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”
Category Archives: Change
You And I Need Each Other – Grapevine Article May 1977 by E.S.
On sponsorship and the newcomer DEAR JOHN: I could almost begin this letter “Dear Newcomer.” The only problem with that is, I want you to know how close I feel to you at this moment in our lives. Watching new people grow renews my sobriety, I hope I never lose interest in the personal joyContinue reading “You And I Need Each Other – Grapevine Article May 1977 by E.S.”
Coping With Anger – As Bill Sees It #179
Few people have been more victimized by resentments than have we alcoholics. A burst of temper could spoil a day, and a well-nursed grudge could make us miserably ineffective. Nor were we ever skillful in separating justified from unjustified anger. As we saw it, our wrath was always justified. Anger, that occasional luxury of moreContinue reading “Coping With Anger – As Bill Sees It #179”
Anger – Personal and Group Enemy – As Bill Sees It #98
As the book ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’ puts it, ‘Resentment is the Number One offender.’ It is a primary cause of relapses into drinking. How well we of A.A. know that for us ‘To drink is eventually to go mad or die.’ “Much the same penalty overhangs every A.A. group. Given enough anger, both unity and purposeContinue reading “Anger – Personal and Group Enemy – As Bill Sees It #98”
What We Will Be Tomorrow- Grapevine Article Mayb 1991 by Ed H.
My first thoughts regarding Step Five were that I would take it with someone far away and then pray for that person’s early demise. I can see today, though, how something like this could have been disastrous to my sobriety. There are people in my life today whom I have chosen as friends and throughContinue reading “What We Will Be Tomorrow- Grapevine Article Mayb 1991 by Ed H.”
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”
Beginning Our ‘Course of Vigorous Action’ – BB pgs 63,64 (Step 4 – 9)
Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted. Though our decision (i.e. Step 3) was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, andContinue reading “Beginning Our ‘Course of Vigorous Action’ – BB pgs 63,64 (Step 4 – 9)”
After Acceptance … Action Grapevine Article March 1953 by F.C.
MANY times I have heard speakers at AA meetings say “I have accepted the Twelve Steps”. . .in fact, I’ve said it myself more than once. However, on further thought, it’s a pretty light and almost frivolous statement. Couldn’t I just as easily say “I’ve accepted the Ten Commandments”? The longer I’m privileged to enjoyContinue reading “After Acceptance … Action Grapevine Article March 1953 by F.C.”
Only A Symptom – Online Exclusive Grapevine Article by Gregory S.
I am home, I am safe”—emotional sobriety frees him from fear Before my mind could comprehend fear as an intellectual concept, I believe that my emotions were already experiencing it. My childhood years through my mid-teens were filled with physical abuse and verbal rage. My father beat my brother and my brother beat me. EscapingContinue reading “Only A Symptom – Online Exclusive Grapevine Article by Gregory S.”
No Words Needed – Grapevine Article February 2022 by Larry K.
I’m told that my grandfather was an alcoholic. The disease appears to have skipped a generation, as my father, an only child, did not drink. But alcoholism found me. Today, having just passed 20 years of sobriety in AA, I have had some time to think about the issue of alcoholism and my family. ThreeContinue reading “No Words Needed – Grapevine Article February 2022 by Larry K.”