kobe-ja/AsBillSeesIt · Datasets at Hugging Face

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We have found that God does not make too hard terms with
those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad,
roomy, all inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding to those
who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men.
A New Life
Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening?
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. As 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, through the practice of
A.A.'s Twelve Steps.
GRAPEVINE, DECEMBER 1957
Group and World-Wide Community
The moment Twelfth Step work forms a group, a discovery is
made -- that most individuals cannot recover unless there is
a group. Realization dawns on each member that he is but a
small part of a great whole; that no personal sacrifice is too
great for preservation of the Fellowship. He learns that the
clamor of desires and ambitions within him must be silenced
whenever these could damage the group.
It becomes plain that the group must survive or the
individual will not.
"The Lone member at sea, the A.A. at war in a far land -- all
these members know that they belong to A.A.'s world-wide
community, that theirs is only a physical separation, that
their fellows may be as near as the next port of call. Ever so
importantly, they are certain that God's grace is just as much
with them on the high seas or the lonely outpost as it is with
them at home."
Out of the Dark
Self-searching is the means by which we bring new vision,
action, and grace to bear upon the dark and negative side of
our natures. With it comes the development of that kind of
humility that makes it possible for us to receive God's help.
Yet it is only a step. We will want to go further.
We will want the good that is in us all, even in the worst of
us, to flower and to grow. But first of all we shall want
sunlight; nothing much can grow in the dark. Meditation is
our step out into the sun.
"A clear light seems to fall upon us all -- when we open our
eyes. Since our blindness is caused by our own defects, we
must first deeply realize what they are. Constructive
meditation is the first requirement for each new step in our
spiritual growth."
Quantity or Quality
"About this slip business -- I would not be too discouraged. I
think you are suffering a great deal from a needless guilt. For
some reason or other, the Lord has laid out tougher paths for
some of us, and I guess you are treading one of them. God is
not asking us to be successful. He is only asking us to tgy to
be. That, you surely are doing, and have been doing. So I
would not stay away from A.A. through any feeling of
discouragement or shame. It's just the place you should be.
Why don't you try just as a member? You don't have to cargy
the whole A.A. on your back, you know!
"It is not always the quantity of good things that you do, it is
also the quality that counts.
"Above all, take it one day at a time."
Seeking Fool's Gold
Pride is the basic breeder of most human difficulties, the
chief block to true progress. Pride lures us into making
demands upon ourselves or upon others which cannot be
met without perverting or misusing our God-given instincts.
When the satisfaction ofour instincts for sex, security, and a
place in society becomes the primary object of our lives, the
pride steps in to justify our excesses.
I may attain "humility for today" only to the extent that I am
able to avoid the bog of guilt and rebellion on one hand and,
on the other hand, that fair but deceiving land which is
strewn with the fool's-gold coins of pride. This is how I can
find and stay on the highroad of humility, which lies between
these extremes. Therefore, a constant inventory which can
reveal when I am off the road is always in order.
The Shared Gift
A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a society of
alcoholics in action. We must carry the message, else we
ourselves can wither and those who haven't been given the
truth may die.
Faith is more than our greatest gift; its sharing with others is
our greatest responsibility. May we of A.A. continually seek
the wisdom and the willingness by which we may well fulfill
that immense trust which the Giver of all perfect gifts has
placed in our hands.
Newcomer Problems
The temptation is to become rather possessive of
newcomers. Perhaps we try to give them advice about their
affairs which we aren't really competent to give or ought not
give at all. Then we are hurt and confused when the advice is
rejected, or when it is accepted and brings still greater
confusion.
"You can't make a horse drink water if he still prefers beer or
is to crazy to know what he does want. Set a pail of water
beside him, tell him how good it is and why, and leave him
alone.

We have found that God does not make too hard terms with

those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad,

roomy, all inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding to those

who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men.

A New Life

Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening?

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. As 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, through the practice of

A.A.'s Twelve Steps.

GRAPEVINE, DECEMBER 1957

Group and World-Wide Community

The moment Twelfth Step work forms a group, a discovery is

made -- that most individuals cannot recover unless there is

a group. Realization dawns on each member that he is but a

small part of a great whole; that no personal sacrifice is too

great for preservation of the Fellowship. He learns that the

clamor of desires and ambitions within him must be silenced

whenever these could damage the group.

It becomes plain that the group must survive or the

individual will not.

"The Lone member at sea, the A.A. at war in a far land -- all

these members know that they belong to A.A.'s world-wide

community, that theirs is only a physical separation, that

their fellows may be as near as the next port of call. Ever so

importantly, they are certain that God's grace is just as much

with them on the high seas or the lonely outpost as it is with

them at home."

Out of the Dark

Self-searching is the means by which we bring new vision,

action, and grace to bear upon the dark and negative side of

our natures. With it comes the development of that kind of

humility that makes it possible for us to receive God's help.

Yet it is only a step. We will want to go further.

We will want the good that is in us all, even in the worst of

us, to flower and to grow. But first of all we shall want

sunlight; nothing much can grow in the dark. Meditation is

our step out into the sun.

"A clear light seems to fall upon us all -- when we open our

eyes. Since our blindness is caused by our own defects, we

must first deeply realize what they are. Constructive

meditation is the first requirement for each new step in our

spiritual growth."

Quantity or Quality

"About this slip business -- I would not be too discouraged. I

think you are suffering a great deal from a needless guilt. For

some reason or other, the Lord has laid out tougher paths for

some of us, and I guess you are treading one of them. God is

not asking us to be successful. He is only asking us to tgy to

be. That, you surely are doing, and have been doing. So I

would not stay away from A.A. through any feeling of

discouragement or shame. It's just the place you should be.

Why don't you try just as a member? You don't have to cargy

the whole A.A. on your back, you know!

"It is not always the quantity of good things that you do, it is

also the quality that counts.

"Above all, take it one day at a time."

Seeking Fool's Gold

Pride is the basic breeder of most human difficulties, the

chief block to true progress. Pride lures us into making

demands upon ourselves or upon others which cannot be

met without perverting or misusing our God-given instincts.

When the satisfaction ofour instincts for sex, security, and a

place in society becomes the primary object of our lives, the

pride steps in to justify our excesses.

I may attain "humility for today" only to the extent that I am

able to avoid the bog of guilt and rebellion on one hand and,

on the other hand, that fair but deceiving land which is

strewn with the fool's-gold coins of pride. This is how I can

find and stay on the highroad of humility, which lies between

these extremes. Therefore, a constant inventory which can

reveal when I am off the road is always in order.

The Shared Gift

A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a society of

alcoholics in action. We must carry the message, else we

ourselves can wither and those who haven't been given the

truth may die.

Faith is more than our greatest gift; its sharing with others is

our greatest responsibility. May we of A.A. continually seek

the wisdom and the willingness by which we may well fulfill

that immense trust which the Giver of all perfect gifts has

placed in our hands.

Newcomer Problems

The temptation is to become rather possessive of

newcomers. Perhaps we try to give them advice about their

affairs which we aren't really competent to give or ought not

give at all. Then we are hurt and confused when the advice is

rejected, or when it is accepted and brings still greater

confusion.

"You can't make a horse drink water if he still prefers beer or

is to crazy to know what he does want. Set a pail of water

beside him, tell him how good it is and why, and leave him

alone.