At Step Four we resolutely looked for our own mistakes. Where had we been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking, and frightened? Though a given situation had not been entirely our fault, we often tried to cast the whole blame on the other person involved. We finally saw that the inventory should be ours, not the other man’s.Continue reading “Who Is To Blame – As Bill Sees It #222”
Category Archives: As Bill Sees It
Groping Toward God – As Bill Sees It #323
More than most people, I think, alcoholics want to know who they are, what this life is about, whether they have a divine origin and an appointed destiny, and whether there is a system of cosmic justice and love. It is the experience of many of us in the early stages of drinking to feelContinue reading “Groping Toward God – As Bill Sees It #323”
After the “Honeymoon “ – As Bill Sees It #216
For most of us, the first years of A.A. are something like a honeymoon. There is a new and potent reason to stay alive, joyful activity aplenty. For a time, we are diverted from the main life problems. That is all to the good. But when the honeymoon has worn off, we are obliged toContinue reading “After the “Honeymoon “ – As Bill Sees It #216”
Essence of Growth – As Bill Sees It #115
Let us never fear needed change. Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse and changes for better. But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual, in a group, or in A.A. as a whole, it has long since been found out that we cannot stand still and look the other way.Continue reading “Essence of Growth – As Bill Sees It #115”
Emotional Sobriety – As Bill Sees It # 288
If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent unhealthy demand. Let us, with God’s help, continually surrender these hobbling liabilities. Then we can be set free to live and love; we may then be able to twelfth-step ourselves, asContinue reading “Emotional Sobriety – As Bill Sees It # 288”
God-Given Instincts – As Bill Sees It #142
Creation gave us instincts for a purpose. Without them we wouldn’t be complete human beings. If men and women didn’t exert themselves to be secure in their persons, made no effort to harvest food or construct shelter, there would be no survival. If they didn’t reproduce, the earth wouldn’t be populated. If there were noContinue reading “God-Given Instincts – As Bill Sees It #142”
Facing Criticism – As Bill Sees It #56
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 wecannot 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. << << << >>Continue reading “Facing Criticism – As Bill Sees It #56”
Fear No Evil – As Bill Sees It #166
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 theContinue reading “Fear No Evil – As Bill Sees It #166”
Forgiveness – As Bill Sees It #318
Through the vital Fifth Step, we began to get the feeling that we could be forgiven, no matter what we had thought or done. Often it was while working on this Step with our sponsors or spiritual advisers that we first felt truly able to forgive others, no matter how deeply we felt they hadContinue reading “Forgiveness – As Bill Sees It #318”
Meeting Adversity – As Bill Sees It #184
“Our spiritual and emotional growth in A.A. does not depend so deeply upon success as it does upon our failures and setbacks. If you will bear this in mind, I think that your slip will have the effect of kicking you upstairs, instead of down. “We A.A.’s have had no better teacher than Old ManContinue reading “Meeting Adversity – As Bill Sees It #184”