kobe-ja/AsBillSeesIt · Datasets at Hugging Face

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"This is why sobriety -- freedom from alcohol -- through the
teaching and practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps, is the sole
purpose of the group. If we don't stick to this cardinal
principle, we shall almost certainly collapse. And if we
collapse we cannot help anyone."
Debits and Credits
Following a gossip binge, we can well ask ourselves these
questions: "Why did we say what we did? Were we only
trying to be helpful and informative? Or were we not trying to
feel superior by confessing the other fellow's sins? Or,
because of fear and dislike, were we not really aiming to
damage him?"
This would be an honest attempt to examine ourselves,
rather than the other fellow.
Inventory-taking is not always done in red ink. It's a poor day
indeed when we haven't done something right. As a matter of
fact, the eaking hours are usually well filled with things that
are constructive. Good intentions, good thoughts, and good
acts are there for us to see.
Even when we have tried hard and failed, we may chalk that
up as one of the greatest credits of all.
"Selfish?"
"I can see why you are disturbed to hear some A.A. speakers
say, `A.A. is a selfish program.' The word `selfish' ordinarily
implies that one is acquisitive, demanding, and thoughtless
of the welfare of others. Of course, the A.A. way of life does
not at all imply such undesirable traits.
"What do these speakers mean? Well, any theologian will tell
you that the salvation of his own soul is the highest vocation
that a man can have. Without salvation -- however we may
define this -- he will have little or nothing. For us if A.A., there
is even more urgency.
"If we cannot or will not achieve sobriety, then we become
truly lost, right in the here and now. We are of no value to
anyone, including ourselves, until we find salvation from
alcohol. Therefore, our own recovery and spiritual growth
have to come first-- a right and necessary kind of selfconcern."
Trouble Becomes an Asset
"I think that this particular General Service Conference
holdspromise and has been filled with progress -- because it
has had trouble. And it has converted that trouble into an
asset, into some growth, and into a great promise.
"A.A. was born out of trouble, one of the most serious kinds
of trouble that can befall an individual, the trouble attendant
upon this dark and fatal malady of alcoholism. Every single
one of us approached A.A. in trouble, in impossible trouble,
in hopeless trouble. And that is why we came.
"If this Conference was ruffled, if individuals were deeply
disturbed -- I say, `This is fine.' What parliament, what
republic, what democracy has not been disturbed? Friction
of opposing viewpoints is the very modus operandi on which
they proceed. Then what should we be afraid of?"
TALK, P. 1958
We Cannot Live Alone
All of A.A.'s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our
natural desires; they all deflate our egos. When it comes to
ego deflation, few Steps are harder to take than the Fifth.
Scarcely any Step is more necessary to long time sobriety
and peace of mind.
A.A. experience has taught us we cannot live alone with our
pressing problems and the character defects which cause or
aggrevate them. If Step Four has revealed in stark relief
those experiences we'd rather not remember, 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.
We cannot wholly rely on friends to solve all our difficulties.
A good adviser will never do all our thinking for us. He
knows that each final choice must be ours. He will therefore
help to eliminate fear, expediency, and self-deception, so
enabling us to make choices which are loving, wise, and
honest.
Benefits of Responsibilty
"Happily, A.A.'s per capita expenses are very low. For us to
fail to meet them would be to evade a responsibility
beneficial for us.
"Most alcoholics have said they had no troubles that money
would not cure. We are a group that, when drinking, always
held out a hand for funds. So when we commence to pay our
own service bills, this is a healthy change."
"Because of drinking, my friend Henry had lost a highsalaried job. There remained a fine house -- with abudget
three times his reduced earnings.
"He could have rented the house for enough to carry it. But
no! Henry said he knew that God wanted him to live there,
and He would see that the costs were paid. So Henry went on
running up bills andglowing with faith. Not surprisingly, his
creditors finally took over the place.
Henry can laugh about it now, having learned that God more
often helps those who are willing to help themselves."
Life Is Not a Dead End
When a man or a woman has a spiritual awakening, the most
important meaning of it is that he has now become able to
do, feel, and believe that which he could not do before on his
unaided strength and resources alone. He has been granted
a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness and
being.
He has been set on a path which tells him he is really going
somewhere, that life is not a dead end, not something to be
endured or mastered. In a very real sense he has been
transformed, because he has laid hold of a source of

"This is why sobriety -- freedom from alcohol -- through the

teaching and practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps, is the sole

purpose of the group. If we don't stick to this cardinal

principle, we shall almost certainly collapse. And if we

collapse we cannot help anyone."

