kobe-ja/AsBillSeesIt · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 4 128
specially distinguished among our fellows in order to be
useful and profoundly happy. Not many of us can be leaders
of prominence, nor do we wish to be.
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 certainly that we are no longer isolated and alone in selfconstructed 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 possession, could possibly be substitutes.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 124
Wider Understanding
To reach more alcoholics, understanding of A.A. and public
good will towards A.A. must go on growing everywhere. We
need to be on still better terms with medicine, religion,
employers, governments, courts, prisons, mental hospitals,
and all enterprsises in the alcoholism field. We need the
increasing good will of editors, writers, television and radio
channels. These publicity outlets need to be opened ever
wider.
Nothing matters more to A.A.'s future welfare than the
manner in which we use the colossus of modern
communication. Used unselfishly and well, it can produce
results surpassing our present imagination.
Should we handle this great instrument badly, we shall be
shattered by the ego manifestations of our own people.
Against this peril, A.A. members' anonymity before the
general public is our shield and our buckler.
A "Special" Experience?
I was the recipient of a tremendous mystic experience or
"illumination", and at first it was very natural for me to feel
that this experience staked me out as somebody very
special.
But as I now look back upon this tremendous event, I can
only feel very grateful. It now seems clear that the only
special features of my experience were its suddenness and
the overwhelming and immediate conviction that it carried.
In all other respects, however, I am sure that my own
experience was essentially like that received by any A.A.
member who has strenuously practiced our recovery
program. Surely, the grace he receives is also of God; the
only difference is that he becomes aware of his gift more
gradually.
GRAPEVINE, JULY 1962
Key to Sobriety
The unique ability of each A.A. to identify himself with, and
bring recovery to, the newcomer in no way depends upon his
learning, his eloquence, or any special individual skills. The
only thing that matters is that he is an alcoholic who has
found a key to sobriety.
In my first conversation with Dr. Bob, I bore down heavily on
the medical hopelessness of his case, freely using Dr.
Silkworth's words describing the alcoholic's dilemma, the
"obsession plus allergy" theme. Though Bob was a doctor,
this was news to him, bad news. And the fact that I was an
alcoholic and knew what I was talking about from personal
experience made the blow a shattering one.
You see, our talk was a completely mutual thing. I had quit
preaching. I knew that I needed this alcoholic as much as he
needed me.
Beneath the Surface
Some will object to many of the questions that should be
answered in a moral inventory, because they think their own
character defects have not been so glaring. To these, it can
be suggested that a conscientious examination is likely to
reveal the very defects the objectionable questions are
concerned with.
Because our surface record hasn't looked too bad, we have
frequently been abashed to find that this is so simply
because we have buried these selfsame defects deep down
in us under thick layers of self-justification. Those were the
defects that finally ambushedus into alcoholism and misery.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 53-54
Servant, Not Master
In A.A., we found that it did not matter too much what our
material condition was, but it mattered greatly what our
spiritual condition was. As we improved our spiritual
outlook, money gradually became our servant and not our
master. It became a means of exchanging love and service
with those about us.
One of A.A.'s Loners is an Australian sheepman who lives
two thousand miles from the nearest town, where yearly he
sells his wool. In order to be paid best prices he has to get to
town during a certain month. But when he heard that a big
regional A.A. meeting was to be held at a later date when
wool prices would have fallen, he gladly took a heavy
financial loss in order to make his journey then. That's how
much an A.A. meeting means to him.
Inward Reality
It is being constantly revealed, as mankind studies the
material world, that its outward appearances are not inward
reality at all. The prosaic steel girder is a mass of electrons
whirling around each other at incredible speed, and these
tiny bodies are governed by precise laws. Science tells us
so. We have no reason to doubt it.
When, however, the perfectly logical assumption is
suggested
that, infinitely beyond the material world as we see it, there is

specially distinguished among our fellows in order to be

useful and profoundly happy. Not many of us can be leaders

of prominence, nor do we wish to be.

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 certainly that we are no longer isolated and alone in selfconstructed 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 possession, could possibly be substitutes.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 124

Wider Understanding

To reach more alcoholics, understanding of A.A. and public

good will towards A.A. must go on growing everywhere. We

need to be on still better terms with medicine, religion,

employers, governments, courts, prisons, mental hospitals,

and all enterprsises in the alcoholism field. We need the

increasing good will of editors, writers, television and radio

channels. These publicity outlets need to be opened ever

wider.

Nothing matters more to A.A.'s future welfare than the

manner in which we use the colossus of modern

communication. Used unselfishly and well, it can produce

results surpassing our present imagination.

Should we handle this great instrument badly, we shall be

shattered by the ego manifestations of our own people.

Against this peril, A.A. members' anonymity before the

general public is our shield and our buckler.

A "Special" Experience?

I was the recipient of a tremendous mystic experience or

"illumination", and at first it was very natural for me to feel

that this experience staked me out as somebody very

special.

But as I now look back upon this tremendous event, I can

only feel very grateful. It now seems clear that the only

special features of my experience were its suddenness and

the overwhelming and immediate conviction that it carried.

In all other respects, however, I am sure that my own

experience was essentially like that received by any A.A.

member who has strenuously practiced our recovery

program. Surely, the grace he receives is also of God; the

only difference is that he becomes aware of his gift more

gradually.

GRAPEVINE, JULY 1962

Key to Sobriety

The unique ability of each A.A. to identify himself with, and

bring recovery to, the newcomer in no way depends upon his

learning, his eloquence, or any special individual skills. The

only thing that matters is that he is an alcoholic who has

found a key to sobriety.

In my first conversation with Dr. Bob, I bore down heavily on

the medical hopelessness of his case, freely using Dr.

Silkworth's words describing the alcoholic's dilemma, the

"obsession plus allergy" theme. Though Bob was a doctor,

this was news to him, bad news. And the fact that I was an

alcoholic and knew what I was talking about from personal

experience made the blow a shattering one.

You see, our talk was a completely mutual thing. I had quit

preaching. I knew that I needed this alcoholic as much as he

needed me.

Beneath the Surface

Some will object to many of the questions that should be

answered in a moral inventory, because they think their own

character defects have not been so glaring. To these, it can

be suggested that a conscientious examination is likely to

reveal the very defects the objectionable questions are

concerned with.

Because our surface record hasn't looked too bad, we have

frequently been abashed to find that this is so simply

because we have buried these selfsame defects deep down

in us under thick layers of self-justification. Those were the

defects that finally ambushedus into alcoholism and misery.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 53-54

Servant, Not Master

In A.A., we found that it did not matter too much what our

material condition was, but it mattered greatly what our

spiritual condition was. As we improved our spiritual

outlook, money gradually became our servant and not our

master. It became a means of exchanging love and service

with those about us.

One of A.A.'s Loners is an Australian sheepman who lives

two thousand miles from the nearest town, where yearly he

sells his wool. In order to be paid best prices he has to get to

town during a certain month. But when he heard that a big

regional A.A. meeting was to be held at a later date when

wool prices would have fallen, he gladly took a heavy

financial loss in order to make his journey then. That's how

much an A.A. meeting means to him.

Inward Reality

It is being constantly revealed, as mankind studies the

material world, that its outward appearances are not inward

reality at all. The prosaic steel girder is a mass of electrons

whirling around each other at incredible speed, and these

tiny bodies are governed by precise laws. Science tells us

so. We have no reason to doubt it.

When, however, the perfectly logical assumption is

suggested

that, infinitely beyond the material world as we see it, there is