A member shares her thoughts about applauding when people come back from multiple relapses I recently attended the memorial for a woman who I had sponsored on and off for about eight years. Although she went to meetings pretty regularly over that time, when she died she was not sober. As I listened to theContinue reading “Tough Love – Grapevine Article April 2022 By Pat K.”
Category Archives: Ambition
Editorial By Bill – Grapevine Article November 1958 By Bill W
THIS is Thanksgiving time; our gratitude should certainly be boundless. Twenty-four years ago this month, I landed in a hospital for the last time. Then and there I received the gift of sobriety. Like all who have since joined AA’s ranks, I was given a chance to choose what I would do with my newContinue reading “Editorial By Bill – Grapevine Article November 1958 By Bill W”
The Spiritual Alibi – As Bill Sees It #193
Our first attempts at inventories are apt to prove very unrealistic. I used to be a champ at unrealistic self-appraisal. On certain occasions, I wanted to look only at the part of my life which seemed good. Then I would greatly exaggerate whatever virtues I supposed I had attained. Next I would congratulate myself onContinue reading “The Spiritual Alibi – As Bill Sees It #193”
Love & Humility Reveal Reality – The Art Of Loving By Eric Fromm
Extract from Chapter 4 “The Practice of Love” This classic book, The Art Of Loving, has some great wisdom for how the practice of love and humility relate to our ability to experience ‘life as it is’ … to avoid the distortions of our self centeredness. You may also find these articles linked below onContinue reading “Love & Humility Reveal Reality – The Art Of Loving By Eric Fromm”
The Obsession And The Answer – As Bill Sees It #194
The idea that somehow, some day, he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death. ************** Alcoholism, not cancer, was my illness, but what was the difference? Was not alcoholism also aContinue reading “The Obsession And The Answer – As Bill Sees It #194”
Practicing Convey Not Convince – Reminders For Effective Conversations By Thom R.
In the 4th step of the Twelve & Twelve on page 53, we are presented with this assertion: “The primary fact that we fail to recognize is our total inability to form a true partnership with another human being. Our egomania digs two disastrous pitfalls. Either we insist upon dominating the people we know, orContinue reading “Practicing Convey Not Convince – Reminders For Effective Conversations By Thom R.”
This May Not Pass – Grapevine Article By Steve B.
He learned to accept his physical condition and used AA to help him manage it each day After going to meetings and staying sober for over 20 years, with an average of two-to-three meetings a week, one would think that I’d have taken in every topic meeting imaginable. Not quite so. An AA saying thatContinue reading “This May Not Pass – Grapevine Article By Steve B.”
Basis Of All Humility – As Bill Sees It #139
For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible. This was true even when we believed that God existed. We could actually have earnest religious beliefs which remained barren because weContinue reading “Basis Of All Humility – As Bill Sees It #139”
AA’s Starfish Of Individual & Collective Responsibility – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 27th
Authors Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom reflect on the Alcoholics Anonymous community and the powerful lessons we can learn from them. Starfish have an incredible quality to them: If you cut an arm off, most of these animals grow a new arm. And with some varieties, such as the Linckia, or long-armed starfish, the animalContinue reading “AA’s Starfish Of Individual & Collective Responsibility – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 27th”
Bless My Enemies – Recovery Poem/Prayers By Saint Nikolai Velimirovich
As we attempt to practice the willingness of Step 8 , we are confronted with this dilemma and challenge: “If we are now about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why shouldn’t we start out by forgiving them, one and all?” – Twelve & Twelve p.78 I find this poem/prayer to be extremely helpful in openingContinue reading “Bless My Enemies – Recovery Poem/Prayers By Saint Nikolai Velimirovich”