Debits and Credits

Following a gossip binge, we can well ask ourselves these

questions: "Why did we say what we did? Were we only

trying to be helpful and informative? Or were we not trying to

feel superior by confessing the other fellow's sins? Or,

because of fear and dislike, were we not really aiming to

damage him?"

This would be an honest attempt to examine ourselves,

rather than the other fellow.

Inventory-taking is not always done in red ink. It's a poor day

indeed when we haven't done something right. As a matter of

fact, the eaking hours are usually well filled with things that

are constructive. Good intentions, good thoughts, and good

acts are there for us to see.

Even when we have tried hard and failed, we may chalk that

up as one of the greatest credits of all.

"Selfish?"

"I can see why you are disturbed to hear some A.A. speakers

say, `A.A. is a selfish program.' The word `selfish' ordinarily

implies that one is acquisitive, demanding, and thoughtless

of the welfare of others. Of course, the A.A. way of life does

not at all imply such undesirable traits.

"What do these speakers mean? Well, any theologian will tell

you that the salvation of his own soul is the highest vocation

that a man can have. Without salvation -- however we may

define this -- he will have little or nothing. For us if A.A., there

is even more urgency.

"If we cannot or will not achieve sobriety, then we become

truly lost, right in the here and now. We are of no value to

anyone, including ourselves, until we find salvation from

alcohol. Therefore, our own recovery and spiritual growth

have to come first-- a right and necessary kind of selfconcern."

Trouble Becomes an Asset

"I think that this particular General Service Conference

holdspromise and has been filled with progress -- because it

has had trouble. And it has converted that trouble into an

asset, into some growth, and into a great promise.

"A.A. was born out of trouble, one of the most serious kinds

of trouble that can befall an individual, the trouble attendant

upon this dark and fatal malady of alcoholism. Every single

one of us approached A.A. in trouble, in impossible trouble,

in hopeless trouble. And that is why we came.

"If this Conference was ruffled, if individuals were deeply

disturbed -- I say, `This is fine.' What parliament, what

republic, what democracy has not been disturbed? Friction

of opposing viewpoints is the very modus operandi on which

they proceed. Then what should we be afraid of?"

TALK, P. 1958

We Cannot Live Alone

All of A.A.'s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our

natural desires; they all deflate our egos. When it comes to

ego deflation, few Steps are harder to take than the Fifth.

Scarcely any Step is more necessary to long time sobriety

and peace of mind.

A.A. experience has taught us we cannot live alone with our

pressing problems and the character defects which cause or

aggrevate them. If Step Four has revealed in stark relief

those experiences we'd rather not remember, 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.

We cannot wholly rely on friends to solve all our difficulties.

A good adviser will never do all our thinking for us. He

knows that each final choice must be ours. He will therefore

help to eliminate fear, expediency, and self-deception, so

enabling us to make choices which are loving, wise, and

honest.

Benefits of Responsibilty

"Happily, A.A.'s per capita expenses are very low. For us to

fail to meet them would be to evade a responsibility

beneficial for us.

"Most alcoholics have said they had no troubles that money

would not cure. We are a group that, when drinking, always

held out a hand for funds. So when we commence to pay our

own service bills, this is a healthy change."

"Because of drinking, my friend Henry had lost a highsalaried job. There remained a fine house -- with abudget

three times his reduced earnings.

"He could have rented the house for enough to carry it. But

no! Henry said he knew that God wanted him to live there,

and He would see that the costs were paid. So Henry went on

running up bills andglowing with faith. Not surprisingly, his

creditors finally took over the place.

Henry can laugh about it now, having learned that God more

often helps those who are willing to help themselves."

Life Is Not a Dead End

When a man or a woman has a spiritual awakening, the most

important meaning of it is that he has now become able to

do, feel, and believe that which he could not do before on his

unaided strength and resources alone. He has been granted

a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness and

being.

He has been set on a path which tells him he is really going

somewhere, that life is not a dead end, not something to be

endured or mastered. In a very real sense he has been

transformed, because he has laid hold of a source of