It’s no small achievement to dispel fear and resentment RECENTLY, I HAD the experience of writing a dear friend in the Fellowship about a serious personal problem with which he was wrestling. I gave him rather blunt advice, the kind you would send only to a treasured friend. Nothing was heard for weeks. Finally, IContinue reading “Minor Virtues – Grapevine Article August 1976 By Anonymous”
Category Archives: Fear
Reality – Grapevine Article July 1981 by J.W.
SOMEWHERE along the line, I bought a bill of goods that said I should never have to be uncomfortable. I bought it as a child and used the things of children to make it so. Later, I used alcohol to make it more so. Alcohol failed, and I had to find a substitute. I cameContinue reading “Reality – Grapevine Article July 1981 by J.W.”
Yes to Sobriety – Grapevine Article Web Exclusive by Ken K.
In the aftermath of the tragic death of a sponsee, his sponsor reflects back on life, service, and relapse in AA “Ken, I think something bad happened to Dan.” With those words, spoken softly over the telephone by a fellow recovering alcoholic early one evening last spring, my worst fears as an AA sponsor beganContinue reading “Yes to Sobriety – Grapevine Article Web Exclusive by Ken K.”
Toward Reality – Grapevine Article April 1980 by C.B.
THE SPEAKER at my group’s closed meeting recounted her sponsor’s advice for dealing with her fears: “Don’t drink, go to daily meetings, and nothing bad can happen to you.” Not long before this meeting, dear AA friends who don’t drink and do go to many meetings had experienced probably the worst thing that can happenContinue reading “Toward Reality – Grapevine Article April 1980 by C.B.”
Closet Anger – Grapevine Article December 1984 By K.P.
FOR THE FIRST five or six years of my sobriety, I thought it–well–unfair that we alcoholics could not afford anger or resentment. Popular literature of the time was full of the value of “venting.” Other people, it appeared, could indulge in volcanoes of molten fury and emerge purified and refreshed, their relationships clearer and richer forContinue reading “Closet Anger – Grapevine Article December 1984 By K.P.”
Pain is the Touchstone – AA Grapevine by Anonymous August 1991
Lori and I didn’t talk much. Instead, we specialized in our own nonverbal brands of communication. That’s why it came as such a shock to me when she finally did verbalize “separation.” After five years of marriage I had settled into a monotonous routine. I knew that the marriage wasn’t exciting or even rewarding butContinue reading “Pain is the Touchstone – AA Grapevine by Anonymous August 1991”
It’s All Your Fault! – December 1984 Grapevine Article By M.S.
I CAME INTO AA reluctantly, with real reservations, especially in emotional areas of my life. When I heard that even righteous indignation was something alcoholics could not afford to indulge in, I felt not only puzzled but put-upon by the very group that I had hoped could help me. After all, what was I supposedContinue reading “It’s All Your Fault! – December 1984 Grapevine Article By M.S.”
Desperate on New Year’s Eve – Grapevine Article By Anonymous December 2015
There he sat, all alone feeling sorry for himself … would he drink? Or would he reach out? After picking up a nine-month chip, I felt great. I had a sponsor, went to meetings every day and had worked up to the Ninth Step. This is where I stopped. After unsuccessful attempts to make amendsContinue reading “Desperate on New Year’s Eve – Grapevine Article By Anonymous December 2015”
Our Basic Trouble (Step 3) – Big Book pages 60 – 63
Consider reading ‘Placing Yourself Into the Big Book Pages 60 thru 62’ in addition to this post to personalize Step 3 to you *********** Being convinced , we were at Step Three , which is that we decided to turn our will and our life over to God as we understood Him . Just whatContinue reading “Our Basic Trouble (Step 3) – Big Book pages 60 – 63”
Reflection – Each Day A New Beginning October 31st
It’s a simple formula; do your best and somebody might like it. —Dorothy Baker We’re never guaranteed success by others’ standards. However, if we do our best according to the standards we think God has in mind, we’ll be successful. And from God we’ll always receive unconditional love and acceptance. In the past many ofContinue reading “Reflection – Each Day A New Beginning October 31st”