Letting go” means discipline, and joy comes through pain FOR SEVERAL years before I began my new life in AA, I taught American literature in a university. One of the writers whose work I enjoyed reading and discussing with students was Emily Dickinson, She captured in a few words the peculiar definitions of experience thatContinue reading “Paradox of Power – Grapevine Article April 1982 By D.H.”
Category Archives: Extremes
Positively Negative – Grapevine Article April 1973 by Dick H.
On the last page of the Big Book text, we are given the reminder that one of our objectives in this ongoing day a time twelve step process is to remain teachable with what one might describe as a beginner’s mind with this quote ‘ we realize we know only a little’. This article belowContinue reading “Positively Negative – Grapevine Article April 1973 by Dick H.”
Mastering Resentments – As Bill Sees It #286
We began to see that the world and its people had really dominated us. Under that unhappy condition, the wrongdoing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill us, because we could be driven back to drink through resentment. We saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how? We could not wishContinue reading “Mastering Resentments – As Bill Sees It #286”
What Prevents Us From Learning From Our Mistakes – Keep It Simple October 9th
A man should never be ashamed to own he was in the wrong.—Jonathan Swift In the past, we felt a mistake was a crisis. We thought we had a to be perfect. Our old ways was to try to hide our mistakes. We were ashamed. We thought making mistakes meant we were bad. Mistakes areContinue reading “What Prevents Us From Learning From Our Mistakes – Keep It Simple October 9th”
Miracles: Yours and Mine – Grapevine Article February 2004 By Dave L.
He thought they were only for the very good people, the saints Being a drunk and, hence, a “bad person,” I was not at all happy with a Higher Power or God who refused to answer my pleas for help. Over and over again I had asked God for surcease of my drunken, “bad” behavior,Continue reading “Miracles: Yours and Mine – Grapevine Article February 2004 By Dave L.”
Instinct To Love – As Bill Sees It #246
When men and women pour so much alcohol into themselves that they destroy their lives, they commit a most unnatural act. Defying their instinctive desire for self-preservation, they seem bent upon self-destruction. They work against their own deepest instinct. As they are progressively humbled by the terrific beating administered by alcohol, the grace of GodContinue reading “Instinct To Love – As Bill Sees It #246”
Eliminating Self-Pity – Living Sober Chapter 22
This emotion is so ugly that no one in his or her right mind wants to admit feeling it. Even when sober, many of us remain clever at hiding from ourselves the fact that we are astew in a mess of self-pity. We do not like at all being told that it shows, and weContinue reading “Eliminating Self-Pity – Living Sober Chapter 22”
Detach With Love – Grapevine Article June 1981 By D.J.
These AAs joined Al-Anon and learned to detach with love My wife –I’ll call her Elayne–and I are both alcoholics recovering in the lifesaving program of AA. We’ve been off the sauce and off all pills, too, for over six years now. Each of us has been serious about the Steps and at times hasContinue reading “Detach With Love – Grapevine Article June 1981 By D.J.”
Only Try – As Bill Sees It #214
In my teens, I had to be an athlete because I was not an athlete. I had to be a musician because I could not carry a tune. I had to be the president of my class in boarding school. I had to first in everything because in my perverse heart I felt myself theContinue reading “Only Try – As Bill Sees It #214”
Trust – Grapevine Article by Art H.
Having lost faith in everything, he needed a starting-over point You might say I had trust issues when I came into AA. Early in my life, I was kind of a normal kid. I got through grade school all right with mediocre grades, but I had a pretty nice time. After grade school is whenContinue reading “Trust – Grapevine Article by Art H.”