“Though I know how hurt and sorry you must be after this slip, please do not worry about a temporary loss of your inner peace. As calmly as you can, just renew your effort on the A.A. program, especially those parts of it which have to do with meditation and self-analysis. “Could I also suggestContinue reading “Renew Your Effort – As Bill Sees It #68”
Category Archives: As Bill Sees It
Behind Our Excuses – As Bill Sees It #267
As excuse-makers and rationalizers, we drunks are champions. It is the business of the psychiatrist to find the deeper causes for our conduct. Though uninstructed in psychiatry, we can, after a little time in A.A., see that our motives have not been what we thought they were, and that we have been motivated by forcesContinue reading “Behind Our Excuses – As Bill Sees It #267”
Reaching For Humility – As Bill Sees It #211
We saw we needn’t always be bludgeoned and beaten into humility. It could come quite as much from our voluntary reaching for it as it could from unremitting suffering. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ “We first reach for a little humility, knowing that we shall perish of alcoholism if we do not. After a time, though we may stillContinue reading “Reaching For Humility – As Bill Sees It #211”
Prelude To The Program – As Bill Sees It #118
Few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have “hit bottom,” for practicing A.A.’s Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking. The average alcoholic, self-centered inthe extreme, doesn’t care for this prospect–unless he has to do these thingsContinue reading “Prelude To The Program – As Bill Sees It #118”
Citizens Again – As Bill Sees It #21
“Each of us in turn—that is, the member who gets the most out of the program—spends a very large amount of time on Twelfth Step work in the early years. That was my case, and perhaps I should not have stayed sober with less work. “However, sooner or later most of us are presented withContinue reading “Citizens Again – As Bill Sees It #21”
Complete Security? – As Bill Sees It #112
Upon entering A.A., the spectacle of years of waste threw us into panic. Financial importance was no longer our principal aim; we now clamored for material security. Even when we re-established in our business, terrible fears often continued to haunt us. This made us misers and penny-pinchers all over again. Complete financial security we mustContinue reading “Complete Security? – As Bill Sees It #112”
Antidote For Fear – As Bill Sees It #196
When our failings generate fear, we then have soul-sickness. This sickness, in turn, generates still more character defects. Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied drives us to covet the possessions of others, to lust for sex and power, to become angry when our instinctive demands are threatened, to be envious when theContinue reading “Antidote For Fear – As Bill Sees It #196”
Trouble: Constructive or Destructive – As Bill Sees It #110
“There was a time when we ignored trouble, hoping it would go away. Or, in fear and in depression, we ran from it, but found it was still with us. Often, full of unreason, bitterness, and blame, we fought back. These mistaken attitudes, powered by alcohol, guaranteed our destruction, unless they were altered. “Then cameContinue reading “Trouble: Constructive or Destructive – As Bill Sees It #110”
Down To Earth – As Bill Sees It #178
Those of us who have spent much time in the world of spiritual make-believe have eventually seen the childishness of it. This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives. We have come to believe He would like usContinue reading “Down To Earth – As Bill Sees It #178”
A Mighty Beginning – As Bill Sees It #298
Even the newest of newcomers find undreamed rewards as he tries to help his brother alcoholic, the one who is even blinder than he. This is indeed the kind of giving that actually demands nothing. He does not expect his brother sufferer to pay him, or even to love him. And then he discovers thatContinue reading “A Mighty Beginning – As Bill Sees It #298”