Hi Everyone!
Thank you for your participation and beautiful sharing today during our meeting. Today, we read and discussed the first of the 4 Absolutes, honesty. Below is a brief summary and the homework assignment for this week.
The 4 Absolutes: Honesty
Adapted from the pamphlet published by The Cleveland Central Committee
Honesty: [candid, direct, forthright, open, sincere, truthful]
“Our sobriety is a gift, but honesty is a Grace that we must earn and constantly fight to protect and enlarge.”
“Over and over we must ask ourselves, “is it true or is it false?” for honesty is the eternal search for truth. It is by far the most difficult of the four absolutes, for anyone, but especially for us in this fellowship. The problem drinker develops genuine artistry in deceit.”
“Any intended violation of honesty stabs the health of not only the doer but the whole fellowship…Like sobriety, it’s the power of example that does the job. It is much simpler to appear honest, than to be honest.”
“Truth is life and falsity is spiritual death. It’s an everlasting, unrelenting instinct for truth that counts. Honesty is not a policy. It has to be a constant state of mind.”
“We must strive to be in reality what we appear to be…The real virtue in honesty lies in the persistent dedicated striving for it.”
ABSI (172:3) “Sometimes we need to place love ahead of indiscriminate ‘factual honesty’. We cannot, under the guise of ‘perfect honesty’, cruelly and unnecessarily hurt others. Always one must ask, ‘what is the best and most loving thing I can do?’”
What does it look like in your life when you are absolutely honest? Write out a vision for yourself….
References:
Step_4_Four_Absolutes_Inventory
Emotional Sobriety And Food 
Thank you so much for this meditation and the set aside prayer. I made an mp3 clip of your set aside prayer to play for myself before I go into a meeting when I know there are personalities I have difficulty with, it helps alot to adjust my attitude. I also made an mp3 clip of your meditation to use as a step 10 meditation for me, I love it and I love all your work. thank you soooo much.
Thank you so much! I periodically question why I do this blog, and your feedback is very greatly appreciated. I am so happy you are finding it helpful!!!