kobe-ja/AsBillSeesIt · Datasets at Hugging Face

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first and man afterward. They prefer to believe that man is
the chance product of evolution; that God, the Creator, does
not exist.
"I can only report that I have experimented with both
concepts and that, in my case, the God concept has proved
to be a better basis for living than the man-centered one.
"Nevertheless, I would be the first to defend your right to
think as you will. I simply ask this question: `In your own life,
have you ever really tried to think and act as though there
might be a God? Have you experimented?'"
We Need Outside Help
It was evident that a solitary self-appraisal, and the
admission of our defects based upon that alone, wouldn't be
nearly enough. We'd have to have outside help if we were
surely to know and admit the truth about ourselves -- the
help of God and of another human being.
Only by discussing ourselves, holding back nothing, only by
being willing to take advice and accept direction could we set
foot on the road to straight thinking, solid honesty, and
genuine humility.
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.
God's Gifts
We see that the sun never sets upon A.A.'s Fellowship; that
more than three hundred and fifty thousand of us have now
recovered from our malady; that we have everywhere begun
to transcend the formidable barriers of race,creed, and
nationality. This assurance that so many of us have been
able to meet our responsibilities for sobriety and for growth
and effectiveness in the troubled world where we live, will
surely fill us with the deepest joy and satisfaction.
But, as a people who have nearly always learned the hard
way, we shall certainly not congratulate ourselves. We shall
perceive these assets to be God's gifts, which have been in
part matched by an increasing willingness on our part to find
and do His will for us.
GRAPEVINE, JULY 1965
Prayer Under Pressure
Whenever I find myself under acute tensions, I lengthen my
daily walks and slowly repeat our Serenity Prayer in rhythm
to my steps and breathing.
If I feel that my pain has in part been occasioned by others, I
try to repeat, "God grant me the serenity to love their best,
and never fear their worst." This benign healing process of
repitition, sometimes necessary to persist with for days, has
seldomfailed to restore me to at least a workable emotional
balance and perspective.
GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962
Face the Music
"Don't be too discouraged about that slip. Practically always,
we drunks learn the hard way.
"Your idea of moving on to somewhere else may be good, or
it may not. Perhaps you have got into an emotional or
economic jam that can't be well handled where you are. But
maybe you are doing just what all of us have done, at one
time or another: Maybe you are running away. Why don't you
try to think that through again carefully?
"Are you really placing recovery first, or are you making it
contingent upon other people, places, or circumstances?
You may find it ever so much better to face the music right
where you are now, and, with the help of the A.A. program,
win through. Before you make a decision,weigh it in these
terms."
Alone No More
Alcoholism was a lonely business, even though we were
surrounded by people who loved us. But when our self-will
had driven everybody away and our isolation became
complete, we commenced to play the big shot in cheap
barrooms. Failing even this, we had to fare forth alone on the
street to depend upon the charity of passers-by.
We were trying to find emotional security either by
dominating or by being dependent upon others. Even when
our fortunes had not totally ebbed, we nevertheless found
ourselves alone in the world. We still vainly tried to be secure
by some unhealthy sort of domination or dependence.
For those of us who were like that, A.A. has a very special
meaning. In this Fellowship we begin to learn right relations
with people who understand us; we don't have to be alone
any more.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 116-117
"Look Before You Leap"?
"Wise men and women rightly give a top rating to the virtue
of prudence. They know that without this all important
attribute little wisdom is to be had.
"Mere `looking before we leap' is not enough. If our looking
is charged with fear, suspicion, or anger, we had better not
have looked or acted at all."
"We lose the fear of making decisions, great and small, as we
realize that should our choice prove wrong we can, if we will,
learn from the experience. Should our decision be the right
one, we can thank God for giving us the courage and the
grace that caused us so to act."
Satisfactions of Right Living
How wonderful is the feeling that we do not have to be

first and man afterward. They prefer to believe that man is

the chance product of evolution; that God, the Creator, does

not exist.

"I can only report that I have experimented with both

concepts and that, in my case, the God concept has proved

to be a better basis for living than the man-centered one.

"Nevertheless, I would be the first to defend your right to

think as you will. I simply ask this question: `In your own life,

have you ever really tried to think and act as though there

might be a God? Have you experimented?'"

We Need Outside Help

It was evident that a solitary self-appraisal, and the

admission of our defects based upon that alone, wouldn't be

nearly enough. We'd have to have outside help if we were

surely to know and admit the truth about ourselves -- the

help of God and of another human being.

Only by discussing ourselves, holding back nothing, only by

being willing to take advice and accept direction could we set

foot on the road to straight thinking, solid honesty, and

genuine humility.

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.

God's Gifts

We see that the sun never sets upon A.A.'s Fellowship; that

more than three hundred and fifty thousand of us have now

recovered from our malady; that we have everywhere begun

to transcend the formidable barriers of race,creed, and

nationality. This assurance that so many of us have been

able to meet our responsibilities for sobriety and for growth

and effectiveness in the troubled world where we live, will

surely fill us with the deepest joy and satisfaction.

But, as a people who have nearly always learned the hard

way, we shall certainly not congratulate ourselves. We shall

perceive these assets to be God's gifts, which have been in

part matched by an increasing willingness on our part to find

and do His will for us.

GRAPEVINE, JULY 1965

Prayer Under Pressure

Whenever I find myself under acute tensions, I lengthen my

daily walks and slowly repeat our Serenity Prayer in rhythm

to my steps and breathing.

If I feel that my pain has in part been occasioned by others, I

try to repeat, "God grant me the serenity to love their best,

and never fear their worst." This benign healing process of

repitition, sometimes necessary to persist with for days, has

seldomfailed to restore me to at least a workable emotional

balance and perspective.

GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962

Face the Music

"Don't be too discouraged about that slip. Practically always,

we drunks learn the hard way.

"Your idea of moving on to somewhere else may be good, or

it may not. Perhaps you have got into an emotional or

economic jam that can't be well handled where you are. But

maybe you are doing just what all of us have done, at one

time or another: Maybe you are running away. Why don't you

try to think that through again carefully?

"Are you really placing recovery first, or are you making it

contingent upon other people, places, or circumstances?

You may find it ever so much better to face the music right

where you are now, and, with the help of the A.A. program,

win through. Before you make a decision,weigh it in these

terms."

Alone No More

Alcoholism was a lonely business, even though we were

surrounded by people who loved us. But when our self-will

had driven everybody away and our isolation became

complete, we commenced to play the big shot in cheap

barrooms. Failing even this, we had to fare forth alone on the

street to depend upon the charity of passers-by.

We were trying to find emotional security either by

dominating or by being dependent upon others. Even when

our fortunes had not totally ebbed, we nevertheless found

ourselves alone in the world. We still vainly tried to be secure

by some unhealthy sort of domination or dependence.

For those of us who were like that, A.A. has a very special

meaning. In this Fellowship we begin to learn right relations

with people who understand us; we don't have to be alone

any more.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 116-117

"Look Before You Leap"?

"Wise men and women rightly give a top rating to the virtue

of prudence. They know that without this all important

attribute little wisdom is to be had.

"Mere `looking before we leap' is not enough. If our looking

is charged with fear, suspicion, or anger, we had better not

have looked or acted at all."

"We lose the fear of making decisions, great and small, as we

realize that should our choice prove wrong we can, if we will,

learn from the experience. Should our decision be the right

one, we can thank God for giving us the courage and the

grace that caused us so to act."

Satisfactions of Right Living

How wonderful is the feeling that we do not have to be