His alcoholism and bipolar disorder conspired to keep him in some fearful places My drinking started when I was 17 years old. Some friends and I got hold of some liquor and beer, which we drank in the back of my friend’s truck bed. We sat drinking and smoking cigarettes. Everyone was getting pretty drunkContinue reading “Darkness Visible – Grapevine Article by Toby M.”
Category Archives: Perseverance
Elder Statesman Without A Country – Grapevine Article February 1983 by B.B.
When he stopped working the Steps, he was an AFTER FOURTEEN and a half years of sobriety, I found myself in an all too familiar place: tired of living, bored with AA meetings, full of self-pity, and wondering, “Is this all there is?” I had been very active in AA in the early years–secretary, chairmanContinue reading “Elder Statesman Without A Country – Grapevine Article February 1983 by B.B.”
Self Acceptance – 12 Essential Insights For Emotional Sobriety by Dr. Allen Berger
Acceptance and Self-Acceptance Acceptance comes in two types: acceptance of the world as it is and, more specifically, acceptance of who we are as individuals. Acceptance is one of the “big ideas” in recovery. This is one of the great challenges we face: accepting that life is what it is. When we struggle with addiction,Continue reading “Self Acceptance – 12 Essential Insights For Emotional Sobriety by Dr. Allen Berger”
Difficulty Reveals Character – Grapevine Article October 2021 by Ron B.
A member shares some powerful thoughts about AA’s patience, resilience and creativity during COVID-19 When I first read Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions with my sponsor some 10 years ago, I was struck by Bill W.’s description of AA members in the armed forces during World War II. Even though they were far from homeContinue reading “Difficulty Reveals Character – Grapevine Article October 2021 by Ron B.”
Learning To Feel – Grapevine Article February 2023 by Laura S.
Early in my sobriety, my sponsor Linda told me that I was allowed to call and whine about a situation exactly once. After that, we were going to talk about solutions, not problems. She also gave me a time limit on feeling sorry for myself. I can’t remember if it was 10 minutes or 15Continue reading “Learning To Feel – Grapevine Article February 2023 by Laura S.”
How Important Is It Really – Practice These Principles Reflection by Ray A.
When I became president of my condo association, I started to notice that some neighbors were not particularly neighborly. People would do things like put their garbage outside their door and leave it there for hours before taking it down and depositing it in the dumpster. They would hang their doormat to dry on theContinue reading “How Important Is It Really – Practice These Principles Reflection by Ray A.”
No Struggle Is Really New – Each Day A New Beginning – December 14th
A theme may seem to have been put aside, but it keeps returning–the same thing modulated, somewhat changed in form.-Muriel Rukeyser No struggle we have is really new. It’s another shade of the struggle that plagued us last week or perhaps last year. And we’ll stumble again and again until we learn to quit struggling.Continue reading “No Struggle Is Really New – Each Day A New Beginning – December 14th”
Using the 11th Step / St. Francis Prayer
The Saint Francis Assisi Prayer, often used as an 11th Step Prayer in Alcoholics Anonymous, is an immensely popular and empowering prayer used in recovery. Anyone moving through recovery will eventually encounter the prayer and will get to work through its significance and impact on their spirituality, life, and outlook. If you’re just starting your recoveryContinue reading “Using the 11th Step / St. Francis Prayer”
We Never Give Up – Grapevine Article February 2020 by Alex M.
A man from Nepal reminds him that we don’t have the power to get people sober. We just hope and keep reaching out On a cold morning in February, I got a call from an AA friend who was working with a local ministry group that helped refugees and immigrants who had been given asylumContinue reading “We Never Give Up – Grapevine Article February 2020 by Alex M.”
The Twelve Promises following the 9th Step – Big Book pg 83,84
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. The Twelve Promises Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.