The rise of the detox and rehab industry is never more evident than when I grasp how things were 90 years ago. There was no place else to go, in fact there was nowhere to go that gave any sort of hope of recovery. You could get dried out, you could get locked up, but no-one held out hope for us.
What’s remarkable is that the first sentence is still 100% relevant today - “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics.” The nature of that intensive work has changed - from drying someone out and educating them as to their condition, to what we have today - service opportunities on hotlines and in jails and hospitals, at the national, area, district, intergroup, and group levels, sitting in meetings, sponsorship.
I still freakin’ love this program. Two members of my home group are struggling bad right now, but we still love them and hold a chair for them and encourage them to keep coming back.
That single sentence smack-dab in the middle of page 89: “We know you will not want to miss it.” It’s entirely unnecessary, but it makes my heart chime in every time I read it, bc it has been so true for me. Sticking around a BB Step Study, doing the work, and finally beginning to get it, and then seeing others get it as they work the program. Yep, I know I wouldn’t want to miss it. What a lucky turn of events for us!
The 9th step promised will only come true if we are fearless and thorough and willing to go to any lengths to right our wrongs as long as others are not hurt further in that process. All these promises have come true for me and my sponsees that stuck around long enough to trust the process and not leave before the miracle happens. Love this app and AA and people like yourself that post.
I think that would be an amazing idea honestly! Having these types of discussions is key in maintaing sobriety, checking in with yourself and holding yourself accountable. If it were possible, maybe setting up a specific time to where everyone can meet on Zoom. I know it allows you to even share screens so you could bring the reading up and everyone can participate whether they have a big book yet or not
For me, when I read this I’m reminded how important it is to remember where I came from. What my drinking days were like. Sometimes people think we are SO different now because my life looks different today, but it didn’t always look like this. Those days can show others still struggling that we really aren’t all that different after all and they could have what I do too.
Lately I’ve found myself speaking often to people I grew up with or used to hang out with often about recovery. Some have been following this path a while, some are brand new to it and others are dipping their toes into the idea of sobriety. There’s nothing better than knowing we truly are never in it alone and we can recover together, if we so choose. But the choice is always up to us. I can just share my own experience, strength and hope when asked-but that just may help save someone else’s life too. I get to be a link in the chain today and I am grateful for this.
I love how this reading reinforces that our helpfulness lies in sharing our experience, strength and hope. In all aspects of life, this has been a big change for me, maybe the biggest! I love it when I catch myself speaking from: you should, and changing it to: this worked for me. If the former worked, so would Just Say No, or, Why don’t they just Stop? Rereading this selection is also reminding me that I will never be cured of this malady. Sadly, my recent experience back at my home meetings has proven this, as the holiday stress relapse excuse seems to be taking hold. For some, these present an opportunity to go out until the new year. For others, a healthy dose of respect for the subtle foe and a rededication to one another and to our HPs.
The other thing that stands out, is the reminder on page 93: you had better use everyday language to describe spiritual principles. I think especially in a global forum like this, it’s important. Our common welfare comes first: Tradition 1.
