A.A. Thoughts

[janbear]

Guidance

Walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress.
If you persist, remarkable things will happen.
When we look back, we realize the things which came to us
when we put ourselves in God's hands,
were better than anything we could have planned.
Follow the dictates of a Higher Power
and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world,
no matter what your present circumstances!
c. 1976, 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 100

Thought to Consider . . .

Look for the Good.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A = Adventurers Anonymous

[janbear]

Promises

We are going to know a new freedom
and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past
nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity
and we will know peace.
No matter how far down the scale we have gone,
we will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self-pity
will disappear.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Fear of people and of economic insecurity
will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle
situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us
what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises?
We think not.
They are being fulfilled among us --
sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
They will always materialize if we work for them.
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 83-4
Thought to Consider . . .

It works -- it really does.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G R A C E = Gently Releasing All Conscious Expectations.

[janbear]

Faith

When I was driven to my knees by alcohol,
I was made ready to ask for the gift of faith.
And all was changed.
Never again, my pains and problems notwithstanding,
would I experience my former desolation.
I saw the universe to be lighted by God's love;
I was alone no more.
Bill W., Letter, 1966
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 51


Thought to Consider . . .

Sorrow looks back, worry looks around,
and faith looks up.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Finding Answers In The Heart.

[janbear]

Joyous

We have been speaking to you of serious,
sometimes tragic things.
We have been dealing with alcohol in its worst aspects.
But we aren't a glum lot.
If newcomers could see no joy in our existence,
they wouldn't want it.
We absolutely insist on enjoying life.
We try not to indulge in cynicism over the state
of the nations,
nor do we carry the world's troubles on our shoulders.
c. 1976, 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 132


Thought to Consider . . .

Laughter is the sound of recovery.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H J F = Happy, Joyous, Free

[janbear]

Coping

God willing, we members of AA may never again
have to deal with drinking,
but we have to deal with sobriety every day.
How do we do it?
By learning -- through practicing the Twelve Steps
and through sharing at meetings -- how to cope with
the problems that we looked to booze to solve,
back in our drinking days. . .
We learn how to level out the emotional swings
that got us into trouble
both when we were up and when we were down.
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 160
c. 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 558-9






Thought to Consider . . .

The peaks and valleys of my life
have become gentle rolling hills.

[janbear]

Resentments

Few people have been more victimized by resentments
than have we alcoholics.
It mattered little whether our resentments
were justified or not.
A burst of temper could spoil a day,
and a well-nursed grudge could make us
miserably ineffective.
Nor were we ever skillful in separating
justified from unjustified anger.
As we saw it, our wrath was always justified.
Anger, that occasional luxury of more balanced people,
could keep us on an emotional jag indefinitely.
These emotional "dry benders" often led
straight to the bottle.
Other kinds of disturbance -- jealousy, envy,
sef-pity, or hurt pride -- did the same thing.
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 90


Thought to Consider . . .

Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes the light of reason.

[janbear]

Insecurity

The achievement of freedom from fear
is a lifetime undertaking,
one that can never be wholly completed.
When under heavy attack, acute illness,
or in other conditions of serious insecurity,
we shall all react, well or badly, as the case may be.
Only the vainglorious claim perfect freedom from fear,
though their very grandiosity is really rooted
in the fears they have temporarily forgotten.
Bill W., January 1962
c. 1988 AA Grapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 265


Thought to Consider . . .

Once we clear a hurdle, it doesn't seem so high.

[janbear]

Sponsors

Every sponsor is necessarily a leader.
The stakes are huge.
A human life, and usually the happiness of a whole family,
hangs in the balance.
What the sponsor does and says,
how well he estimates the reactions of his prospects,
how well he times and makes his presentation,
how well he handles criticisms,
and how well he leads his prospect on
by personal spiritual example ...
well, these attributes of leadership
can make all the difference,
often the difference between life and death.
Thank God that Alcoholics Anonymous is blessed
with so much leadership in each and all of its great affairs!
Bill W., April 1959
c. 1988 AA Grapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 292


Thought to Consider . . .

A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor
is much like a ship without a rudder.

[janbear]

Change

How many of us would presume to declare,
"Well, I'm sober, and I'm happy.
What more can I want, or do?
I'm fine the way I am."
We know that the price of such self-satisfaction
is an inevitable backslide,
punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening.
We have to grow or else deteriorate.
For us, the status quo can only be for today,
never for tomorrow.
Change we must; we cannot stand still.
Bill W., April 1961
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 25


Thought to Consider . . .

Backsliding begins when knee-bending stops.

[janbear]

Action

"Then they outlined the spiritual answer
and program of action
which a hundred of them had followed successfully.
Though I had been only a nominal churchman,
their proposals were not, intellectually, hard to swallow.
But the program of action, though entirely sensible,
was pretty drastic.
It meant I would have to throw several lifelong conceptions
out of the window.
That was not easy.
But the moment I made up my mind
to go through with the process,
I had the curious feeling that my alcoholic condition
was relieved, as in fact it proved to be."
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 42


Thought to Consider . . .

Willingness without action is fantasy.

[janbear]

Courage

I looked around me at people who seemed happy
and tried to analyze their happiness,
and it seemed to me that without exception
these people had something or somebody
they loved very much.
I didn't have the courage to love;
I was not even sure I had the capacity.
Fear of rejection and its ensuing pain were not to be risked . . .
c. 1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 546
(does not appear in 4th Edition)


Thought to Consider . . .

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.

[janbear]

Defense

The alcoholic at certain times
has no effective mental defense against the first drink.
Except in a few rare cases,
neither he nor any other human being
can provide such a defense.
His defense must come from a Higher Power.
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 43


Thought to Consider
Alcohol ... cunning, baffling, powerful!

[janbear]

Reprieve

It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action
and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe.
We are not cured of alcoholism.
What we have is a daily reprieve
contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.
Every day is a day when we must carry the vision
of God's will into all our activities.
"How can I best serve Thee -- Thy will (not mine) be done."
These are thoughts which must go with us constantly.
We can exercise our will power along this line all we wish.
It is the proper use of the will.
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85


Thought to Consider . . .
The alcoholic is in no greater peril
than when he takes sobriety for granted.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, Trust.

[janbear]

Satisfaction

No satisfaction has been deeper
and no joy greater than in a Twelfth Step job well done.
To watch the eyes of men and women open with wonder
as they move from darkness into light,
to see their lives quickly fill with new purpose and meaning,
to see whole families reassembled,
to see the alcoholic outcast received back
into his community in full citizenship,
and above all to watch these people awaken
to the presence of a loving God in their lives --
these things are the substance of what we receive
as we carry AA's message to the next alcoholic.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 110


Thought to Consider . . .
I keep my sobriety by giving it away.

[janbear]

Fear

The achievement of freedom from fear
is a lifetime undertaking,
one that can never be wholly completed.
When under heavy attack, acute illness,
or in other conditions of serious insecurity,
we shall all react to this emotion --
well or badly, as the case may be.
Only the self-deceived will claim perfect freedom from fear.
Bill W., Grapevine, January 1962
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 263


Thought to Consider . . .
Courage is the willingness to accept fear and act anyway.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Face Everything And Recover

[janbear]

Reminder

We constantly remind ourselves
we are no longer running the show,
humbly saying to ourselves many times each day
"Thy will be done."
We are then in much less danger of excitement,
fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions.
We become much more efficient.
We do not tire so easily,
for we are not burning up energy foolishly
as we did when we were trying to arrange life
to suit ourselves.
©1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 87-8
Thought to Consider . . .
It works -- it really does.

[janbear]

Coping

God willing, we members of AA may never again
have to deal with drinking,
but we have to deal with sobriety every day.
How do we do it?
By learning -- through practicing the Twelve Steps
and through sharing at meetings --
how to cope with the problems
that we looked to booze to solve, back in our drinking days. . .
We learn how to level out the emotional swings
that got us into trouble
both when we were up and when we were down.
c. 1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 560
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 558


Thought to Consider . . .
The ankle-biters of everyday struggles will eat away at me
unless I go to meetings and share.

[janbear]

Housecleaning

If we skip this vital step [Step Five],
we may not overcome drinking.
Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves
certain facts about their lives.
Trying to avoid this humbling experience,
they have turned to easier methods.
Almost invariably they got drunk.
Having persevered with the rest of the program,
they wondered why they fell.
We think the reason is that they never completed
their housecleaning.
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 72-3


Thought to Consider . . .
There's no elevator, you have to take the Steps.

[janbear]

Choice

The fact is that most alcoholics,
for reasons yet obscure,
have lost the power of choice in drink.
Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent.
We are unable, at certain times,
to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force
the memory of the suffering and humiliation
of even a week or a month ago.
We are without defense against the first drink.
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 24

Thought to Consider . . .
Just for today, I choose not to drink.

[janbear]

Communication

From the beginning,
communication in AA has been
no ordinary transmission of helpful ideas and attitudes.
Because of our kinship in suffering,
and because our common means of deliverance
are effective for ourselves only when constantly
carried to others,
our channels of contact have always been charged
with the language of the heart.
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 195
Thought to Consider . . .

Listening feeds the spirit.

[janbear]

Illusion

No person likes to think he is bodily
and mentally different from his fellows.
Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers
have been characterized by countless vain attempts
to prove we could drink like other people.
The idea that somehow, someday he will control
and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession
of every abnormal drinker.
The persistence of this illusion is astonishing.
Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 30
Thought to Consider . . . .

The two most dangerous words
in a recovering alcoholic's vocabulary are,
"I'm different."

[janbear]

Tolerance

Finally, we begin to see that all people,
including ourselves,
are to some extent emotionally ill
as well as frequently wrong,
and then we approach true tolerance
and see what real love for our fellows actually means.
It will become more and more evident as we go forward
that it is pointless to become angry,
or to get hurt by people who, like us,
are suffering from the pains of growing up.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 92


Thought to Consider . . .

Honesty gets us sober, tolerance keeps us sober.

[admin]

1/24

Belief
Here are thousands of men and women, worldly indeed.
They flatly declare that since they have come to believe
in a Power greater than themselves,
to take a certain attitude toward that Power,
and to do certain simple things,
there has been a revolutionary change
in their way of living and thinking.
In the face of collapse and despair,
in the face of the total failure of their human resources,
they found that a new power, peace, happiness,
and sense of direction flowed into them.
c. 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 50
^*^*^*^*^
Thought to Consider . . .

Newcomers are the lifeblood of the program.
But our old-timers are the arteries.

[admin]

1/25

Family Matters
Now and then the family will be plagued
by specters from the past,
for the drinking career of almost every alcoholic
has been marked by escapades, funny, humiliating,
shameful or tragic.
The first impulse will be to bury these skeletons
in a dark closet and padlock the door.
The family may be possessed by the idea
that future happiness can be based only upon
forgetfulness of the past.
We think that such a view is self-centered
and in direct conflict with the new way of living.
c. 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 123-4

Thought to Consider . . .

The spiritual life is not a theory.
We have to live it.

[janbear]

Prayer

"In AA we have found that the actual
good results of prayer are beyond question.
They are matters of knowledge and experience.
All those who have persisted have found
strength not ordinarily their own.
They have found wisdom beyond their
usual capability.
And they have increasingly found a peace of mind
which can stand firm in the face of
difficult circumstances."

Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 104
As Bill Sees It, p. 127





Thought to Consider . . .

Trying to pray is praying.

[janbear]

Ghosts
AA experience has taught us we cannot live alone
with our pressing problems and the character defects
which cause or aggravate them.
If we have swept the searchlight of Step Four
back and forth over our careers,
and it has revealed in stark relief those experiences
we'd rather not remember,
if we have come to know how wrong thinking and action
have hurt us and others,
then the need to quit living by ourselves
with those tormenting ghosts of yesterday
gets more urgent than ever.
We have to talk to somebody about them.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 55

Thought to Consider . . .

Trust God. Clean house. Help others.

[janbear]

Thankfulness
I try to hold fast to the truth
that a full and thankful heart
cannot entertain great conceits.
When brimming with gratitude,
one's heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love,
the finest emotion that we can ever know.
Bill W., AAGrapevine, March 1962
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 37

Thought to Consider . . .

The peaks and valleys of my life
have become gentle rolling hills.

[janbear]

Good Living
Understanding is the key to right principles and attitudes,
and right action is the key to good living;
therefore the joy of good living
is the theme of AA's Twelfth Step.
With each passing day of our lives,
may every one of us sense more deeply
the inner meaning of AA's simple prayer:

God grant us the serenity to accept
the things we cannot change,
Courage to change the things we can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 125

Thought to Consider . . . .

The joy is in the journey.

[janbear]

Fear
Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing.
It seems to cause more trouble.
We reviewed our fears thoroughly.
We put them on paper,
even though we had no resentment in connection with them.
We asked ourselves why we had them.
Wasn't it because self-reliance failed us?
Self-reliance was good as far as it went,
but it didn't go far enough.
Some of us once had great self-confidence,
but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other.
When it made us cocky, it was worse.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 67-8


Thought to Consider . . .
Situations I fear are rarely as bad as the fear itself.

[janbear]

Juggernaut
We who are alcoholics can consider ourselves
fortunate indeed.
Each of us has had his own near-fatal encounter
with the juggernaut of self-will,
and has suffered enough under its weight
to be willing to look for something better.
So it is by circumstance rather than by any virtue
that we have been driven to AA,
have admitted defeat,
have acquired the rudiments of faith,
and now want to make a decision
to turn our will and our lives over to a Higher Power.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 37-8


Thought to Consider . . .

If faith without works is dead,
then willingness without action is fantasy.

[janbear]

Resentments
In AA we slowly learned that something had to be done
about our vengeful resentments, self-pity,
and unwarranted pride.
We had to see that every time we played the big shot,
we turned people against us.
We had to see that when we harbored grudges
and planned revenge for such defeats,
we were really beating ourselves with
the club of anger we had intended to use on others.
We learned that if we were seriously disturbed,
our first need was to quiet that disturbance,
regardless of who or what we thought caused it.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 47

Thought to Consider . . .

Resentment is like acid,
eating away at the vessel it is stored in.

[janbear]

Humility
Every newcomer in AA is told, and soon realizes for himself,
that his humble admission of powerlessness
over alcohol is his first step toward liberation
from its paralyzing grip.
So it is that we first see humility as a necessity.
But this is the barest beginning. . .
A whole lifetime geared to self-centeredness
cannot be set in reverse all at once.
Rebellion dogs our every step at first.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 72-3


Thought to Consider . . .
Many people haven't even a nodding acquaintance
with humility as a way of life.

[janbear]

Language of the Heart

From the beginning,
communication in AA has been no ordinary transmission
of helpful ideas and attitudes.
It has been unusual and sometimes unique.
Because of our kinship in suffering,
and because our common means of deliverance
are effective for ourselves only when
constantly carried to others,
our channels of contact have always been charged
with the language of the heart.
Bill W., July 1960
c. 1988 AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 243


Thought to Consider . . .

