AA Daily Reading – Tuesday 8 April 2014

Tuesday

KEEP IT SIMPLE – BUT NOT SIMPLE-MINDED

Working the Steps  Dr. Bob Smith left little in the way of written material for AA’s future.  His phrase “keep it simple”,  however,  is now a guiding slogan in the program.  What did he really have in mind with this final piece of advice?

We can take it as certain that Dr. Bob – a highly intelligent man – was not saying that we shouldn’t use our heads for real thinking and study.  One of the blessings of sobriety,  in fact,  should be the ability to think clearly and effectively. It would be a mistake to believe that one must renounce brainpower and education in order to stay sober.

The real aim of ‘keeping it simple’ should be to stay mindful of the principles and essentials that are key to everything else.  Even the most difficult subjects can usually be mastered by processes of simplification.  The deepest book, for example,  is

still composed of only twenty-six letters.

We can “keep it simple” by building our lives around the principles of the Twelve Step program.  When we discover new ideas,  they’ll reinforce and expand what we’ve already learned.  In this way,  we should always be learning and growing – which is beautifully simple,  but certainly not simple-minded.

I’ll be grateful for the ability to think and to understand complicated subjects.  With a strong foundation in the bedrock principles of AA,  I can use my mind in constructive an progressive ways.

TODAY,

I’LL MAKE TWO LISTS.

ON ONE LIST,  I’LL

WRITE WAYS I PLAY WITH

MY PROGRAM.

AND I’LL PUT MY ENERGY INTO WORKING

THE PROGRAM.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!