kobe-ja/AsBillSeesIt · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 4 128
experience my former desolation. I saw the universe to be
lighted by God's love; I was alone no more."
To Guard Against a Slip
Suppose we fall short of the chosen ideal and stumble? Does
this mean we are going to get drunk? Some people tell us so.
But this is only a half-truth.
It depends on us and on our motives. If we are sorry for what
we have done, and have the honest desire to let God take us
to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and will have
learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct
continues toharm others, we are quite sure to drink. These
are facts out of our experience.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 70
"Loners" -- but Not Alone
What can be said of many A.A. members who, for a variety of
reasons, cannot have a family life? At first many of these feel
lonely, hurt, and left out as they witness so much domestic
happiness about them. If they cannot have this kind of
happiness, can A.A. offer them satisfactions of similar worth
and durability?
Yes -- whenever they try hard to seek out these satisfactions.
Surrounded by so many A.A. friends, the co-called loners tell
us they no longer feel alone. In partnership with others --
women and men -- they can devote themselves to any
number of ideas, people, and constructive projects. They can
participate in enterprises which would be denied to family
men and women. We daily see such members render
prodigies of service, and receive great joys in return.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 120
To Deepen Our Insight
It is necessary that we extricate from an examination of our
personal relations every bit of information about ourselves
and our fundamental difficulties that we can. Since defective
relations with other human beings have nearly always been
the immediate cause of our woes, including our alcoholism,
no field of investigation could yield more satisfying and
valuable rewardsthan this one.
Calm, thoughtful reflection upon personal relations can
deepen our insight. We can go far beyond those things which
were superficially wrong with us, to see those flaws which
were basic, flaws which sometimes were responsible for the
whole pattern of our lives. Thoroughness, we have found,
will pay -- and pay handsomely.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 80
Seeking Guidance
"Man is supposed to think, and act. He wasn't made in God's
image to be an automaton.
"My own formula along this lines runs as follows: First, think
through every situation pro and con, praying meanwhile that
I be not inluened by ego considerations. Afirm t hat I would
like to do God's will.
"Then, having turned the problem over in this fashion and
gettin no conclusive orcompelling answer, I wait f or further
guidane, which may come into mind directly or thro ugh
other people or through circumstances.
"If I feel I cant wait, and still get no definite indication,
Irepeat the first measure several times, try to pick out the
best course, and then proceed to act. I know if I am wrong,
the heavens wont fall. Alesson will be learned, i n any case."
LETTR, 1950
Facing Criticism
Sometimes, we register surprise, shock, and anger when
people find fault with A.A. We are apt to be disturbed to such
an extent that we cannot benefit by constructive criticism.
This sort of resentment makes no friends and achieves no
constructive purpose. Certainly, this is an area in which we
can improve.
It is evident that the harmony, security, and future
effectiveness of A.A. will depend largely upon our
maintenance of a thoroughly nonaggressive and pacific
attitude in all our public relations. This is an exacting
assignment, because in our drinking days we were prone to
anger, hostility, rebellion, and aggression. And, even though
we are now sober, the old patterns of behaviour are to a
degree still with us, always threatening to explode on any
good excuse.
But we now know this, and therefore I feel confident that in
the conduct of our public affairs we shall always find the
grace to exert restraint.
Better than Gold
As newcomers, many of us have indulged in spiritual
intoxication. Like a gaunt prospector, belt drawn in over the
last ounce of food, we saw our pick strike gold. Joy at our
release from a lifetime of frustration knew no bounds.
The newcomer feels he has struck something better than
gold. He may not see at once that he has barely scratched a
limitless lode
which will pay dividends only if he mines it for the rest of his
life and insists on giving away the entire product.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, PP. 128-129
Righteous Indignation
"The positive value of righteous indignation is theoretical --
especially for alcoholics. It leaves every one of us open to
the rationalization that we may be as angry as we like
provided we can claim to be righteous about it."
When we harbored grudges and planned revenge for defeats,
we were really beating ourselves with the club of anger we
had intended to use on others. We learned that if we were
seriously disturbed, our very first need was to quiet that
disturbance, regardless of who or what we thought caused it.

experience my former desolation. I saw the universe to be

lighted by God's love; I was alone no more."