Walk softly and carry a Big Book.

[janbear]

Let Go
If you have decided you want what we have
and are willing to go to any length to get it --
then you are ready to take certain steps.
At some of these we balked.
We thought we could find an easier, softer way.
But we could not.
With all the earnestness at our command,
we beg of you to be fearless and thorough
from the very start.
Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas
and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58


Thought to Consider . . .

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

[janbear]

Faith
We had seen spiritual release,
but liked to tell ourselves it wasn't true.
Actually, we were fooling ourselves,
for deep down in every man, woman, and child,
is the fundamental idea of God.
It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp,
by worship of other things,
but in some form or other it is there.
For faith in a Power greater than ourselves,
and miraculous demonstrations of that power
in human lives,
are facts as old as man himself.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 55


Thought to Consider . . .

We found the Great Reality deep down within us.

[janbear]

Carry the Message
Taking advantage of technological advances,
AA members with computers
can participate in meetings online,
sharing with fellow alcoholics across the country
or around the world.
Fundamentally, though, the difference
between an electronic meeting
and the home group around the corner
is only one of format.
In any meeting, anywhere, AA's share experience,
strength, and hope with each other,
in order to stay sober and help other alcoholics.
Modem-to-modem or face-to-face,
AA's speak the language of the heart
in all its power and simplicity.
c. 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, Foreword to Fourth Edition, p. xxiv


Thought to Consider . . .

We in AA don't carry the alcoholic;
we carry the message.

[janbear]

Results
We found that as soon as we were able
to lay aside prejudice
and express even a willingness
to believe in a Power greater than ourselves,
we commenced to get results,
even though it was impossible for any of us
to fully define or comprehend that Power,
which is God.
c. 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 46

Thought to Consider . . .

God seldom becomes a reality
until God becomes a necessity.

[janbear]

Children of Chaos
Over the years, every conceivable deviation
from our Twelve Steps and Traditions has been tried.
That was sure to be,
since we are largely a band of ego-driven individuals.
Children of chaos, we have definitely played
with every brand of fire,
only to emerge unharmed and, we think, wiser.
These very deviations created a vast process
of trial and error which, under the grace of God,
has brought us to where we stand today.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 146


Thought to Consider . . .

Once we clear a hurdle, it doesn't seem so high

[janbear]

Cheerfulness
But we aren't a glum lot. . .
We absolutely insist on enjoying life. . .
So we think cheerfulness and laughter
make for usefulness.
Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we
burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic
experience out of the past.
But why shouldn't we laugh?
We have recovered,
and have been given the power to help others.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 132


Thought to Consider . . .

Laughter is the sound of recovery.

[janbear]

A New Life
Life will take on a new meaning.
To watch people recover, to see them help others,
to watch loneliness vanish,
to see a fellowship grow up about you,
to have a host of friends --
this is an experience you must not miss.
We know you will not want to miss it.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 89


Thought to Consider . . .

Break out of your shell and join us!

[janbear]

AA Unity
Though many of us have had to struggle for sobriety,
never yet has this Fellowship had to struggle
for lost unity.
Consequently, we sometimes take this one great gift
for granted.
We forget that, should we lose our unity,
the millions of alcoholics who still "do not know"
might never get their chance.
Bill W., Letter, 1949
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 297


Thought to Consider . . .

We can make a difference.
Without you, there is no 'we.'

[janbear]

Entirely Ready
It is plain for everybody to see that each sober AA member
has been granted a release from this very obstinate
and fatal obsession.
So in a very complete and literal way,
all AA's have "become entirely ready"
to have God remove the mania for alcohol from their lives.
And God has proceeded to do just that.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 64


Thought to Consider . . .

I stood in the sunlight at last.

[janbear]

Control
At a certain point in the drinking of every alcoholic,
he passes into a state where
the most powerful desire to stop drinking
is of absolutely no avail.
This tragic situation has already arrived
in practically every case long before it is suspected.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 24


Thought to Consider . . .

When a person tries to control their drinking
they have already lost control.

[janbear]

Steps & Traditions
AA's Twelve Steps are a group of principles,
spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life,
can expel the obsession to drink
and enable the sufferer to become
happily and usefully whole.
AA's Twelve Traditions apply to the life
of the Fellowship itself.
They outline the means by which AA maintains its unity
and relates itself to the world about it,
the way it lives and grows.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 15


Thought to Consider . . .

The Steps protect me from myself;
the Traditions protect AA from me.

[janbear]

Acceptance
Our very first problem is to accept
our present circumstances as they are,
ourselves as we are, and the people about us as we are.
This is to adopt a realistic humility
without which no genuine advance can even begin.
Again and again, we shall need to return
to that unflattering point of departure.
This is an exercise in acceptance
that we can profitably practice every day of our lives.
Bill W., AAGrapevine, March 1962
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 44


Thought to Consider . . .

My serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance.

[janbear]

Resentment
Resentment is the "number one" offender.
It destroys more alcoholics than anything else.
From it stem all forms of spiritual disease,
for we have been not only mentally and physically ill,
we have been spiritually sick.
When the spiritual malady is overcome,
we straighten our mentally and physically.
In dealing with resentments, we set them on paper.
We listed people, institutions or principles
with whom we were angry.
We asked ourselves why we were angry.
In most cases it was found that our self-esteem,
our pocketbooks, our ambitions,
our personal relationships (including sex)
were hurt or threatened.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 64-5


Thought to Consider . . .

Resentment is like taking poison
and waiting for the other person to die.

[janbear]

Powerlessness
Who cares to admit complete defeat?
Practically no one, of course.
Every natural instinct cries out against the idea
of personal powerlessness.
It is truly awful to admit that, glass in hand,
we have warped our minds into such an obsession
for destructive drinking
that only an act of Providence can remove it from us.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 21

Thought to Consider . . .

We surrender to win.

[janbear]

Neighbors
Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly
like people in a sinking ship.
If you live in a large place, there are hundreds.
High and low, rich and poor,
these are future fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Among them you will make lifelong friends.
You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties,
for you will escape disaster together
and you will commence shoulder to shoulder
your common journey.
Then you will know what it means to give of yourself
that others may survive and rediscover life.
You will learn the full meaning of
"Love Thy neighbor as thyself."
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 152-3


Thought to Consider . . .

Sobriety is a journey, not a destination.

[janbear]

Foundation
There is a direct linkage among self-examination,
meditation, and prayer.
Taken separately, these practices can bring
much relief and benefit.
but when they are logically related and interwoven,
the result is an unshakable foundation for life.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 98


Thought to Consider . . .

Prayer is asking a question.
Meditation is listening for the answer.

[janbear]

Meetings
A "spiritual experience" to me meant attending meetings,
seeing a group of people,
all there for the purpose of helping each other;
hearing the Twelve Steps
and the Twelve Traditions read at a meeting,
and hearing the Lord's Prayer,
which in an AA meeting has such great meaning --
"Thy will be done, not mine."
A spiritual awakening soon came to mean
trying each day to be a little more thoughtful,
more considerate, a little more courteous
to those with whom I came in contact.
c. 1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 381
c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 356


Thought to Consider . . .

The ankle-biters of everyday struggles will eat away at me
unless I go to meetings and share.

[janbear]

Why Worry?
^*^*^
"There are many short phrases and expressions in AA
which make sound sense.
'First Things First': solving our immediate problems
before we try to solve all the others . . .
'Easy Does it.' Relax a little.
Try for inner contentment. No one individual
can carry all the burdens of the world.
Everyone has problems. Getting drunk won't solve them.
'Twenty-four hours a day.'
Today is the day. Doing our best,
living each day to the fullest is the art of living.
Yesterday is gone, and we don't know whether
we will be here tomorrow.
If we do a good job of living today,
and if tomorrow comes for us,
then the chances are we will do a good job when it arrives -
so why worry about it?"
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 382


Thought to Consider . . .

Every day is a gift.
That is why we call it the present.

[janbear]

Meetings

"We have also found that going to meetings is not something to
be done only when we feel the temptation to drink. We often
get more good from the meetings by attending them when we
feel fine and haven't so much as thought of drinking. And
even a meeting which is not totally, instantly satisfying, is
better than no meeting at all.

"Living Sober, p. 81
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
ALCOHOLICS
A Life Centered On Helping Others Live In Complete Sobriety

[janbear]

Motives

"Suppose we fall short of the chosen ideal and stumble? Does this mean we are going to get drunk? Some people tell us so. But this is only a half-truth. It depends on us and our motives. If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and will have learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct continues to harm others, we are quite sure to drink.

"Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 70

[janbear]

Lessons

"I find the willingness to give thanks by contemplatingthe lessons learned from past suffering--lessons which have led to blessings I now enjoy.I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism,the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride,have often led me to God's grace,and so to a new freedom.




"Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, March 1962As Bill Sees It, p. 266
Thought to Consider . . .

Remember that we deal with alcohol --
cunning, baffling, powerful!

[janbear]

Obsession

"Under the lash of alcoholism, we are driven to AA, and there we discover the fatal nature of our situation. Then, and only then, do we become as open-minded and as willing to listen as the dying can be. We stand ready to do anything which will lift the merciless obsession from us.




Thought to Consider . . .

The best things in life aren't things.

[janbear]

Inventory

"We continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to look for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear."

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 84

Thought to Consider . . .

When I am too busy to pray - I am just too busy.

[janbear]

The Light




"To what extent I was personally responsible for my drinking, I don't know. Yet I'm not one to take complete refuge in the idea that I was a sick man only. In earlier years, I certainly had some degree of free will. That free will I used badly, to the great misery of my mother and countless others. I am deeply ashamed. As one who knows me a little, you may have heard how, ten years ago, a friend, himself a liberated alcoholic, came to me bearing the light which finally led me out of the toils. There will come a day like that for you and yours--I'm so confident!"

Bill W., Letter to the Mother of an Alcoholic,
Dec. Language of the Heart, p. 102

Thought to Consider . . .





It's impossible for me to love God and hate myself.

[janbear]

Life on Life's Terms

"For years, I was sure the worst thing that could happen to a nice guy like me would be that I would turn out to be an alcoholic. Today, I find it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. This proves I don't know what's good for me. And if I don't know what's good for me, then I don't know what's good or bad for you or for anyone. So I'm better off if I don't give advice, don't figure I know what's best, and just accept life on life's terms, as it is today--especially my own life, as it actually is. Before AA, I judged myself by my intentions, while the world was judging me by my actions.

"Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 449-50




Thought to Consider . . .

I am liberated from dreaming the impossible dream
and free, finally, to start living the possible dream.

[janbear]

Willpower

"We AA's know the futility of trying to break the drinking obsession by will power alone. However, we do know that it takes great willingness to adopt AA's Twelve Steps as a way of life that can restore us to sanity.

"Bill W., Letter, 1966 As Bill Sees It, p. 88




Thought to Consider . . .

Willingness is doing what I have to,
whether I want to or not.

[janbear]

Fear

"Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied drives us to covet the possessions of others, to lust for sex and power, to become angry when our instinctive demands are threatened, to be envious when the ambitions of others seem to be realized while ours are not. These fears are the termites that cease lessly devour the foundations of whatever sort of life we try to build.

"Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 49
Thought to Consider . . .

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the action in spite of the fear

[admin]

Spiritual Growth

"When we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God. Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you. At the start, this was all we needed to commence spiritual growth, to effect our first conscious relation with God as we understood Him. If we wished to grow we had to begin somewhere. So we used our own conception, however limited it was."

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 47



Thought to Consider . . .

Spirituality is the ability to get our minds off ourselves.

[admin]

Humility

"The attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of AA's Twelve Steps. For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all.

"Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 70

Thought to Consider . . .

As I thus get down to my right size and stature,
my self-concern and importance become amusing.

Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, June 1961
As Bill Sees It, p. 106

[janbear]

Procrastination

"After a preliminary trial at making amends, we may enjoy such a sense of relief that we conclude our task is finished. We will want to rest on our laurels. The temptation to skip the more humiliating and dreaded meetings that still remain may be great. We may just procrastinate, telling ourselves the time is not yet, when in reality we have already passed up many a fine chance to right a serious wrong. Let's not talk prudence while practicing evasion.




"Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 85

Thought to Consider . . .

Procrastination is really sloth in five syllables.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 67

[janbear]

Prayer

"As the doubter tries the process of prayer,he should begin to add up the results.If he persists, he will surely find more serenity,more tolerance, less fear, and less anger.He will acquire a quiet courage,the kind that isn't tension-ridden.He can look at 'failure' and 'success'for what these really are.Problems and calamity will begin to mean his instruction,instead of his destruction.Wonderful and unaccountable things will start to happen.

"Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, June 1958As Bill Sees It, p. 321

Thought to Consider . . .

Trying to pray is praying.

[janbear]

Change

"Let us never fear needed change. Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse and changes for better. But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole, it has long since been found out that we cannot stand still and look the other way.

"Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, July 1965 As Bill Sees It, p. 115

Thought to Consider . . .

There is no progress without change.

[janbear]

Release

"Who can render an account of all the miseries that have once been ours, and who can estimate the release and joy that the later years have brought to us? Who could possibly tell the vast consequences of what God's work through AA had already set in motion?

"Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pp. 44-5
As Bill Sees It, p. 163

Thought to Consider . . .

"I have been given a quiet place in bright sunshine.

"Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, Jan. 1958.
The Language of the Heart, p. 238

[janbear]

Rationalization

"There are cases where our ancient enemy, rationalization, has stepped in and has justified conduct which was really wrong. The temptation here is to imagine that we had good motives and reasons when we really didn't. We 'constructively criticized' someone who needed it, when our real motive was to win a useless argument. We sometimes hurt those we love because they' need to be taught a lesson, 'when we really want to punish. This perverse wish to hide a bad motive underneath a good one, permeates human affairs from top to bottom.

"Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 94

Thought to Consider . . .

Recognizing someone else's human dignity cannot cost you your own.

[janbear]

Tolerance

"Honesty with ourselves and others gets us sober,
but it is tolerance that keeps us that way.
In other words, once an alcoholic fully realizes
that he can't get well alone,
he will somehow find a way to get well and stay well
in the company of others.
It has been that way from the beginning of AA
and probably always will be so."
Bill W., Letter, 1943
As Bill Sees It, p. 312

Thought to Consider . . .

Together we can do what we could never do alone.

[janbear]

Isolating

"The less people tolerated us,
the more we withdrew from society,
from life itself.
As we became subjects of King Alcohol,
shivering denizens of his mad realm,
the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down.
It thickened, ever becoming blacker.
Unhappy drinkers who read this page will understand."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 151

Thought to Consider . . .

Losers make promises;
winners make commitments.

