all things to the Father of Light who presides over us all (AA pg.14). Right thinking is not about thought control, far from it. Trying to control ones thoughts is akin to herding cats, never gonna happen. Right thinking is our action/demonstration when one of those harmful or destructive impulses/thoughts crosses our mind. Today having a kit of spiritual tools we act and react differently. Be ever vigilant for contradictions in action, be a man or woman who walks the way they talk, for in the final analysis this is the measure by which we judge ourselves.