“Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.” What stood out for me about Tradition 10 is that Bill W. is writing about lessons learned from the Washingtonians. They were a group that had a large membership devoted to helping alcoholics. However, the Washingtonians were also involved with prohibition … Read More
Continued . . .
“Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” Earlier in my recovery I was told that Steps 10, 11, and 12 where the ‘maintenance steps”. I’ve come to understand that they really are the “acceleration steps”. I fumbled around with 1 through 9 learning how to implement the spiritual principles behind them. Now I get … Read More
From the Chair, September 2012
I guess the first thing on the agenda is to apologize for last month’s column. Apparently what I sent to our poor editor was the one I did for August a year ago. Not realizing that I have been writing this piece for over a year now I accidently sent the first file I found titled August. With a little … Read More
Concept IX
“Good service leaders, together with sound and appropriate methods of choosing them, are at all levels indispensable for our future functioning and safety. The primary world service leadership once exercised by the founders of A.A. must necessarily be assumed by the Trustees of the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.” Concept Nine is about the leadership of A.A. Some members … Read More
Finding Acceptance in the Fellowship
It was my first drunk that I found how I could fit in. I didn’t exactly like the way that I felt getting drunk at twelve years old; dumb and clumsy. But what I loved the most was that I was drinking with older kids who used to harass me and make fun of me for being younger, smaller and … Read More
From The Chair in The Corner, Aug 2012
Well It has happened again. Once more yours truly is holding up the publication of the Lifeline, this time for the month of August. After a courtesy call from our esteem editor and a not so courteous message a couple of days later, a couple of apologies and a little begging for forgiveness along with a promise to have it … Read More
Tradition 8
“Alcoholics Anonymous Should Remain Forever Nonprofessional, but Our Service Centers May Employ Special Workers” Written to protect us from ourselves, the Traditions reflect the collective problem solving experience during our fellowships first dozen years. In the 60 plus years since they were proposed then adopted, none have ever been changed. What held true then holds true today. Bill W., says … Read More