[janbear]

Traditions

"The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous
are a distillate of our experience of living and working together.
They apply the spirit of the Twelve recovery Steps
to our group life and security.
They deal with the world outside and with each other;
they state our attitudes toward power and prestige,
toward property and money.
They would save us from tempting alliances
and major controversies;
they would elevate principles far above personal ambitions.
And as a token of this last, they request that we
maintain personal anonymity before the open public
as a protection to AA and as proof of the fact that
our society intends to practice true humility."
Bill W., The Language of the Heart, p. 96

Thought to Consider . . .

The reason they are called Principles is
because they always work.
If they didn't always work we'd just call them "good ideas."

[janbear]

"There are those in AA whom we call 'destructive' critics.
They power-drive, they are 'politickers,'
they make accusations to gain their ends--
all for the good of AA, of course!
We ought to listen carefully to what they say.
Sometimes they are telling the whole truth;
at other times, a little truth.
If they are talking nonsense, we can ignore it,
or else try to persuade them.
There are few better means of self-survey
and of developing patience than the workouts
these usually well-meaning but erratic members
so often afford us."

Bill W., Twelve Concepts for World Service, p. 40
As Bill Sees It, p. 215

Thought to Consider . . .

Every problem arrives bearing a gift in its hands.

[janbear]

Self-will

"The philosophy of self-sufficiency doesn't pay off.
Plainly enough, it is a bone-crushing juggernaut
whose final achievement is ruin.
Therefore, we can consider ourselves
fortunate indeed.
Each of us has had his own near-fatal encounter
with the juggernaut of self-will,
and has suffered enough under its weight to
look for something better."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 37-8

Thought to Consider . . .

Attitudes are contagious--is yours worth catching?

[admin]

Unity

"The unity of Alcoholics Anonymous is
the most cherished quality our Society has.
Our lives, the lives of all to come,
depend squarely upon it.
We stay whole, or AA dies.
Without unity, the heart of AA would cease to beat;
our world arteries would no longer carry
the life-giving grace of God;
His gift to us would be spent aimlessly.
Back again in their caves,
alcoholics would reproach us and say,
'What a great thing AA might have been!'"
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 130

Thought to Consider . . .

I am responsible.
when anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
I want the hand of AA always to be there.
And for that:
I am responsible

[janbear]

Housecleaning

"Somehow, being alone with God
doesn't seem as embarrassing
as facing up to another person.
Until we actually sit down and talk aloud
about what we have so long hidden,
our willingness to clean house
is still largely theoretical.
When we are honest with another person,
it confirms that we have been honest
with ourselves and with God."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 60

Thought to Consider . . .

If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking.
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 72

[janbear]

The Past

"Showing others who suffer how we were given help
is the very thing which makes
life seem so worthwhile to us now.
Cling to the thought that, in God's hands,
the dark past is the greatest possession you have--
the key to life and happiness for others.
With it you can avert death and misery for them."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 124

Thought to Consider . . .

Get it - Give it - Grow in it.

[janbear]

Give Thanks

"Though I still find it difficult
to accept today's pain and anxiety
with any degree of serenity-
as those more advanced in the spiritual life
seem able to do-
I can give thanks for present pain nevertheless.
I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism,
the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride,
have often led me to God's grace,
and so to a new freedom."
Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, March 1962
As Bill Sees It, p. 266

Thought to Consider . . .

Serenity isn't freedom from the storm; it is peace within the storm.

[janbear]

Prayer

"In AA we have found that the actual
good results of prayer are beyond question.
They are matters of knowledge and experience.
All those who have persisted have found
strength not ordinarily their own.
They have found wisdom beyond their
usual capability.
And they have increasingly found a peace of mind
which can stand firm in the face of
difficult circumstances."

Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 104
As Bill Sees It, p. 127

Thought to Consider . . .

Trying to pray is praying.

[sunnyflo14]

My favorite prayer very often is simply God help me! because He does indeed know what I need, and if I get out of the way and basically just make myself available, show up for life and not think too hard about it... the next right thing will be put before me and with Gods help I can move on. We were not promised a life without pain, misery however is optional. Linda G

[janbear]

Humility

"Our AA program is spiritually centered.
Most of us have found enough humility
to believe in and depend upon God.
We have found that humility by facing the fact
that alcoholism is a fatal malady
over which we are individually powerless."
Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, September 1945
The Language of the Heart, p. 7

Thought to Consider . . .

Humility is not thinking less of yourself,
but thinking of yourself less.

[janbear]

Open Mind

"To get sober and to stay sober,
all you really need is a truly open mind.
Just resign from the debating society and
quit bothering yourself with such deep questions
as whether it was the hen or the egg that came first.
Again I say, all you need is the open mind."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 26

Thought to Consider . . .

Minds are like parachutes -
they won't work unless they're open.

[janbear]

Sunlight

"When the thought was expressed to me
that there might be a God personal to me,
I didn't like the idea.
So my friend Ebby made what then seemed
a novel suggestion.
He said, 'Why don't you choose
your own conception of God?'
That statement hit me hard.
It melted the icy intellectual mountain
in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many years.
I stood in the sunlight at last."
Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 12
As Bill Sees It, p. 313

Thought to Consider . . .

Joy isn't the absence of pain-- it's the presence of God.

[janbear]

Virtues

"We of AA are apt sometimes to brag
of the virtues of our fellowship.
Let us remember that none of these are earned virtues.
We have been forced into them, to begin with,
by the cruel lash of John Barleycorn.
We have adopted these attitudes, these practices,
this structure, not at first because we wished to
but because we had to.
But today I think we stand
willing to conform permanently and gladly
to the principles which experience,
under the grace of God,
has taught us."
Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 224

Thought to Consider . . .

Unless I accept my virtues,
I will be overwhelmed with my faults.

[janbear]

Working With Others

"Life will take on a new meaning.
To watch people recover, to see them help others,
to watch loneliness vanish,
to see a fellowship grow up about you,
to have a host of friends--
this is an experience you must not miss.
We know you will not want to miss it.
Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other
is the bright spot of our lives."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 89

Thought to Consider . . .

Service is spirituality in action.

[janbear]

Fear

"At heart we had all been abnormally fearful.
It mattered little whether we had sat on the shore of life
drinking ourselves into forgetfulness
or had plunged in recklessly and willfully
beyond our depth and ability.
The result was the same -
all of us had nearly perished
in a sea of alcohol."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 123-4

Thought to Consider . . .

I didn't make it all the way to the beach
to drown in the sand.

[janbear]

Change

"Let us never fear needed change.
Certainly we have to discriminate between
changes for worse and changes for better.
But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual,
in a group, or in AA as a whole,
it has long since been found out
that we cannot stand still and look the other way."
Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, July 1965
As Bill Sees It, p. 115

Thought to Consider . . .

We're responsible for the effort - not the outcome

[janbear]

Vigilance

"Now that we're in AA and sober,
winning back the esteem of our friends
and business associates,
we find that we still need to
exercise special vigilance.
As an insurance against
the dangers of big-shot-ism,
we can often check ourselves by remembering
that we are today sober only by
the grace of God
and that any success we may be having
is far more His success than ours."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 92
As Bill Sees It, p. 19

Thought to Consider . . .

"Vigilance will always be the price of survival."

Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, November 1960.
The Language of the Heart, p. 317

[janbear]

Earnestness

"An alcoholic in his cups is an unlovely creature.
Our struggles with them are variously
strenuous, comic, and tragic.
One poor chap committed suicide in my home.
He could not, or would not, see our way of life.
There is, however, a vast amount of fun about it all.
I suppose some would be shocked at our
seeming worldliness and levity.
But just underneath there is
deadly earnestness.
Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day
in and through us,
or we perish."
Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 92

Thought to Consider....

Laughter is the sound effect of recovery.

[janbear]

Progress

"We claim spiritual progress rather than
spiritual perfection.
Our description of the alcoholic,
the chapter to the agnostic,
and our personal adventures before and after
make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not
manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could
have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 60

Thought to Consider . . .

Every recovery from alcoholism
began with one sober hour.

[janbear]

Sharing

"In spite of the great increase in the size
and the span of this Fellowship,
at its core it remains simple and personal.
Each day, somewhere in the world,
recovery begins when one alcoholic talks
with another alcoholic,
sharing experience, strength, and hope."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. xxii

Thought to Consider . . .

We need each other's experience, strength, and hope,
regardless of age or length of sobriety.

[janbear]

Amends

"Learning how to live in the greatest peace,
partnership, and brotherhood with all men and women,
of whatever description, is a moving
and fascinating adventure.
Every AA has found that he can make little headway
in this new adventure of living until he first backtracks
and really makes an accurate and unsparing survey
of the human wreckage he has left in his wake."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 77
As Bill Sees It, p. 145

Thought to Consider . . .

We are as sick as our secrets.

[janbear]

Selfishness

"Selfishness - self-centeredness!
That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
Driven by a hundred forms of fear,
self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity,
we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate.
Sometimes they hurt us,
seemingly without provocation,
but we invariably find that at some time in the past
we have made decisions based on self
which later placed us in a position to be hurt.
So our troubles, we think,
are basically of our own making."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 62

Thought to Consider . . .

Spirituality is the ability
to get our minds off ourselves.

[janbear]

Responsibility

"I Am Responsible . . .
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
I want the hand of AA always to be there.
And for that:
I am responsible."
Declaration of 30th Anniversary International Convention, 1965

Thought to Consider . . .

Service is spirituality in action.

[janbear]

Intoxication

"As newcomers, many of us have indulged
in spiritual intoxication.
Like a prospector,
belt drawn in over the last ounce of food,
we saw our pick strike gold.
Joy at our release from a lifetime
of frustration knew no bounds.
The newcomer feels he has struck
something better than gold.
He may not see at once
that he has barely scratched a limitless lode
which will pay dividends
only if he mines it for the rest of his life
and insists on giving away
the entire product."

Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 128-9
As Bill Sees It, p. 57

Thought to Consider . . .

We give it away to keep it.

[admin]

Rationalization

"We 'constructively criticized' someone who needed it,
when our real motive was to win a useless argument.
We were depressed and complained we felt bad,
when in fact we were mainly asking for
sympathy and attention.
This odd trait of mind and emotion,
this perverse wish to hide a bad motive
underneath a good one,
permeates human affairs from top to bottom.
Learning daily to spot, admit, and correct these flaws
is the essence of character-building
and good living."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 94-5

Thought to Consider . . .

A victim is a spectator in his life.

[janbear]

Right Living

"Service gladly rendered,
obligations squarely met,
troubles well accepted or solved with God's help,
the knowledge that at home or in the world outside
we are partners in a common effort,
the fact that in God's sight all human beings
are important,
the proof that love freely given brings a full return,
the certainty that we are no longer
isolated and alone in self-constructed prisons,
the surety that we can fit and belong
in God's scheme of things -
these are the satisfactions of right living
for which no pomp and circumstance,
no heap of material possessions,
could possibly be substitutes."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 124
As Bill Sees It, p. 254

Thought to Consider . . .

"I have been given a quiet place in bright sunshine."
Bill W., Box 1980:
The AA Grapevine, Jan. 1958. The Language of the Heart, p. 238

[janbear]

Obsession

"The alcoholic has obsessions
to an exaggerated degree.
Over a period of time he has built up self-pity,
resentments toward anyone or anything
that interferes with his drinking.
Dishonest thinking, prejudice, ego,
antagonism toward anyone and everyone
who dares to cross him,
vanity and a critical attitude are character defects
that gradually creep in and become a part of his life.
Living with fear and tension inevitably results
in wanting to ease that tension,
which alcohol seems to do temporarily.
It took me some time to realize
that the Twelve Steps of AA were designed
to help correct these defects of character
and so help remove the obsession to drink."
Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 380-1

Thought to Consider . . .

"Within our wonderful new world,
we have found freedom from our fatal obsession."

Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 139

[janbear]

Faith

"In this book you read again and again
that faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves.
We hope you are convinced now that God
can remove whatever self-will has blocked you off from Him.
If you have already made a decision,
and an inventory of your grosser handicaps,
you have made a good beginning.
That being so, you have swallowed and digested
some big chunks of truth about yourself."

Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 70-1

Thought to Consider . . .

Faith isn't belief without proof;
it's trust without reservation.

[janbear]

Prayer

"Common sense would thus become uncommon sense.
I was to sit quietly when in doubt,
asking only for direction and strength
to meet my problems as He would have me.
Never was I to pray for myself,
except as my requests bore on my
usefulness to others.
Then only might I expect to receive.
But that would be in great measure."

Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 13

Thought to Consider . . .

I listen for direction now.

[janbear]

Meditation

"Perhaps one of the greatest rewards
of meditation and prayer
is the sense of belonging that comes to us.
We no longer live in a completely hostile world.
We are no longer lost and frightened and purposeless.
We know that God lovingly watches over us.
We know that when we turn to Him,
all will be well with us,
here and hereafter."

Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 105
As Bill Sees It, p. 117

Thought to Consider . . .

Prayer is asking a question;
meditation is listening to the answer.

[janbear]

Gratitude

"One exercise that I practice
is to try for a full inventory of my blessings
and then for a right acceptance
of the many gifts that are mine--
both temporal and spiritual.
Here I try to achieve a state of joyful gratitude.
When such a brand of gratitude
is repeatedly affirmed and pondered,
it can finally displace the natural tendency to
congratulate myself on whatever progress
I may have been enabled to make
in certain areas of living.
I try hard to hold fast to the truth
that a full and thankful heart
cannot entertain great conceits.
When brimming with gratitude,
one's heartbeat must surely result
in outgoing love,
the finest emotion that we can ever know."
Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, March 1962
As Bill Sees It, p. 37

Thought to Consider . . .

It's a pity we can't forget our troubles
the same way we forget our blessings.

[janbear]

Language of the Heart

"As we better use the
'language of the heart,'
our communications grow apace:
already we find ourselves in a safe passage through
all those barriers of distance and language,
of social distinctions,
nationality and creed,
that so divide the world of our time."

Bill W., AA Today, published on the occasion of AA's twenty-fifth anniversary.
The Language of the Heart, pp. 309-10

Thought to Consider . . .

I am responsible for carrying the message.
I am not responsible for anyone receiving the message.

[janbear]

Self-restraint

"Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.
We must avoid quick-tempered criticism
and furious power-driven argument.
The same goes for silent scorn.
These are emotional booby traps
baited with pride and vengefulness.
We can neither think nor act to good purpose
until the habit of self-restraint
has become automatic."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 91

Thought to Consider . . .

The Seven T's - Take Time To Think The Thing Through.

[janbear]

^*^*^*^*^
Expectations

"My serenity is inversely proportional
to my expectations.
The higher my expectations of other people are,
the lower is my serenity.
I can watch my serenity level rise
when I discard my expectations.
But then my 'rights' try to move in,
and they, too, can force my serenity level down.
I have to discard my 'rights,'
as well as my expectations, by asking myself,
'How important is it, really?
How important is it compared to my serenity,
my emotional sobriety?'
And when I place more value on my serenity and sobriety
than on anything else,
I can maintain them at a higher level--
at least for the time being."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition p. 452

Thought to Consider . . .