To Guard Against a Slip

Suppose we fall short of the chosen ideal and stumble? Does

this mean we are going to get drunk? Some people tell us so.

But this is only a half-truth.

It depends on us and on our motives. If we are sorry for what

we have done, and have the honest desire to let God take us

to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and will have

learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct

continues toharm others, we are quite sure to drink. These

are facts out of our experience.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 70

"Loners" -- but Not Alone

What can be said of many A.A. members who, for a variety of

reasons, cannot have a family life? At first many of these feel

lonely, hurt, and left out as they witness so much domestic

happiness about them. If they cannot have this kind of

happiness, can A.A. offer them satisfactions of similar worth

and durability?

Yes -- whenever they try hard to seek out these satisfactions.

Surrounded by so many A.A. friends, the co-called loners tell

us they no longer feel alone. In partnership with others --

women and men -- they can devote themselves to any

number of ideas, people, and constructive projects. They can

participate in enterprises which would be denied to family

men and women. We daily see such members render

prodigies of service, and receive great joys in return.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 120

To Deepen Our Insight

It is necessary that we extricate from an examination of our

personal relations every bit of information about ourselves

and our fundamental difficulties that we can. Since defective

relations with other human beings have nearly always been

the immediate cause of our woes, including our alcoholism,

no field of investigation could yield more satisfying and

valuable rewardsthan this one.

Calm, thoughtful reflection upon personal relations can

deepen our insight. We can go far beyond those things which

were superficially wrong with us, to see those flaws which

were basic, flaws which sometimes were responsible for the

whole pattern of our lives. Thoroughness, we have found,

will pay -- and pay handsomely.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 80

Seeking Guidance

"Man is supposed to think, and act. He wasn't made in God's

image to be an automaton.

"My own formula along this lines runs as follows: First, think

through every situation pro and con, praying meanwhile that

I be not inluened by ego considerations. Afirm t hat I would

like to do God's will.

"Then, having turned the problem over in this fashion and

gettin no conclusive orcompelling answer, I wait f or further

guidane, which may come into mind directly or thro ugh

other people or through circumstances.

"If I feel I cant wait, and still get no definite indication,

Irepeat the first measure several times, try to pick out the

best course, and then proceed to act. I know if I am wrong,

the heavens wont fall. Alesson will be learned, i n any case."

LETTR, 1950

Facing Criticism

Sometimes, we register surprise, shock, and anger when

people find fault with A.A. We are apt to be disturbed to such

an extent that we cannot benefit by constructive criticism.

This sort of resentment makes no friends and achieves no

constructive purpose. Certainly, this is an area in which we

can improve.

It is evident that the harmony, security, and future

effectiveness of A.A. will depend largely upon our

maintenance of a thoroughly nonaggressive and pacific

attitude in all our public relations. This is an exacting

assignment, because in our drinking days we were prone to

anger, hostility, rebellion, and aggression. And, even though

we are now sober, the old patterns of behaviour are to a

degree still with us, always threatening to explode on any

good excuse.

But we now know this, and therefore I feel confident that in

the conduct of our public affairs we shall always find the

grace to exert restraint.

Better than Gold

As newcomers, many of us have indulged in spiritual

intoxication. Like a gaunt prospector, belt drawn in over the

last ounce of food, we saw our pick strike gold. Joy at our

release from a lifetime of frustration knew no bounds.

The newcomer feels he has struck something better than

gold. He may not see at once that he has barely scratched a

limitless lode

which will pay dividends only if he mines it for the rest of his

life and insists on giving away the entire product.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, PP. 128-129

Righteous Indignation

"The positive value of righteous indignation is theoretical --

especially for alcoholics. It leaves every one of us open to

the rationalization that we may be as angry as we like

provided we can claim to be righteous about it."

When we harbored grudges and planned revenge for defeats,

we were really beating ourselves with the club of anger we

had intended to use on others. We learned that if we were

seriously disturbed, our very first need was to quiet that

disturbance, regardless of who or what we thought caused it.