Spiritual Experience and Spiritual Awakening

The terms "spiritual experience" and "spiritual awakening" are used many times in this book which, upon careful reading, shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested itself among us in many different forms.  Yet it is true that our first printing gave many readers the impression that these personality changes, or religious experiences, must be in the nature of sudden or spectacular upheavels.  Happily for everyone, this conclusion is erroneous.  Big Book, Appendix II - Spiritual Experience

I was glad it said this somewhere in the book.  When I heard over and over about bright lights and Bill W. jumping out of his hospital bed, all overcome by Spirit, I really just wondered what the hell was wrong with me.  Nothing like that has happened to me yet in the program.  Now, I can tell you that I have noticed a progressive character change.  I have also noticed that, for me, this character change is just as dependent on a right relationship with my Higher Power and the maintenance of my spiritual condition as is my abstinence from alcohol.  I am grateful for the AA slogan, One Day at a Time.  It truly is all I can handle and really all I need to. 

Thank you Higher Power.  Thank You for the 24 hours I got to live today.  Thank You for breathe, for life and for insight into what truly matters to me.  Thank You for working with me on my character, just for today.  Thank You.