Lower your standards and improve your program.

[janbear]

Meetings

"Sobriety and a plan for living
that produces a personality change
and a spiritual awakening are imperative.
Through AA, many receive the needed change
and awakening just by trying to live
by AA principles and with AA people.
We do this by going to many AA meetings
with an open mind and a desire to live the
good-feeling life without chemicals--
liquid or otherwise."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 459

Thought to Consider . . .

Seven days without an AA meeting makes one weak.

[admin]

Arrogance

"I am a firm believer in both
guidance and prayer.
But I am fully aware, and humble enough, I hope,
to see there may be nothing infallible
about my guidance.
The minute I figure I have got
a perfectly clear pipeline to God,
I have become egotistical enough
to get into real trouble.
Nobody can cause more needless grief
than a power-driver who thinks
he has got it straight from God."

Bill W., Letter, 1950
As Bill Sees It, p. 38

Thought to Consider . . .
The smallest package in the world
is an alcoholic all wrapped up in himself.

[admin]

Powerless

"Who cares to admit complete defeat?
Practically no one, of course.
Every natural instinct cries out
against the idea of personal powerlessness.
No other kind of bankruptcy is like this one.
Alcohol, the rapacious creditor,
bleeds us of all self-sufficiency
and all will to resist its demands.
But upon entering AA we soon take quite
another view of this absolute humiliation.
Our admissions of personal powerlessness
finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which
happy and purposeful lives may be built."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 21

Thought to Consider . . .

"Admission of powerlessness is the first step in liberation."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 5

[admin]

Compromise

"One qualification for a useful life is
'give-and-take,'
the ability to compromise cheerfully.
Compromise comes hard to us 'all-or-nothing' drunks.
Nevertheless we must never lose sight of the fact
that progress is nearly always characterized by
a series of improving compromises.
There are circumstances in which it is necessary
to stick flat-footed to one's convictions.
Deciding when to compromise
and when not to compromise always calls for
the most careful discrimination."

Bill W., Twelve Concepts for World Service, pp. 39-40
As Bill Sees It, p. 59

Thought to Consider . . .

Wisdom in its purest form is sometimes
knowing what to overlook.

[admin]

Choices

"During the day, we can pause
where situations must be met and decisions made,
and renew the simple request:
'Thy will, not mine, be done.'
If at these points our emotional disturbance
happens to be great,
we will more surely keep our balance,
provided we remember,
and repeat to ourselves,
a particular prayer or phrase that has appealed to us
in our reading or meditation.
Just saying it over and over will often enable us
to return to the surest help of all--
our search for God's will, not our own,
in the moment of stress."

Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 102-3
As Bill Sees It, p. 78

Thought to Consider . . .

"As we go through the day we pause,
when agitated or doubtful,
and ask for the right thought or action."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 87

[admin]

Humility

"I am still arrogant, self-righteous,
with no humility, even phony at times,
but I'm trying to be a better person
and help my fellowman.
Guess I'll never be a saint,
but whatever I am,
I want to be sober and in AA.
The word 'alcoholic' does not turn me off any more;
in fact, it is music to my ears
when it applies to me."

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 463

Thought to Consider . . .

"Many people haven't even a nodding acquaintance
with humility as a way of life."

Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 70

[janbear]

Troubles

"So our troubles, we think,
are basically of our own making.
They arise out of ourselves,
and the alcoholic is an extreme example of
self-will run riot,
though he usually doesn't think so.
Above everything,
we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness.
We must, or it kills us!
Many of us had moral and philosophical
convictions galore,
but we could not live up to them
even though we would have liked to.
Neither could we reduce our
self-centeredness much by wishing
or trying our own power.
We had to have God's help."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 62

Thought to Consider . . .

The task ahead of us
is never as great as the Power behind us.

[janbear]

Inventory

"A business which takes no regular inventory
usually goes broke.
Taking a commercial inventory is
a fact-finding and a fact-facing process.
If the owner of the business is to be successful,
he cannot fool himself about values.
We did exactly the same thing with our lives.
We took stock honestly.
Being convinced that self,
manifested in various ways,
was what had defeated us,
we considered its common manifestations."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 64

Thought to Consider . . .

In order to recover we have to uncover.

[janbear]

Power

"We could wish to be moral,
we could wish to be philosophically comforted,
in fact, we could will these things with all our might,
but the needed power wasn't there.
Our human resources,
as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient;
they failed utterly.
Lack of power, that was our dilemma.
We had to find a power by which we could live,
and it had to be a
Power greater than ourselves."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 45

Thought to Consider . . .

Willpower ... our will-ingness to use a Higher Power.

[janbear]

Control

"Most of us have been unwilling to admit
we were real alcoholics.
No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally
different from his fellows.
Therefore, it is not surprising
that our drinking careers have been characterized
by countless vain attempts to prove
we could drink like other people.
The idea that somehow, someday he will control
and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession
of every abnormal drinker.
The persistence of this illusion is astonishing.
Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 30

Thought to Consider . . .

When a person tries to control their drinking
they have already lost control.

[janbear]

Tornado

"The alcoholic is like a tornado
roaring his way through the lives of others.
Hearts are broken.
Sweet relationships are dead.
Affections have been uprooted.
Selfish and inconsiderate habits
have kept the home in turmoil.
We feel a man is unthinking
when he says that sobriety is enough.
He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar
to find his home ruined.
To his wife, he remarked,
'Don't see anything the matter here, Ma.
Ain't it grand the wind stopped blowin'?'"
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 82

Thought to Consider . . .

"We alcoholics are undisciplined.
So we let God discipline us..."

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 88

[janbear]

Friendship

"We commenced to make many fast friends
and a fellowship has grown up among us
of which it is a wonderful thing to feel a part of.
The joy of living we really have,
even under pressure and difficulty.
I have seen hundreds of families set their feet
in the path that really goes somewhere;
have seen the most impossible
domestic situations righted;
feuds and bitterness of all sorts wiped out.
I have seen men come out of asylums
and resume a vital place in the lives
of their families and communities.
Business and professional men
have regained their standing.
There is scarcely any form of trouble and misery
which has not been overcome among us."
Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 15

Thought to Consider . . .

"Most of us feel we need look no further for Utopia.
We have it with us right here and now."

[janbear]

Anonymity

"We have denied ourselves personal government,
professionalism, and the right to say
who our members shall be.
We have abandoned do-goodism,
reform, and paternalism.
We refuse charitable money and prefer
to pay our own way.
We will cooperate with practically everybody,
yet we decline to marry our Society to anyone.
We abstain from public controversy and will not
quarrel among ourselves about
those things that so rip society asunder--
religion, politics, and reform.
We have but one purpose;
to carry the AA message
to the sick alcoholic who wants it."
Bill W., The Language of the Heart, p. 211

Thought to Consider . . .

AA is not something you join, it's a way of life.

[janbear]

Maturity

"Many oldsters who have put our AA 'booze cure'
to severe but successful tests
still find they often lack emotional sobriety.
To attain this,
we must develop a real maturity and balance
(which is to say humility)
in our relations with ourselves,
with our fellows,
and with God."

Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, January 1958
As Bill Sees It, p. 244




Thought to Consider . . .

"We must find a spiritual basis of life -- or else."

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 44

[janbear]

Forgiveness

"The moment we ponder a twisted or broken relationship
with another person,
our emotions go on the defensive.
To escape looking at the wrongs we have done another,
we resentfully focus
on the wrong he has done us.
This is especially true if he has, in fact,
behaved badly at all.
Triumphantly, we seize upon his misbehavior
as the perfect excuse for minimizing
or forgetting our own.
If we are now about to ask forgiveness for ourselves,
why shouldn't we start out by forgiving them, one and all?"
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 78

Thought to Consider . . .

We are prisoners of our own resentments.
Forgiveness unlocks the door and sets us free.

[janbear]

Disease

"Some strongly object to the AA position
that alcoholism is an illness.
This concept, they feel, removes
moral responsibility from alcoholics.
As any AA knows, this is far from true.
We do not use the concept of sickness
to absolve our members from responsibility.
On the contrary, we use the fact of fatal illness
to clamp the heaviest kind of moral obligation
onto the sufferer,
the obligation to use AA's Twelve Steps to get well."
Bill W., Talk, 1960 As Bill Sees It, p. 32

Thought to Consider . . .

The road to recovery is always under construction.

[janbear]

Awakening

"Alcoholism is a grievous and often fatal malady
of the mind and body.
We have found that these awful conditions invariably
bring on the third phase of our malady.
This is the sickness of the spirit;
a sickness for which there must necessarily
be a spiritual remedy.
We AA's recognize this in the first five words
of Step Twelve.
Those words are:
'Having had a spiritual awakening...'
Here we name the remedy for our threefold sickness
of body, mind, and soul."
Bill W., The Language of the Heart, p. 297

Thought to Consider . .

"When the spiritual malady is overcome,
we straighten out mentally and physically."

[janbear]

Conflict

"My conflicts went right on mounting
because I was simply loaded with excuses and refusals.
When these troubles had finally exhausted me enough,
there was yet another escape.
I would commence to wallow in the bog of guilt.
Here pride and rebellion would give way to depression.
My main theme always was, 'How god-awful I am.'
There was never a decent regret for the harms I had done,
nor was there any serious thought of making such
restitution as I could.
The idea of asking God's forgiveness,
let alone any forgiveness of myself,
never occurred to me.
My really big liability - spiritual pride and arrogance-
was not examined at all.
I had shut out the light by which I might have seen it."
Bill W., The Language of the Heart, p. 257-8





Thought to Consider . . .

Simply asking for help seems to be a help in itself.

[janbear]

Martyrdom

"Self-pity is one of the most unhappy and
consuming defects that we know.
It is a bar to all spiritual progress
and can cut off all effective communication
with our fellows
because of its inordinate demands
for attention and sympathy.
It is a maudlin form of martyrdom,
which we can ill afford."

Bill W., Letter, 1966
As Bill Sees It, p. 238

Thought to Consider . . .

I can't have a better tomorrow
if I am thinking about yesterday all the time.

[janbear]

Fear

"This short word somehow touches
about every aspect of our lives.
It was an evil and corroding thread;
the fabric of our existence was shot through with it.
It set in motion trains of circumstances which
brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve.
But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling?
Sometimes we think fear
ought to be classed with stealing.
It seems to cause more trouble."
Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 67-8.

Thought to Consider . . .

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows,
but only empties today of its strength.

[janbear]

Sponsor

"If we are fooling ourselves,
a competent adviser can see this quickly.
And, as he skillfully guides us away from our fantasies,
we are surprised to find that we have few
of the usual urges to defend ourselves
against unpleasant truths.
In no other way can fear, pride,
and ignorance be so readily melted.
After a time, we realize that we are standing firm
on a brand-new foundation for integrity,
and we gratefully credit our sponsors,
whose advice pointed the way."

Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, August 1961.
As Bill Sees It, p. 248



Thought to Consider . . .

A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor is much like leaving Dracula in charge of the blood bank.

[janbear]

Attitudes

"We find that our old attitudes toward our instincts
need to undergo drastic revisions.
Our desires for emotional security and wealth,
for personal prestige and power,
for romance, and for family satisfactions -
all these have to be tempered and redirected.
If we place instincts first,
we have got the cart before the horse;
we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment.
But when we are willing to place
spiritual growth first -
then and only then do we have a real chance."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 114

Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned that my actions are far more important than my thoughts.

[janbear]

Communicate

"From the beginning,
communication in AA has been no ordinary transmission
of helpful ideas and attitudes.
It has been unusual and sometimes unique.
Because of our kinship in suffering,
and because our common means of deliverance
are effective for ourselves only when
constantly carried to others,
our channels of contact have always been charged with
the language of the heart."

Bill W., July 1960
©1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 243


Thought to Consider . . .

To help each other, is to help ourselves.

[janbear]

Defiance
"'As psychiatrists have often observed,
defiance is the outstanding characteristic of
many an alcoholic.
When we encountered AA,
the fallacy of our defiance was revealed.
At no time had we asked what God's will was for us;
instead we had been telling Him what it ought to be.
No man, we saw,
could believe in God and defy Him, too.
Belief meant reliance, not defiance.
In AA we saw the fruits of this belief:
men and women spared from alcohol's final catastrophe.'"

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 31

Thought to Consider . . .

While it isn't always easy, if I keep it simple, it works.

[janbear]

Daily Reprieve

"It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action
and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do,
for alcohol is a subtle foe.
We are not cured of alcoholism.
What we really have is a daily reprieve
contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85

Thought to Consider . . .

The road to recovery is always under construction.

[janbear]

Acceptance

"And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.
When I am disturbed, it is because I find
some person, place, thing, or situation
- some fact of my life -
unacceptable to me, and I can find
no serenity until I accept that person,
place, thing, or situation as being exactly
the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Nothing, absolutely nothing happens
in God's world by mistake.
Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober;
unless I accept life completely on life's terms,
I cannot be happy.
I need to concentrate not so much on what
needs to be changed in the world
as on what needs to be changed
in me and in my attitudes."

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 449,417 4th Edition
Note: Dr. Paul O., author of these words, passed away 5.12.00.

Thought to Consider . . .

"My serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance."

Dr. Paul O., Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 417

[janbear]

^*^*^*^*^
Compulsion

"It helped me a great deal to become convinced
that alcoholism was a disease,
not a moral issue;
that I had been drinking as a result of a compulsion,
even though I had not been aware
of the compulsion at the time;
and that sobriety was not a matter of willpower.
I was afraid to let go of what I had
in order to try something new;
there was a certain sense of security in the familiar.
At last, acceptance proved to be the key
to my drinking problem.
When I stopped living in the problem
and began living in the answer,
the problem went away."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 417 4th Edition

Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned what a heart full of gratitude feels like.

[janbear]

Choices

"Our necessities are certainly immense and compelling.
Each of us must conform reasonably well
to AA's Steps and Traditions,
or else we shall go mad or die of alcoholism.
Therefore the compulsion among most of us
to survive and grow soon becomes far stronger
than the temptation to drink or misbehave.
Literally, we must 'do or die.'
So we make the choice to live.
This, in turn, means the choice of AA
principles, practices, and attitudes.
This is our first great and critical choice.
Admittedly, this is made under the fearful and immediate
lash of John Barleycorn, the killer.
Plainly enough, this first choice is far more a necessity
than it is an act of virtue."

Bill W., May 1960
©1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, pp. 301-2


Thought to Consider . . .

It was either AA or amen.

[janbear]

Honesty

"Rarely have we seen a person fail
who has thoroughly followed our path.
Those who do not recover are people
who cannot or will not give themselves
to this simple program,
usually men and women who are
constitutionally incapable of
being honest with themselves.
There are such unfortunates.
They are not at fault;
they seem to have been born that way.
They are naturally incapable of
grasping and developing a manner of living
which demands rigorous honesty.
Their chances are less than average.
There are those, too, who suffer from
grave emotional and mental disorders,
but many of them do recover
if they have the capacity to be honest."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58

Thought to Consider . . .

