Sometimes I would be forced to look at situations where I was doing badly. Right away, the search for excuses would become frantic. “These,” I would exclaim, “are really a good man’s faults.” When that pet gadget broke apart, I would think, “Well, if those people would only treat me right, I wouldn’t have toContinue reading “When Conflict Mounts – As Bill Sees It #289”
Category Archives: As Bill Sees It
The Fine Art Of Alibis – As Bill Sees It #279
The majority of A.A. members have suffered severely from self-justification during their drinking days. For most of us, self-justification was the maker of excuses for drinking and for all kinds of crazy and damaging conduct. We had made the invention of alibis a fine art. We had to drink because times were hard or timesContinue reading “The Fine Art Of Alibis – As Bill Sees It #279”
Beneath The Surface – As Bill Sees It #258
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 recordContinue reading “Beneath The Surface – As Bill Sees It #258”
The Value Of Human Will – As Bill Sees It #232
Many newcomers, having experienced little but constant deflation, feel a growing conviction that human will is of no value whatever. They have become persuaded, sometimes rightly so, that many problems besides alcohol will not yield to a headlong assault powered only by the individual’s will. However, there are certain things which the individual alone canContinue reading “The Value Of Human Will – As Bill Sees It #232”
Constructive Workouts – As Bill Sees It #215
There are those in A.A. whom we call “destructive” critics. They power-drive, they are “politickers,” they make accusations to gain their ends—all for the good of A.A., of course! But we have learned that these folks need not be really destructive. We ought to listen carefully to what they say. Sometimes they are telling theContinue reading “Constructive Workouts – As Bill Sees It #215”
Faith And Action – As Bill Sees It #212
Your prospect’s religious education and training may be far superior to yours. In that case, he is going to wonder how you can add anything to what he already knows. But he will be curious to learn why his convictions have not worked and yours seem to work so well. He may be an exampleContinue reading “Faith And Action – As Bill Sees It #212”
Boomerang – As Bill Sees It #185
When I was ten, I was tall and gawky, and smaller kids could push me around in quarrels. I remember being very depressed for a year or more, and then I began to develop a fierce resolve to win. One day, my grandfather came along with a book about Australia and told me, “This bookContinue reading “Boomerang – As Bill Sees It #185”
Recovery Through Giving – As Bill Sees It #275
For a new prospect, outline the program of action, explaining how you made a self-appraisal, how you straightened out your past, and why you are now endeavoring to be helpful to him. It is important for him to realize that your attempt to pass this on to him plays a vital part in your ownContinue reading “Recovery Through Giving – As Bill Sees It #275”
Blind Trust – As Bill Sees It #144
Most surely, there can be no trust where there is no love, nor can there be real love where distrust holds its malign sway. But does trust require that we be blind to other people’s motives or, indeed, to our own? Not at all; this would be folly. Most certainly, we should assess the capacityContinue reading “Blind Trust – As Bill Sees It #144”
Obstacles In Our Path – As Bill Sees It # 131
We live in a world riddled with envy. To a greater or lesser degree, everybody is infected with it. From this defect we must surely get a warped yet definite satisfaction. Else why would we consume so much time wishing for what we have not, rather than working for it, or angrily looking for attributesContinue reading “Obstacles In Our Path – As Bill Sees It # 131”