kobe-ja/AsBillSeesIt · Datasets at Hugging Face

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Whose Inventory?
We do not relate intimate experiences of another member
unless we are sure he would approve. We find it better, when
possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may criticize or
laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but
criticism or ridicule aimed at someone else often produces
the contrary effect.
A continous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real
desire to learn and grow by this means are necessities for
us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way. More
experienced people, of course, in all times and places have
practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism.
"Lets Keep It Simple"
"We need to distinguish sharply between spiritual simplicity
and functional simplicity.
"When we say that A.A. advocates no theological propositon
except God as we understand Him, we geatly simplify A.A.
life by avoiding conflict and exclusiveness.
"But when we get into questions of action by groups, by
areas, and by A.A. as a whole, we find that we must to some
extent organize to carry the message -- or else face chaos.
And chaos is not simplicity."
I learned that the temporary or seeming good can often be
the deadly enemy of the permanent best. When it comes to
survival for A.A., nothing short of our best will be good
enough.
Release and Joy
Who can render an account of all the miseries that once were
ours, and who can estimate the release and joy that the later
years have brought to us? Who can possibly tell the vast
consequences of what God's work through A.A. has already
set in motion?
And who can penetrate the deeper mystery of our wholesale
deliverance from slavery, a bondage to a most hopeless and
fatal obsession which for centuries possesed the minds and
bodies od men and women like ourselves?
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
helped others to recover. What greater cause could there be
for rejoycing thanthis?
A Saving Principle
The practice of admitting one's defects to another person is,
of course, very ancient. It has been validated in every
century, and it characterizes the lives of all spiritually
centered and truly religious people.
But today religion is by no means the sole advocate of this
saving principle. Psychiatrists and psychologists point out
the deep need every human being has for practical insight
and knowledge of his own personality flaws and for a
discussion of them withan understanding and trustworthy
person.
So far as alcoholics are concerned, A.A. would go even
further. Most of us would declare that without a fearless
admission of our defects to another human being, we could
not stay sober. It seems plain that the grace of God will not
enter to expel our destructive obsessions until we are willing
to try this.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 56-57
"Success" in Twelfth-Stepping
"We now see that in twelth-stepping the immediate results
are not so important. Some people start out working with
others and have immediate success. They are likely to get
crocky. Those of us who are not so successful at first get
depressed.
"As a matter of fact, the successful worker differs from the
unsuccessful only in being lucky about his prospects. He
simply hits newcomers who are ready and able to stop at
once. Given the same prospects, the seemingly unsuccessful
person would have produced almost the same results. You
have to work ona lot of newcomers before the law of
averages commences to assert itself."
All true communication must be founded on mutual need. We
saw that each sponsor would have to admit humbly his own
needs as clearly as those of his prospect.
Fear No Evil
Though we of A.A. find ourselves living in a world
characterized by destructive fears as never before in history,
we 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.
I am sure we A.A.'s will comprehend this scene. In
microcosm, we have experienced this identical state of
terrifying uncertainty, each in his own life. In no sense
pridefully, we 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 fearno evil -- Thy
will, not ours, be done."
Progress Rather than Perfection
On studying the Twelve Steps, many of us exclaimed, "What
an order! I can't go through with it." Do not be discouraged.
No one among us has been able to maintain anything like
perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints.
The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.
The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We
claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.
"We recovered alcoholics are not so much brothers in virtue

Whose Inventory?

We do not relate intimate experiences of another member

unless we are sure he would approve. We find it better, when

possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may criticize or

laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but

criticism or ridicule aimed at someone else often produces

the contrary effect.

A continous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real

desire to learn and grow by this means are necessities for

us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way. More

experienced people, of course, in all times and places have

practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism.

"Lets Keep It Simple"

"We need to distinguish sharply between spiritual simplicity

and functional simplicity.

"When we say that A.A. advocates no theological propositon

except God as we understand Him, we geatly simplify A.A.

life by avoiding conflict and exclusiveness.

"But when we get into questions of action by groups, by

areas, and by A.A. as a whole, we find that we must to some

extent organize to carry the message -- or else face chaos.

And chaos is not simplicity."

I learned that the temporary or seeming good can often be

the deadly enemy of the permanent best. When it comes to

survival for A.A., nothing short of our best will be good

enough.

Release and Joy

Who can render an account of all the miseries that once were

ours, and who can estimate the release and joy that the later

years have brought to us? Who can possibly tell the vast

consequences of what God's work through A.A. has already

set in motion?

And who can penetrate the deeper mystery of our wholesale

deliverance from slavery, a bondage to a most hopeless and

fatal obsession which for centuries possesed the minds and

bodies od men and women like ourselves?

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

helped others to recover. What greater cause could there be

for rejoycing thanthis?

A Saving Principle

The practice of admitting one's defects to another person is,

of course, very ancient. It has been validated in every

century, and it characterizes the lives of all spiritually

centered and truly religious people.

But today religion is by no means the sole advocate of this

saving principle. Psychiatrists and psychologists point out

the deep need every human being has for practical insight

and knowledge of his own personality flaws and for a

discussion of them withan understanding and trustworthy

person.

So far as alcoholics are concerned, A.A. would go even

further. Most of us would declare that without a fearless

admission of our defects to another human being, we could

not stay sober. It seems plain that the grace of God will not

enter to expel our destructive obsessions until we are willing

to try this.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 56-57

"Success" in Twelfth-Stepping

"We now see that in twelth-stepping the immediate results

are not so important. Some people start out working with

others and have immediate success. They are likely to get

crocky. Those of us who are not so successful at first get

depressed.

"As a matter of fact, the successful worker differs from the

unsuccessful only in being lucky about his prospects. He

simply hits newcomers who are ready and able to stop at

once. Given the same prospects, the seemingly unsuccessful

person would have produced almost the same results. You

have to work ona lot of newcomers before the law of

averages commences to assert itself."

All true communication must be founded on mutual need. We

saw that each sponsor would have to admit humbly his own

needs as clearly as those of his prospect.

Fear No Evil

Though we of A.A. find ourselves living in a world

characterized by destructive fears as never before in history,

we 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.

I am sure we A.A.'s will comprehend this scene. In

microcosm, we have experienced this identical state of

terrifying uncertainty, each in his own life. In no sense

pridefully, we 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 fearno evil -- Thy

will, not ours, be done."

Progress Rather than Perfection

On studying the Twelve Steps, many of us exclaimed, "What

an order! I can't go through with it." Do not be discouraged.

No one among us has been able to maintain anything like

perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints.

The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.

The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We

claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

"We recovered alcoholics are not so much brothers in virtue