Every recovery from alcoholism
began with one sober hour.

[janbear]

Prayer

"On awakening let us think about
the twenty-four hours ahead.
We consider our plans for the day.
Before we begin,
we ask God to direct our thinking,
especially asking that it be
divorced from self-pity,
dishonest or self-seeking motives."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 86




Thought to Consider . . .

Faith dares the soul to go beyond
what the eyes can see.

[janbear]

Fact

"The great fact is just this, and nothing less:
That we have had deep and effective
spiritual experiences which have revolutionized
our whole attitude toward life,
toward our fellows, and toward God's universe.
The central fact of our lives today
is the absolute certainty
that our Creator has entered our hearts and lives
in a way which is indeed miraculous.
He has commenced to accomplish those things for us
which we could never do by ourselves."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 25

Thought to Consider . . .

Patience with others is Love,
Patience with self is Hope,
Patience with God is Faith.

[janbear]

Freedom






"So far, upon the total problem of several million
actual and potential alcoholics in the world,
we have made only a scratch.
In all probability, we shall never be able to touch
more than a fair fraction of the alcohol problem
in all its ramifications.
Upon therapy for the alcoholic himself,
we surely have no monopoly.
Yet it is our great hope that all those
who have as yet found no answer
may begin to find one in the pages of this book
and will presently join us on
the highroad to a new freedom."






Foreword to Second Edition
Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. xx-xxi

Thought to Consider....

"Within our wonderful new world,
we have found freedom from our fatal obsession."

[janbear]

Unity

" 'Practically never have I heard a heated religious, political,
or reform argument among AA members.
So long as we don't argue these matters privately,
it's a cinch we never shall publicly.'
As by some deep instinct, we AA's have known
from the very beginning that we must never,
no matter what the provocation,
publicly take sides in any fight, even a worthy one. . .
. . . We do not enter into public controversy,
because we know that our Society will perish if it does.
We conceive the survival and spread
of Alcoholics Anonymous to be
something of far greater importance
than the weight we could collectively
throw back of any other cause."
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 176-77


Thought to Consider . . .

Attitudes are contagious.
Is yours worth catching?

[janbear]

Sponsorship

"Dr. Bob led me through all of these Steps.
At the moral inventory,
he brought up some of my bad personality traits
or character defects, such as selfishness,
conceit, jealousy, carelessness, intolerance,
ill-temper, sarcasm and resentments.
We went over these at great length and then
he finally asked me if I wanted these defects of character
taken away.
When I said yes, we both knelt at his desk and prayed . . .
If I live to be a hundred, this will always stand out in my mind.
I wish that every AA could have the benefit of this type
of sponsorship today."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 292


Thought to Consider . . .

A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor
is much like a ship without a rudder.

[janbear]

Four Horsemen

"The less people tolerated us,
the more we withdrew from society, from life itself.
As we became subjects of King Alcohol,
shivering denizens of his mad realm,
the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down.
It thickened, ever becoming blacker.
Some of us sought out sordid places,
hoping to find understanding companionship and approval.
Momentarily we did - then would come oblivion
and the awful awakening
to face the hideous Four Horsemen -
Terror, Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair.
Unhappy drinkers who read this page will understand!"
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 151


Thought to Consider . . .

Alcohol gave me wings to fly,
and then it took away the sky.

[janbear]

Happiness

"I feel myself a useful member of the human race at last.
I have something to contribute to humanity,
since I am peculiarly qualified, as a fellow-sufferer,
to give aid and comfort to those who have
stumbled and fallen over this business
of meeting life.
I get my greatest thrill of accomplishment
from the knowledge that I have played a part
in the new happiness achieved
by countless others like myself."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 229


Thought to Consider . . .

The joy is in the journey, so enjoy the ride.

[janbear]

Why Worry?

"There are many short phrases and expressions in AA
which make sound sense.
'First Things First': solving our immediate problems
before we try to solve all the others . . .
'Easy Does it.' Relax a little.
Try for inner contentment. No one individual
can carry all the burdens of the world.
Everyone has problems. Getting drunk won't solve them.
'Twenty-four hours a day.'
Today is the day. Doing our best,
living each day to the fullest is the art of living.
Yesterday is gone, and we don't know whether
we will be here tomorrow.
If we do a good job of living today,
and if tomorrow comes for us,
then the chances are we will do a good job when it arrives -
so why worry about it?"
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 382


Thought to Ponder . . .

Every day is a gift.
That is why we call it the present.

[janbear]

Instincts
^*^*^
"The idea keeps persisting that the instincts
are primarily bad and are the roadblocks
before which all spirituality falters.
I believe that the difference between good and evil
is not the difference between spiritual
and instinctual man;
it is the difference between proper and improper
use of the instinctual.
Recognition and right channeling of the instinctual
are the essence of achieving wholeness."
Bill W., Letter, 1954
©1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 287


Thought to Consider . . .

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

[janbear]

Carry the Message

"We sit at AA meetings and listen,
not only to receive something,
but to give reassurance and support
which our presence can bring.
If our turn comes to speak at a meeting,
we again try to carry AA's message.
Whether our audience is one or many,
it is still Twelfth Step work."

Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 110

Thought to Consider....

That light at the end of the tunnel may be you.

[janbear]

Growing Up

"How many of us would presume to declare,
'Well, I'm sober and I'm happy.
What more can I want, or do?
I'm fine the way I am.'
We know that the price of such
self-satisfaction is an inevitable backslide,
punctuated at some point
by a very rude awakening.
We have to grow or else deteriorate.
For us, the status quo can only be for today,
never for tomorrow.
Change we must;
we cannot stand still."
Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, June 1961
As Bill Sees It, p. 25

Thought to Consider....

The program has helped me grow up enough
to be a kid again.

[janbear]

Freedom

"Through AA, we can experience freedom from self.
After all, it was self ( you, me ) that stood in our own way,
that ran the show and ran ourselves into bankruptcy,
that hurt the ones we loved.
All Twelve Steps of AA are designed to kill the old self
( deflate the old ego )
and build a new, free self."
©1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 459

Thought to Consider . . .

Within our wonderful new world,
we have found freedom from our fatal obsession.

[janbear]

Fellowship

"We are average Americans.
All sections of this country and many of its occupations
are represented,
as well as many political, economic, social,
and religious backgrounds.
We are people who normally would not mix.
But there exists among us a fellowship,
a friendliness, and an understanding
which is indescribably wonderful ...
The tremendous fact for every one of us
is that we have discovered a common solution."
©1976 AAWS, Alcholics Anonymous, p. 17


Thought to Ponder ...

The Journey is the Destination.

[janbear]

Wants or Needs?

"We are taught to differentiate between our wants
(which are never satisfied)
and our needs (which are always provided for).
We cast off the burdens of the past
and the anxieties of the future,
as we begin to live in the present, one day at a time.
We are granted
'the serenity to accept the things we cannot change'
- and thus lose our quickness to anger
and our sensitivity to criticism."
©1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 560


Thought to consider ...

Don't give up before the miracle happens.

[janbear]

Anger

"Then the miracle happened - to me!
It isn't always so sudden with everyone,
but I ran into a personal crisis which filled me
with a raging and righteous anger.
And as I fumed helplessly and planned
to get good and drunk and show them,
my eye caught a sentence to
the book lying open on my bed.
'We cannot live with anger.'
The walls crumpled - and the light streamed in.
I wasn't trapped. I wasn't helpless.
I was free, and I didn't have to drink to 'show them.'
This wasn't 'religion' - this was freedom!
Freedom from anger and fear,
freedom to know happiness and love."
©1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 228


Thought to Consider ...

Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes
the light of reason

[janbear]

Resentment

"Resentment is the 'number one' offender.
It destroys more alcoholics than anything else.
From it stem all forms of spiritual disease,
for we have been not only mentally and physically ill,
we have been spiritually sick.
When the spiritual malady is overcome,
we straighten out mentally and physically."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 64


Thought to Consider . . .

We are prisoners of our own resentments.
Forgiveness unlocks the door and sets us free.

[janbear]

Egomania

"Our egomania digs two disastrous pitfalls.
Either we insist on dominating the people we know,
or we depend upon them far too much.
If we lean too heavily on people,
they will sooner or later fail us,
for they are human, too,
and cannot possibly meet our own incessant demands. . .
We have not once sought to be one in a family,
to be a friend among friends,
to be a worker among workers,
to be a useful member of society."
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 53

Thought to Consider . . .

It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

[janbear]

Change
"Let us never fear needed change.
Certainly we have to discriminate between
changes for worse and changes for better.
But once a need becomes clearly apparent
in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole,
it has long since been found out
that we cannot stand still and look the other way.
The essence of all growth is a willingness
to change for the better
and then an unremitting willingness
to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails."
Bill W., Grapevine, July 1965
©1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 115


Thought to Consider . . .

God used two people to create me;
He used a whole Fellowship to change me.

[janbear]

Obedience

"We of AA obey spiritual principles,
at first because we must,
then because we ought to,
and ultimately because we love the kind of life
such obedience brings.
Great suffering and great love
are AA's disciplinarians;
we need no others."
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 27


Thought to Consider . . .

The spiritual approach to recovery
is not about relinquishing responsibility for our lives
to some Cosmic Butler.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Hope, Acceptance, Love, Tolerance

[janbear]

Surrender
^*^*^
"We surrender to win.
On the face of it, surrendering certainly does not
seem like winning.
But it is in AA.
Only after we have come to the end of our rope,
hit a stone wall in some aspect of our lives
beyond which we can go no further;
only when we hit "bottom" in despair and surrender,
can we accomplish sobriety
which we could never accomplish before.
We must, and we do,
surrender in order to win."
1955AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd Edition, p. 341
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Acceptance is not submission;
it is acknowledgment of the facts of a situation,
then deciding what you're going to do about it.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O W = Honest, Open, and Willing

[janbear]

Powerless

"Most certainly I was powerless over alcohol,
and for me, my life had become unmanageable.
It wasn't how far I had gone, but where I was headed.
It was important to me to see what alcohol had done to me
and would continue to do if I didn't have help.
At first it was a shock to realize I was an alcoholic,
but the realization that there was hope made it easier.
The baffling problem of getting drunk
when I had every intention of staying sober was simplified.
It was a great relief to know I didn't have to drink any more."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 379

Thought to Consider . . .

Just because I'm powerless
does not mean that I am helpless.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Happy Our Program Exists

[janbear]

Skeletons
^*^*^
"Now and then the family will be plagued
by spectres from the past,
for the drinking career of almost every alcoholic
has been marked by escapades, funny,
humiliating, shameful or tragic.
The first impulse will be to bury these skeletons
in a dark closet and padlock the door.
The family may be possessed by the idea
that future happiness can be based only
upon forgetfulness of the past.
We think that such a view is self-centered
and in direct conflict with the new way of living."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 123-4
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

It's not making a mistake that will kill me.
It's defending it that does the damage.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Forever Escaping And Retreating

[janbear]

Anonymity
^*^*^
"We now fu! lly real ize that 100 per cent personal anonymity
before the public is just as vital to the life of AA
as 100 percent sobriety is to the life
of each and every member.
This is not the counsel of fear;
it is the voice of long experience."
1957AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 293
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Walk softly and carry a Big Book.







*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A N O N Y M O U S =
Actions, Not Our Names, Yield Maintenance Of Unity and Service.

[janbear]

Puzzle
^*^*^
"By nature touchy and suspicious,
the alcoholic likes to be left alone to work out his puzzle,
and he has a convenient way of ignoring the tragedy
which he inflicts meanwhile upon those
who are close to him.
He holds desperately to a conviction that,
although he has not been able to handle alcohol in the past,
he will ultimately succeed in becoming a controlled drinker.
One of medicine's queerest animals,
he is, as often as not, an acutely intelligent person.
He fences with professional men and relatives
who attempt to aid him and he gets a perverse satisfaction
out of tripping them up in argument."
The Jack Alexander Article
From the March 1941 issue of The Saturday Evening Post
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

There is no such thing as being 'a little bit alcoholic.'








*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
D E N I A L = Don't Even Notice I Am Lying.

[janbear]

Prayer
^*^*^
"All of us, without exception,
pass through times when we can pray
only with the greatest exertion of will.
Occasionally we go even further than this.
We are seized with a rebellion so sickening
that we simply won't pray.
When these things happen we should not think
too ill of ourselves.
We should simply resume prayer as soon as we can,
doing what we know to be good for us."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 105

^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Trying to pray is praying.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Hang On; Pray Every day

[janbear]

Discovery
^*^*^
"I knew from that moment that I had an alcoholic mind.
I saw that will power and self-knowledge
would not help in those strange mental blank spots.
I had never been able to understand people
who said that a problem had them hopelessly defeated.
I knew then. It was a crushing blow."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 42
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Sobriety is a choice and a treasure.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, and Trust

[janbear]

Simplicity
^*^*^
"A willingness to do whatever I was told to do
simplified the program for me.
Study the AA book - don't just read it.
They told me to go to meetings,
and I still do at every available opportunity,
whether I am at home or in some other city.
Attending meetings has never been a chore for me.
Nor have I attended them with a feeling
of just doing my duty.
Meetings are both relaxing and refreshing to me
after a hard day.
They said 'Get active," so I helped whenever I could,
and still do."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 381
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The ankle-biters of everyday struggles will eat away at me
unless I go to meetings and share.








*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A C T I O N = Any Change Toward Improving One's Nature

[janbear]

Restraint
^*^*^
"It is evident that the harmony, security, and
future effectiveness of AA will depend largely upon
our maintenance of a thoroughly nonagressive
and pacific attitude in all our public relations.
This is an exacting assignment,
because in our drinking days we were prone to anger,
hostility, rebellion and aggression.
And even though we are now sober,
the old patterns of behavior are to a degree still with us,
always threatening to explode on any good excuse.
But we know this,
and therefore I feel confident that in the conduct
of our public affairs we shall always find the grace
to exert an effective restraint."
Bill W.
©1962AAWS, Twelve Concepts for World Service, p. 68
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .


Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.
©1953AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p, 91

[janbear]

Ready?
^*^*^
"We shall need to make a brand new venture
into open-mindedness.
We shall need to raise our eyes toward perfection,
and be ready to walk in that direction.
It will seldom matter how haltingly we walk.
The only question will be
'Are we ready?' "
Bill W.
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 68
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death.

[janbear]

Resentment
^*^*^
"It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment
leads only to futility and unhappiness.
To the precise extent that we permit these,
do we squander the hours
that might have been worth while.
But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance
and growth of a spiritual experience,
this business of resentment is infinitely grave.
We found that it is fatal.
For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off
from the sunlight of the Spirit.
The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again.
And with us, to drink is to die."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 66
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

We are prisoners of our own resentments.
Forgiveness unlocks the door and sets us free.









*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Frustration, Ego, Anxiety, Resentment

[janbear]

Attitude
^*^*^
" 'Then I woke up.
I had to admit that AA showed results, prodigious results.
I saw that my attitude regarding these
had been anything but scientific.
It wasn't AA that had the closed mind, it was me.
The minute I stopped arguing,
I could begin to see and feel.
Right there, Step Two gently and very gradually
began to infiltrate my life.
I can't say upon what occasion,
or upon what day I came to believe
in a Power greater than myself,
but I certainly have that belief now.
To acquire it, I had only to stop fighting
and practice the rest of AA's program
as enthusiastically as I could.' "
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 27
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A = Altered Attitudes

[janbear]

Inventory
^*^*^
"A few months after I made my original trip to Akron
I was feeling pretty cocky,
and I didn't think my wife was treating me with proper respect, now that I
was an outstanding citizen.
So I set out to get drunk deliberately,
just to teach her what she was missing.
A week later, I had to get an old friend from Akron
to spend two days sobering me up.
That was my lesson,
that one could not take the moral inventory
and then file it away;
that the alcoholic has to continue to take inventory every day
if he expects to get well and stay well."
©1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 293-4
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

In order to recover we have to uncover.









*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Facing All In Trusting Him

[janbear]

Anger
^*^*^
"It is a spiritual axiom that every time we are disturbed,
no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us.
If somebody hurts us and we are sore,
we are in the wrong also.
But are there no exceptions to this rule?
What about 'justifiable' anger?
If somebody cheats us, aren't we entitled to be mad?
Can't we be properly angry with self-righteous folk?
For us in AA these are dangerous exceptions.
We have found that justifiable anger
ought to be left to those better qualified to handle it."
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 90
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes the light of reason.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A N G E R = Any No Good Energy Rising

[janbear]

Selfishness
^*^*^
"So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making.
They arise out of ourselves,
and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot,
though he usually doesn't think so.
Above everything, we alcoholics
must be rid of this selfishness.
We must, or it kills us!
God makes that possible . . .
We had to have God's help."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 62
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The smallest package in the world
is an alcoholic all wrapped up in himself.








*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R I D E = Pretty Ridiculous Individual Directing Everything

[janbear]

Love
^*^*^
"For me, AA is a synthesis of all the philosophy
I've ever read,
all of the positive, good philosophy,
all of it based on love.
I have seen that there is only one law,
the law of love,
and there are only two sins;
the first is to interfere with the growth
of another human being,
and the second is to interfere with one's own growth."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 542
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

When we love,
we see in others what we wish to have in ourselves.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Hope, Acceptance, Love, Tolerance

[janbear]

Fellowship
^*^*^
"We were still trying to find emotional security
by being dominating or dependent upon others.
Even when our fortunes had not ebbed that much
and we nevertheless found ourselves alone in the world,
we still vainly tried to be secure by some unhealthy
kind of domination or dependence.
For those of us who were like that,
AA had a very special meaning.
Through it we begin to learn right relations
with people who understand us;
we don't have to be alone any more."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 116-17


Thought to Consider . . .

Who we are is God's gift to us.
Who we become is our gift to God.

[janbear]

Sanity
^*^*^
"Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have
any idea how irrational they are,
or seeing their irrationality, can bear to face it.
Some will be willing to term themselves 'problem drinkers,'
but cannot endure the suggestion that they are in fact
mentally ill.
They are abetted in this blindness by a world
which does not understand the difference
between sane drinking and alcoholism.
'Sanity' is defined as 'soundness of mind.'
Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior,
whether the destruction fell on the
dining room furniture or his own moral fiber,
can claim 'soundness of mind' for himself."
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 32-3
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

If you think you have a problem with alcohol,
you probably do.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
D U E S = Desperately Using Everything but Sobriety

[janbear]

Fear
^*^*^
"Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied
drives us to covet the possessions of others,
to lust for sex and power,
to become angry when our instinctive demands
are threatened,
to be envious when the ambitions of others
seem to be realized while ours are not.
We eat, drink, and grab for more of everything than we need,
fearing we shall never have enough.
And with genuine alarm at the prospect of work,
we stay lazy.
We loaf and procrastinate,
or at best work grudgingly and under half steam.
These fears are the termites that ceaselessly devour
the foundations of whatever sort of life we try to build."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 49
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Fear is a darkroom for developing negatives






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Forgetting Everything's All Right

[janbear]

Ambition
^*^*^
" . . . the certainty that we are no longer isolated
in self-constructed prisons,
the surety that we need no longer be
square pegs in round holes
but can fit and belong in God's scheme of things -
these are the permanent and legitimate satisfactions of
right living for which no amount of pomp and
circumstance,
no heap of material possessions,
could possibly be substitutes.
True ambition is not what we thought it was.
True ambition is the deep desire
to live usefully and walk humbly under
the grace of God."
©1953AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 124-5
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The mighty oak tree was once a little nut
that held its ground.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F I T = Faith, Intuition, and Trust

[janbear]

Self-will
^*^*^
"The first requirement is that we be convinced
that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success.
On that basis we are almost always
in collision with something or somebody,
even though our motives are good.
Most people try to live by self-propulsion.
Each person is like an actor who wants
to run the whole show;
is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet,
the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way.
If his arrangements would only stay put,
if only people would do as he wished,
the show would be great.
Everybody, including himself, would be pleased.
Life would be wonderful."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 60-1
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

It's not making a mistake that will kill me.
It's defending it that does the damage.







*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
N U T S = Not Using The Steps

[janbear]

The Gift
^*^*^
"When asked, 'Are there any conditions?'
we joyfully reply, 'No, not a one.'
When skeptically he comes back saying,
'But certainly there must be things
that I have to do and believe,' we quickly answer,
'In Alcoholics Anonymous there are no musts.'
Cynically, perhaps, he then inquires,
'What is all this going to cost me?'
We are able to laugh and say,
'Nothing at all, there are no fees and dues.'
Thus, in a brief hour, is our friend disarmed
of his suspicion and rebellion . . .
Alcoholics Anonymous is saying,
'We have something precious to give,
if only you will receive.'
That is all."
Bill W., February 1948
1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 79
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Sobriety is a gift, not a right









*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T S = Getting It From The Steps

[janbear]

^*^*^*^*^
Way of Life
^*^*^
"The AA way of life is the way we always
should have tried to live.
'Grant us the serenity to accept the things
we cannot change,
courage to change the things we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.'
These thoughts become part of our daily lives.
They are not ideas of resignation
but of the recognition of certain
basic facts of living."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 382-3
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Every day is a gift.
That is why we call it the present.








*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B E S T = Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?

[janbear]

Courage
^*^*^
"We never apologize to anyone
for depending upon our Creator.
We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness.
Paradoxically, it is the way of strength.
The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage.
All men of faith have courage.
They trust their God. We never apologize for God.
Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us,
what He can do.
We ask Him to remove our fear and direct
our attention to what He would have us be.
At once, we commence to outgrow fear."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 68
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The peaks and valleys of my life
have become gentle rolling hills.

[janbear]

Daybreak
^*^*^
"On awakening let us think about the
twenty-four hours ahead.
We consider our plans for the day.
Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking,
especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity,
dishonest or self-seeking motives.
Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties
with assurance,
for after all God gave us brains to use.
Our thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane
when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 86
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

At first, I thought the "God thing" was a crutch.
Turns out to be stilts.

[janbear]

Half Measures
^*^*^
"Remember that we deal with alcohol -
cunning, baffling, powerful!
Without help, it is too much for us.
But there is One who has all power -
that One is God.
May you find him now.
Half measures availed us nothing.
We stood at the turning point.
We asked His protection and care
with complete abandon."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 58-9
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Take a walk with God.
He will meet you at the Steps.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B O G G L E = Bad Or Good, God Loves Everyone

[janbear]

Wonders
^*^*^
"Out of every season of grief or suffering,
when the hand of God seemed heavy or even unjust,
new lessons for living were learned,
new resources of courage were uncovered,
and that finally, inescapably,
the conviction came that God does
'move in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.' "
©1953AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 105
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Joy is the infallible presence of God.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G O D = Good Orderly Direction

[admin]

8/2

Responsibility
^*^*^
"Our spiritual way of life is safe for future generations if,
as a Society, we resist the temptation to receive money
from the outside world.
But this leaves us with a responsibility -
one that every member ought to understand.
We cannot skimp when the treasurer of our group
passes the hat.
Our groups, our areas, and AA as a whole
will not function unless our services are sufficient
and their bills are paid.
When we meet and defeat the temptation to take large gifts,
we are only being prudent.
But when we are generous with the hat
we give a token that we are grateful for our blessings
and evidence that we are eager to share what we have found with all those who
still suffer."
Bill W., November 1957
©1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 221
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Happy Our Program Exists

[janbear]

Vigilance
^*^*^
"Now that we're in AA and sober,
and winning back the esteem of our friends
and business associates,
we find that we still need to exercise special vigilance.
As an insurance against 'big-shot-ism'
we can often check ourselves by remembering
that we are today sober only by the grace of God
and that any success we may be having
is far more His success than ours."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 92
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing ...
my sobriety.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P U T = Patience, Understanding, Tolerance

[janbear]

Resentment
^*^*^
"If you have a resentment you want to be rid of,
if you will pray for the person or the thing you resent,
you will be free.
If you will ask in prayer for everything
you want for yourself to be given to them,
you will be free.
Ask for their health, their prosperity, their happiness,
and you will be free.
Even when you don't really want it for them,
and your prayers are only words
and you don't mean it, go ahead and do it anyway.
Do it every day for two weeks and you will find
you have come to mean it and to want it for them,
and you will realize that where you used to feel
bitterness and resentment and hatred,
you now feel compassionate understanding
and love."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 552
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

An expectation is a premeditated resentment.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Frustration, Ego, Anxiety, Resentment

[janbear]

Tolerance
^*^*^
"Honesty with ourselves and others gets us sober,
but it is tolerance that keeps us that way.
Experience shows that few alcoholics
will long stay away from a group because
they don't like the way it is run.
Most return and adjust themselves
to whatever conditions they must.
Some go to a different group, or form a new one.
In other words, once an alcoholic fully realizes
that he cannot get well alone,
he will somehow find a way to get well and stay well
in the company of others.
It has been that way from the beginning of AA
and probably always will be so."
Bill W., Letter, 1943
©1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 312
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

What does it benefit me to not like another human being?

[janbear]

Growing Pains
^*^*^
"How to translate a right mental conviction into
a right emotional result,
and so into easy, happy, and good living -
well, that's not only the neurotic's problem,
it's the problem of life itself for all of us who have got
to the point of real willingness to hew to right principles.
Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy may still elude us.
That's the place so many of us AA oldsters have come to.
And it's a hell of a spot, literally."
- Bill W.
©1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 237
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Minds are like parachutes -
they won't work unless they're open.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S O B E R = Simply Observe Bill's Exemplary Recovery

[janbear]

Reprieve
^*^*^
"It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action
and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe.
We are not cured of alcoholism.
What we really have is a daily reprieve
contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.
Every day is a day when we must carry
the vision of God's will into all of our activities."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

This is a program of limitless expansion.
The gate is wide but the road is narrow.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relay A Message

[janbear]

Defiance
^*^*^
" 'As psychiatrists have often observed,
defiance is the outstanding characteristic
of many an alcoholic. . .
When we encountered AA,
the fallacy of our defiance was revealed.
At no time had we asked what God's will was for us;
instead we had been telling Him what it ought to be.
No man, we saw, could believe in God and defy Him, too.
Belief meant reliance, not defiance.
In AA we saw the fruits of this belief:
men and women spared from alcohol's final catastrophe.' "
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 31
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B I G B O O K = Believing In God Beats Our Old Knowledge

[janbear]

Paradox
^*^*^
"2. We GIVE AWAY TO KEEP.
That seems absurd and untrue.
How can you keep anything if you give it away?
But in order to keep whatever it is we get in AA,
we must go about giving it away to others,
for no fees or rewards of any kind.
When we cannot afford to give away
what we have received so freely in AA,
we had better get ready for our next 'drunk.'
It will happen every time.
We've got to continue to give it away in order to keep it."
The Professor and the Paradox.
©1955AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, Second Edition, p. 341
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

I keep my sobriety by giving it away.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*

H O P E = Helping Other People Every day.

[janbear]

Anonymity
^*^*^
"And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe
that the principle of anonymity
has an immense spiritual significance.
It reminds us that we are to place
principles before personalities;
that we are actually to practice a genuine humility.
This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us;
that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation
of Him who presides over us all."
Tradition Twelve - the Long Form
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 567-8
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Walk softly and carry a Big Book.

[janbear]

Newcomers
^*^*^
"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God.
Admit your faults to Him and your fellows.
Clear away the wreckage of your past.
Give freely of what you find and join us.
We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit,
and you will surely meet some of us
as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
May God bless you and keep you - until then."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 164
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Newcomers are the lifeblood of the program.
But our oldtimers are the arteries.

[janbear]

Fear
^*^*^
"The practice of AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
in our personal lives also brought incredible releases
from fear of every description,
despite the wide prevalence of formidable personal problems.
When fear did persist, we knew it for what it was,
and under God's grace we became able to handle it.
We began to see each adversity as a God-given
opportunity to develop the kind of courage
which is born of humility, rather than bravado.
Thus we were enabled to accept ourselves,
our circumstances, and our fellows."
Bill W., January 1962
©1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 268
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Courage is the willingness to accept fear
and act anyway.

[admin]

Jittery
^*^*^
"We believe and hope this book contains
all you will need to begin.
We know what you are thinking.
You are saying to yourself:
'I'm jittery and alone. I couldn't do that.'
But you can.
You forget that you have just now tapped
a source of power much greater than yourself.
To duplicate, with such backing,
what we have accomplished is only a matter
of willingness, patience and labor."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 163
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
W H O M E ? = Willingness, Honesty, Openmindedness, Must Exist

[admin]

Peace of Mind
^*^*^
"AA has taught me that I will have peace of mind
in exact proportion to the peace of mind
I bring into the lives of other people,
and it has taught me the true meaning of the admonition
'happy are ye who know these things and do them.'
For the only problems I have now are those I create
when I break out in a rash of self-will."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 551
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

I never imagined that the greatest achievement of my life
would be peace of mind.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P E A C E = Providing Experienced Attitude Changes Every day.

[admin]

Change
^*^*^
"How many of us would presume to declare,
'Well, I'm sober and I'm happy. What more can I want or do?
I'm fine the way I am.'
We know that the price of such self-satisfaction
is an inevitable backslide,
punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening.
We have to grow or else deteriorate.
For us, the status quo can only be for today,
never for tomorrow.
Change we must; we cannot stand still."
Bill W., AAGrapevine, February 1961
©1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 25
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

There is no progress without change.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P A C E = Positive Attitudes Change Everything

[janbear]

Vision
^*^*^
"Vision is, I think, the ability to make good estimates,
both for the immediate and for the more distant future.
Some might feel this sort of striving to be a sort of heresy,
because we AA's are constantly telling ourselves,
'One day at a time.'
But that valuable principle really refers to our
mental and emotional lives and means chiefly
that we are not foolishly to repine over the past
nor wishfully to day-dream about the future. . .
Vision is therefore the very essence of prudence,
an essential virtue if ever there was one."
Bill W., 1962
©1962AAWS, Twelve Concepts for World Service, 26th Printing, p. 40
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The road to recovery is always under construction.

[janbear]

Self-appraisal
^*^*^
"I used to be a champ at unrealistic self-appraisal.
I wanted to look only at the part of my life
which seemed good.
Then I would greatly exaggerate whatever virtues
I supposed I had attained.
Next I would congratulate myself on the grand job
I was doing.
So my unconscious self-deception never failed
to turn my few good assets into serious liabilities.
This astonishing process was always a pleasant one. . .
I was falling straight back
into the pattern of my drinking days. . .
I shall forever regret the damage I did to people around me.
Indeed, I still tremble when I realize
what I might have done to AA and to its future."
Bill W., June 1961
©1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, pp. 256-7
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

[janbear]

Step One
^*^*^
"No other kind of bankruptcy is like this one.
Alcohol, now become the rapacious creditor,
bleeds us all of self-sufficiency and all will
to resist its demands.
Once this stark fact is accepted,
our bankruptcy as going human concerns is complete.
But upon entering AA we soon take quite another view
of this absolute humiliation.
We perceive that only through utter defeat
are we able to take our first steps
toward liberation and strength.
Our admissions of personal powerlessness
finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which
happy and purposeful lives may be built."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 21
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Once we clear a hurdle, it doesn't seem so high.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S T E P S = Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety

[janbear]

A New World
^*^*^
"We have entered the world of the Spirit.
Our next function is to grow in understanding
and effectiveness.
This is not an overnight matter.
It should continue for our lifetime.
Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty,
resentment, and fear.
When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them.
We discuss them with someone immediately
and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone.
Then we resolutely turn our thoughts
to someone we can help."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 84
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Within our wonderful new world,
we have found freedom from our fatal obsession.

[janbear]

Grudges
^*^*^*^*^
"We had to see that every time we played the big shot,
we turned people against us.
We had to see that when we harbored grudges
and planned revenge for such defeats,
we were really hitting ourselves with the club of anger
we had intended to use on others.
We learned that if we were seriously disturbed,
our first need was to quiet that disturbance,
regardless of who or what we thought caused it.."

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 47
Copyright 1952 A.A.W.S. Inc.
Thought to Consider . . .

Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes the light of reason.

[janbear]

Dry
^*^*^
"Sometimes, we become depressed.
I ought to know;
I have been a champion dry-bender case myself.
While the surface causes were a part of the picture -
trigger-events that precipitated depression -
the underlying causes, I am satisfied, ran much deeper.
Intellectually, I could accept my situation.
Emotionally, I could not.
To those problems, there are certainly no pat answers.
But part of the answer lies in the constant effort
to practice all of AA's Twelve Steps."
Bill W., Letter, 1954
©1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 30
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The Twelve Steps are but suggestions,
as is pulling the rip cord on a parachute.

[janbear]

Unity
^*^*^
"Moved by the spirit of anonymity,
we try to give up our natural desires for personal distinction
as AA members both among fellow alcoholics
and before the general public.
As we lay aside these very human aspirations,
we believe that each of us takes part
in the weaving of a protective mantle
which covers our whole Society and under which
we may grow and work in unity.
We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity,
is the greatest safeguard that Alcoholics Anonymous
can ever have."
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 187
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

To help each other, is to help ourselves.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A's - R - U S = Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Unity Service

[janbear]

Sobriety
^*^*^
"God willing, we members of AA may never again
have to deal with drinking,
but we have to deal with sobriety every day.
How do we do it?
By learning - through practicing the Twelve Steps
and through sharing at meetings -
how to cope with the problems
that we looked to booze to solve,
back in our drinking days."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 560
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Sobriety is a choice and a treasure.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B E S T = Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?

[janbear]

Honesty
^*^*^
"I know the biggest word for me in AA is 'honesty.'
I don't believe this program would work for me
if I didn't get honest with myself about everything.
Honesty is the easiest word for me to understand
because it is the exact opposite
of what I've been doing all my life.
Therefore, it would be the hardest to work on.
But I will never be totally honest -
that would make me perfect,
and none of us can claim to be perfect.
Only God is."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 482
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Honesty is the absence of the intent to deceive.

[admin]

9/10

Surrender
^*^*^
"There are two things I've learned from this program.
First, to surrender completely.
I was fighting a losing battle with the bottle.
I gave up, and through defeat, I won.
Second, to change myself, because the world isn't
going to change to suit 'poor little old me.'
It's just this simple -- whatever it is in me
that led me down the alcoholic road to misery,
I no longer want any part of it."
c.1976, AA for the Woman (AA Pamphlet P-5), p. 17

^*^*^*^*^
Thought to Consider . . .

Take a walk with God.
He will meet you at the Steps.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A S A P = Always Say A Prayer

[admin]

9/11

Diagnosis
^*^*^
"We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic,
but you can quickly diagnose yourself.
Step over to the nearest barroom
and try some controlled drinking.
Try a drink and stop abruptly. Try it more than once.
It will not take long for you to decide,
if you are honest with yourself about it.
It may be worth a case of the jitters if you get a
full knowledge of your condition."
c. 1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 31-2
^*^*^*^*^
Thought to Consider . . .
I have learned that I did not get here a day early
or a drink short.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
Y A N A = You Are Not Alone

[admin]

9/12

Destiny
^*^*^
"Yes, we are again citizens of the world.
It is a distraught world, very tired, very uncertain.
It has worshipped its own self-sufficiency --
and that has failed.
We AA's are a people who once did that very thing.
That philosophy failed us too.
So perhaps, here and there, our example of recovery can help.
As individuals, we have a responsibility,
maybe a *double responsibility*.
It may be that we have a date with destiny."
Bill W., October 1944
c. 1988AA Grapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 100
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

What if I were caring rather than judgmental?

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A = Altruistic Action

[admin]

Trouble
^*^*^
"There was a time when we ignored trouble,
hoping it would go away.
Or, in fear and in depression, we ran from it,
but found it was still with us.
Often, full of unreason, bitterness, and blame,
we fought back.
These mistaken attitudes, powered by alcohol,
guaranteed our destruction, unless they were altered.
Then came AA.
Here we learned that trouble was really a fact of life
for everybody --
a fact that had to be understood and dealt with.
Surprisingly, we found that our troubles could,
under God's grace, be converted into
unimagined blessings."
Bill W., Letter, 1966
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 110
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Though adversity, we find strength.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Facing All In Trusting Him

[admin]

Comfort
^*^*^
"When I am feeling depressed,
I repeat to myself statements such as these:
'Pain is the touchstone of progress.' . . . 'Fear no evil.' . . .
'This, too, will pass.' . . .
'This experience can be turned to benefit.'
These fragments of prayer bring far more than comfort.
They keep me on the track of right acceptance;
they break up my compulsive themes of guilt,
depression, rebellion, and pride;
and sometimes they endow me with the courage
to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference."
Bill W., AAGrapevine, March 1962
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 110
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

God enters us through our wounds.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H E L P = Hope, Encouragement, Love, Patience.

[admin]

Fear
^*^*^
"We of AA now find ourselves in a world characterized
by destructive fears as never before in history.
But in it we nevertheless see great areas of faith
and tremendous aspirations toward justice and brotherhood.
Yet no prophet can presume to say whether the world outcome
will be blazing destruction or the beginning,
under God's intention,
of the brightest era yet known to mankind. . .
We AA's can say that we do not fear the world outcome,
whichever course it may take.
This is because we have been enabled to deeply
feel and say,
'We shall fear no evil - Thy will, not ours, be done.' "
Bill W., January 1962
c. 1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 268
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Let us always love the best in others -
and never fear their worst

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Fear Ain't In This House

[janbear]

Restraint
^*^*^*^*^
"Our first objective will be the development of self-restraint.
This carries a top priority rating.
When we speak or act hastily or rashly,
the ability to be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot.
One unkind tirade or one willful snap judgment
can ruin or relation with another person for a whole day,
or maybe a whole year.
Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 91
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The tongue must be heavy indeed,
because so few people can hold it.








*~*~*AARONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Honestly, Actively, Lovingly, Tolerant

[janbear]

Fellowship
^*^*^*^*^
"Today, I'm counting my blessings instead of my troubles.
When I walked into the friendly atmosphere
of my first AA meeting, I knew I was where I belonged.
Here were people who had thought and felt as I had.
Here was the understanding I'd been searching for all my life.
These people were my friends,
and I felt their sincere interest in me.
With these new and enlightening doors opening up to me,
I was able to make the eventual decision to stop drinking,
a day at a time -- because I, too, was an alcoholic.
And with this came the only real freedom,
the freedom of truth."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 355
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

If you love someone, tell them now.
Eternity is time enough for silence.

[janbear]

Working With Others

"Life will take on new meaning.
To watch people recover, to see them help others,
to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship
grow up about you, to have a host of friends -
this is an experience you must not miss.
We know you will not want to miss it."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 89
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Sobriety is a choice and a treasure.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H E A R T = Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering, Together

[janbear]

Balance

"Most of us must admit that we have loved but a few;
that we have been indifferent to the many
so long as none of them gave us trouble;
and as for the remainder -- well, we have really
disliked or hated them.
Although these attitudes are common enough,
we AA's find we need something much better
in order to keep our balance.
We can't stand it if we hate deeply.
The idea that we can be possessively loving of a few,
and can continue to fear or hate anybody,
has to be abandoned, if only a little at a time."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 92-3
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Bigotry disfigures the heart.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Facing All In Trusting Him

[janbear]

Promises
^*^*^*^*^
"We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
No matter how far down the scale we have gone,
we will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
We will lose interest in selfish things
and gain interest in our fellows.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle
situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us
what we could not do for ourselves."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp 83-84
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The Promises are a result; not a right.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relay A Message.

[janbear]

Faith

"While drinking, we were certain that our intelligence,
backed by will power, could rightly control our inner lives
and guarantee us success in the world around us.
This brave philosophy, wherein each man played God,
sounded good in the speaking,
but it still had to meet the acid test:
How well did it actually work?
one good look in the mirror was answer enough."
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, ! p. 225
Thought to Consider . . .

Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
and the evidence of things not seen

[janbear]

Awakening

"Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening?
Again, the voice of AA speaks up.
No, sobriety is only a bare beginning,
it is only the first gift of the first awakening.
If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on.
And if it does go on, we find that bit by bit
we can discard the old life
-- the one that did not work --
for a new life that can and does work
under any conditions whatever.
Regardless of worldly success or failure,
regardless of pain or joy,
regardless of sickness or health or even of death itself,
a new life of endless possibilities can be lived
if we are willing to continue our awakening."
Bill W., December 1957
c. 1988AAWS, The Language of the Heart, p. 234
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The task ahead of us is never as great
as the Power behind us.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T = God Is Forever There

[janbear]

Defects

"What we must recognize now is that we exult
in some of our defects.
We really love them.
Who, for example, doesn't like to feel just a little superior
to the next fellow, or even quite a lot superior?
Isn't it true that we like to let greed
masquerade as ambition?
To think of liking lust seems impossible.
But how many men and women speak love with their lips,
and believe what they say,
so that they can hide lust in a dark corner of their minds?
And even while staying within conventional bounds,
many people admit that their imaginary sex excursions
are apt to be all dressed up as dreams of romance."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 66-7
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

If I want God to remove my character defects,
I'll have to stop doing them.

[janbear]

Help
* * *
"If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were,
we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution.
We were in a position where life was becoming impossible,
and if we had passed into the region
from which there is no return through human aid,
we had but two alternatives:
One was to go on to the bitter end,
blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation
as best we could;
and the other, to accept spiritual help.
This we did because we honestly wanted to,
and were willing to make the effort."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 25-6
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The spiritual life is not a theory.
We have to live it.

[janbear]

Right Living

"Service, gladly rendered, obligations squarely met,
troubles well accepted or solved with God's help,
the knowledge that at home or in the world outside
we are partners in a common effort,
the well-understood fact that in God's sight
all human beings are important,
the proof that love freely given surely brings a full return,
the certainty that we are no longer isolated and alone
in self-constructed prisons,
the surety that we need no longer be
square pegs in round holes but can fit and belong
in God's scheme of things --
these are the permanent and legitimate satisfactions
of right living for which no amount of pomp and circumstance,
no heap of material possessions,
could possibly be substitutes."
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 124
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

We are not living just to be sober;
we are living to learn, to serve, and to love.

[janbear]

^*^*^*^*^
Meetings
^*^*^*^*^
"Sobriety and a plan for living that produces
a personality change and a spiritual awakening
are imperative.
Through AA, many receive the needed change and awakening
just by trying to live by AA principles
and associating with AA people.
We do this by going to many AA meetings with an open mind
and a desire to live the good-feeling life without chemicals --
liquid or otherwise."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 459
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The ankle-biters of everyday struggles will eat away at me
unless I go to meetings and share.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Hearing Other Peoples' Experience

[janbear]

Booby Traps

"We must avoid quick-tempered criticism
and furious, power-driven argument.
The same goes for sulking and silent scorn.
These are emotional booby traps baited with pride
and vengefulness.
Our first job is to sidestep the traps.
When we are tempted by the bait,
we should train ourselves to step back and think.
For we can neither think nor act to good purpose
until the habit of self-restraint has become automatic."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 91
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B A T H = Behavior, Attitude, Thinking, Habits

[janbear]

Consequences
^*^*^*^*^
"In some circumstances we have gone out deliberately
to get drunk, feeling ourselves justified
by nervousness, anger, worry, depression,
jealousy or the like.
But even in this type of beginning we are obliged to admit
that our justification for a spree
was insanely insufficient in the light of what always happened.
We now see that when we began to drink deliberately,
instead of casually,
there was little serious or effective thought
during the period of premeditation
of what the terrific consequences might be."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 37
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Think it over, not drink over it.

[janbear]

Amends
^*^*^*^*^
"Somehow, being alone with God doesn't seem so embarrassing
as facing up to another person.
Until we actually sit down and talk aloud
about what we have so long hidden,
our willingness to clean house is still largely
theoretical.
When we are honest with another person,
it confirms that we have been honest with ourselves
and with God."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 60
Copyright © 1952 by A.A.W.S. Inc.

Thought to Consider . . .

It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

[admin]

Demonstration

"Men and women who use alcohol as an escape
are not the only ones who are afraid of life,
hostile to the world, fleeing from it into loneliness.
Millions who are not alcoholics
are living today in illusory worlds,
nurturing the basic anxieties and insecurities
of human existence
rather than face themselves with courage and humility.
To these people, AA can offer as a cure no magic potion,
no chemical formula, no powerful drug.
But it can demonstrate to them how to use the tools
of humility, honesty, devotion, and love,
which indeed are the heart of the Twelve Steps
of our recovery."
c.1957AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 279
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

AA Is like an adjustable wrench, it fits almost any nut.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Help Open People's Eyes

[admin]

Ground Zero

"War fever ran high in the New England town
to which we new, young officers from Plattsburg
were assigned,
and we were flattered when the first citizens
took us to their homes, making us feel heroic.
Here was love, applause, war;
moments sublime with intervals hilarious.
I was part of life at last,
and in the midst of the excitement I discovered liquor.
I forgot the strong warnings and the prejudices
of my people concerning drink.
In time we sailed for "Over There."
We landed in England.
I visited Winchester Cathedral.
Much moved, I wandered outside.
My attention was caught by a doggerel on an old
tombstone:
'Here lies a Hampshire Grenadier
Who caught his death
Drinking cold small beer . . .'
Ominous warning -- which I failed to heed."
Bill W.,
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 1
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned what the Grace of God feels like.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Helping Other People Every day

[janbear]

Ground Zero

"War fever ran high in the New England town
to which we new, young officers from Plattsburg
were assigned,
and we were flattered when the first citizens
took us to their homes, making us feel heroic.
Here was love, applause, war;
moments sublime with intervals hilarious.
I was part of life at last,
and in the midst of the excitement I discovered liquor.
I forgot the strong warnings and the prejudices
of my people concerning drink.
In time we sailed for "Over There."
We landed in England.
I visited Winchester Cathedral.
Much moved, I wandered outside.
My attention was caught by a doggerel on an old
tombstone:
'Here lies a Hampshire Grenadier
Who caught his death
Drinking cold small beer . . .'
Ominous warning -- which I failed to heed."
Bill W.,
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 1
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned what the Grace of God feels like.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Helping Other People Every day

[janbear]

Virtues

"We of AA are apt to brag of the virtues of our fellowship.
Let us remember that none of these are earned virtues.
We have been forced into them, to begin with,
by the cruel lash of John Barleycorn.
We have adopted these attitudes, these practices,
this structure, not at first because we wished to
but because we had to.
And then, as time confirmed the seeming rightness
of our basic principles,
we began to conform because it was right to do so."
Bill W.,
c.1957AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 224
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Life didn't end when I got sober -- it started


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relay A Message

[janbear]

Self-will

"The first requirement is that we be convinced
that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success.
On that basis we are almost always in collision
with something or somebody,
even though our motives are good.
Most people try to live by self-propulsion.
Each person is like an actor
who wants to run the whole show;
is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery
and the rest of the players in his own way.
If his arrangements would only stay put,
if only people would do as he wished,
the show would be great.
Everybody, including himself, would be pleased.
Life would be wonderful."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 60-1
^*^*^*^*^

[janbear]

Gratitude

"Another exercise that I practice is to try for a
full inventory of my blessings and then
for a right acceptance of the many gifts that are mine --
both temporal and spiritual. . .
I try to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart
cannot entertain great conceits.
When brimming with gratitude,
one's heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love,
the finest emotion that we can ever know."
Bill. W., March 1962
c.1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 271
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned what a heart full of gratitude feels like.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H J F = Happy, Joyous, and Free

[janbear]

Single Purpose

"We enjoy certain advantages which should make
our task of self-restraint relatively easy.
There is really no good reason for anyone to object
if a great many drunks get sober.
Nearly everyone can agree that this is a good thing.
If, in the process, we are forced to develop
a certain amount of honesty, humility, and tolerance,
who is going to kick about that?
If we recognize that religion is the province of the clergy
and the practice of medicine is for doctors,
we can helpfully cooperate with both.
Certainly there is little basis for controversy in these areas.
It is a fact that AA has not the slightest reform
or political complexion.
We try to pay our own expenses,
and we strictly mind our single purpose."
Bill. W.,
c.1962AAWS, Twelve Concepts for World Service, 26th printing, p. 69
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

While it isn't always easy, if I keep it simple, it works.

[janbear]

Emotional Sobriety

"If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small,
we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency
and its consequent unhealthy demand.
Let us, with God's help,
continually surrender these hobbling liabilities.
Then we can be set free to live and love;
we may then be able to twelfth-step ourselves,
as well as others, into emotional sobriety."
Bill. W., AAGrapevine, January 1958
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 288
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Sobriety is a choice and a treasure.

[janbear]

Helpfulness
"Your job now is to be at the place where you may be
of maximum helpfulness to others,
so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful.
You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth
on such an errand.
Keep on the firing line of life with these motives
and God will keep you unharmed."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 102.
Thought to Consider . . .

We in AA don't carry the alcoholic; we carry the message.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Help Open People's Eyes

[janbear]

Foundation

"Taking this book down from our shelf
we turn to the page which contains the twelve steps.
Carefully reading the first five proposals
we ask if we have omitted anything,
for we are building an arch through which
we shall walk free at last.
Is our work solid so far?
Are the stones properly in place?
Have we skimped on the cement put into the foundation?
Have we tried to make mortar without sand?"
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 75
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

This day I choose to spend in perfect peace.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G R A C E = Gently Releasing All Conscious Expectations

[janbear]

The Gift

"Perhaps there is a better way -- we think so.
For we are now on a different basis of trusting
and relying upon God.
We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves.
We are in the world to play the role He assigns.
Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us,
and humbly rely on Him,
does He enable us to match calamity with serenity."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 68
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

What I am is God's gift to me.
What I make of myself is my gift to Him.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T = God Is Forever There

[janbear]

Great Reality
^*^*^*^*^
"Deep down in every man, woman, and child,
is the fundamental idea of God.
It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp,
by worship of other things,
but in some form or other it is there.
For faith in a Power greater than ourselves,
and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives,
are facts as old as man himself.
We finally saw that faith in some kind of God
was a part of our make-up,
just as much as the feeling we have for a friend.
Sometimes we had to search fearlessly,
but He was there.
He was as much a fact as we were.
We found the Great Reality deep down within us.
In the last analysis it is only there that He may be found.
It was so with us."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 55
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

God seldom becomes a reality until God becomes a necessity.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relay A Message

[janbear]

Debits
^*^*^*^*^
"As we glance down the debit side of the day's ledger,
we should carefully examine our motives
in each thought or act that appears to be wrong.
In most cases our motives won't be hard to see and understand.
When prideful, angry, jealous, anxious, or fearful,
we acted accordingly, and that was that.
Here we need only recognize that we did act or think badly,
try to visualize how we might have done better,
and resolve with God's help to carry these lessons over into tomorrow,
making, of course, any amends still neglected."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 94
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Life is too short to be small.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O W N O W = Honest, Open-minded, Willing. No Other Way!

[janbear]

Touchy
^*^*^*^*^
"Many of us have been so touchy
that even casual reference to spiritual things
make us bristle with antagonism.
This sort of thinking had to be abandoned.
Though some of us resisted,
we found no great difficulty in casting aside such feelings.
Faced with alcoholic destruction,
we soon became as open minded on spiritual matters
as we had tried to be on other questions.
In this respect alcohol was a great persuader.
It finally beat us into a state of reasonableness.
Sometimes this was a tedious process;
we hope no one else will prejudiced for as long as
some of us were."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 48
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The solution is simple.
The solution is spiritual.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A = Altered Attitudes

[janbear]

Solution
^*^*^*^*^
"The tremendous fact for every one of us
is that we have discovered a common solution.
We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree,
and upon which we can join in brotherly
and harmonious action.
This is the great news this book carries
to those who suffer from alcoholism."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 17
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The joy is in the journey, so enjoy the ride.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S T E P S = Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety

[janbear]

Change
^*^*^*^*^
"Let us never fear needed change.
Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse
and changes for better.
But once a need becomes clearly apparent
in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole,
it has long been found out that we cannot stand still
and look the other way.
The essence of all growth is a willingness
to change for the better
and then an unremitting willingness
to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails."
Bill W., July 1965
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 115
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Not to change is not to adapt;
not to adapt is to become extinct.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A N G E = Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Everyday

[janbear]

Humility
^*^*^*^*^
"The attainment of greater humility
is the foundation principle of each of AA's Twelve Steps.
For without some degree of humility,
no alcoholic can stay sober at all.
Nearly all AA's have found, too, that unless they develop
much more of this precious quality
than may be required just for sobriety,
they still haven't much chance of becoming truly happy.
Without it, they cannot live to much useful purpose,
or, in adversity, be able to summon the faith
that can meet any emergency."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 70
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

I didn't learn humility with my head.
I learned humility with my heart.

[janbear]

Amends
^*^*^*^*^
"This is a very large order.
It is a task which we may perform with increasing skill,
but we never really finish.
Learning how to live in the greatest peace, partnership,
and brotherhood with all men and women,
of whatever description,
is a moving and fascinating adventure.
Every AA has found that he can make little headway
in this new adventure of living until he first backtracks
and really makes an accurate and unsparing survey
of the human wreckage he has left in his wake."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 77
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T I M E = Things I Must Earn

[janbear]

Discipline
^*^*^*^*^
"Unless each AA member follows to the best of his ability
our suggested Twelve Steps to recovery,
he almost certainly signs his own death warrant.
His drunkenness and dissolution
are not penalties inflicted by people in authority;
they result from his personal disobedience
to spiritual principles. . .
Great suffering and great love are AA's disciplinarians;
we need no others."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 174
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .
"We alcoholics are undisciplined.
So we let God discipline us . . ."

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R D S = Call your sponsor,
. Ask for help from your Higher Power,
. Read the Big Book,
. Do the Twelve Steps,
. Stay active in your group.

[admin]

Traditions
^*^*^*^*^
"The Twelve Traditions point straight at many of our
individual defects.
By implication they ask each of us to lay aside
pride and resentment.
They ask for personal as well as group sacrifice.
They ask us never to use the AA name in any quest
for personal power or distinction or money.
The Traditions guarantee the equality of all members
and the independence of all groups.
They show how we may best relate to each other
and to the world outside.
They indicate how we can best function in harmony
as a great whole."
c.1957AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 96
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

AA is not something you join, it's a way of life.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A B C = Acceptance, Belief, Change

[janbear]

The Group
^*^*^*^*^
"Over the years, every conceivable deviation
from our Twelve Steps and Traditions have been tried.
That was sure to be, since we are so largely a band
of ego-driven individuals.
Children of chaos, we have defiantly played with
every brand of fire,
only to emerge unharmed and, we think, wiser.
These very deviations created a vast process
of trial and error, which, under the grace of God,
has brought us to where we stand today. . .
We saw that the group, exactly like the individual,
must eventually conform to whatever
tested principles would guarantee survival."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 146
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Working with alcoholics in committees
is like trying to herd cats.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A O S = Can't Handle Another Overwhelming Situation

[janbear]

Concepts

^*^*^*^*^
"The word God still aroused a certain antipathy.
When the thought was expressed that there might be a God
personal to me this feeling was intensified.
I didn't like the idea. . .
My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea.
He said, 'Why don't you choose your own conception of God?'
That statement hit me hard.
It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow
I had lived and shivered many years.
I stood in the sunlight at last."
Bill W.,
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 12
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

God seldom becomes a reality
until God becomes a necessity.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T = God Is Forever There

[janbear]

Concepts

^*^*^*^*^
"The word God still aroused a certain antipathy.
When the thought was expressed that there might be a God
personal to me this feeling was intensified.
I didn't like the idea. . .
My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea.
He said, 'Why don't you choose your own conception of God?'
That statement hit me hard.
It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow
I had lived and shivered many years.
I stood in the sunlight at last."
Bill W.,
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 12
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

God seldom becomes a reality
until God becomes a necessity.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T = God Is Forever There

[admin]

10/27

Humility
^*^*^*^*^
"Moved by the spirit of anonymity,
we try to give up our natural desires
for personal distinction as AA members
both among fellow alcoholics and before
the general public.
As we lay aside these very human aspirations,
we believe that each of us takes part
in the weaving of a protective mantle
which covers our whole Society
and under which we may grow and work in unity.
We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity,
is the greatest safeguard
Alcoholics Anonymous can ever have."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 187
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Humility is not thinking less of yourself,
but thinking of yourself less.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, Trust

[janbear]

Loneliness
^*^*^*^*^
"Almost without exception,
alcoholics are tortured by loneliness.
Even before our drinking got bad
and people began to cut us off,
nearly all of us suffered the feeling we didn't quite belong.
Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others,
or we were apt to be noisy good fellows
craving attention and companionship,
but never getting it -- at least to our way of thinking.
There was always that mysterious barrier
we could neither surmount nor understand. . .
That's one reason we loved alcohol too well.
It did let us act extemporaneously.
But even Bacchus boomeranged on us;
we were finally struck down and left
in terrified loneliness."
c.1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 57
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Isolation is a darkroom where we develop negatives.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

[janbear]

Touchstones
^*^*^*^*^
"All AA progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words:
humility and responsibility.
Our whole spiritual development can be accurately
measured by our degree of adherence to these
magnificent standards.
Ever deepening humility,
accompanied by an ever greater willingness
to accept and act upon clear-cut obligations --
these are truly our touchstones
for all growth in the life of the spirit.
They hold up to us the very essence
of right being and right doing.
It is by them that we are enabled to find and to do God's will."
Bill W., Talk, 1965
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 271
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

The solution is simple.
The solution is spiritual.

[janbear]

Principles
^*^*^*^*^
"Experience shows that few alcoholics
will long stay away from a group
just because they don't like the way it is run.
Most return and adjust themselves
to whatever conditions they must.
Some go to a different group, or form a new one.
In other words, once an alcoholic fully realizes
that he cannot get well alone,
he will somehow find a way to get well and stay well
in the company of others."
Bill W., Letter, 1943
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 312
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill
- just add a little dirt.






*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Honestly, Actively, Lovingly, Tolerant.

[janbear]

Trudging
^*^*^*^*^
"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God.
Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows.
Clear away the wreckage of your past.
Give freely of what you find and join us.
We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit,
and you will surely meet some of us as you
trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
May God bless you and keep you -- until then."
c.1976AAWS, Alcohlics Anonymous, p. 164
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

I didn't know how sick I was until I started getting better.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Fantastic Adventures In Trusting Him

[janbear]

Companionship
^*^*^*^*^
"Letting go of everything at once
was both painful and terrifying.
I could never have accomplished this alone.
It took the help, understanding and wonderful companionship that was given so freely to me by my 'ex-alkie' friends.
This and the program of recovery
embodied in the Twelve Steps . . .
Whole new vistas were opened up for me,
new avenues of experience to be explored,
and life began to take on color and interest."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 311
^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

This is a great day to be sober, patient, tolerant,
kindly and loving.





*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R E = Comforting And Reassuring Each other