OWN in Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)

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OWN occurs 159 times (Definition from Merriam-Webster Online)

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... own. 12&12 p.56, Step Five

Everybody had to confess his own.

... own. 12&12 p.61, Step Five

Difficulties, perhaps, like our own.

... own. 12&12 p.78, Step Eight

Triumphantly we seize upon his misbehavior as the perfect excuse for minimizing or forgetting our own.

... own. 12&12 p.104, Step Eleven

All those who have persisted have found strength not ordinarily their own.

... own. 12&12 p.155, Tradition Six

Hospitals didn't like alcoholics, so we thought we'd build a hospital chain of our own.

... own. 12&12 p.159, Tradition Six

We saw as never before that we could not lend the A.A. name to any cause other than our own.

... own. BB p.78, Into Action

We stick to our own.

... own. BB p.92, Working With Others

He will match your mental inconsistencies with some of his own.

... own. BB p.94, Working With Others

Suggest how important it is that he place the welfare of other people ahead of his own.

10.

... own. BB p.160, A Vision For You

Impressed by those who visited him at the hospital, he capitulated entirely when, later, in an upper room of this house, he heard the story of some man whose experience closely tallied with his own.

11.

... own a little company. BB p.149, To Employers

Today I own a little company.

12.

... own achievements. 12&12 p.70, Step Seven

Much of the everyday talk we hear, and a great deal of what we read, highlights man's pride in his own achievements.

13.

... own acquaintances. BB p.112, To Wives

He probably has several alcoholics among his own acquaintances.

14.

... own actions are partly responsible. BB p.83, Into Action

Their defects may be glaring, but the chances are that our own actions are partly responsible.

15.

... own affairs, each A.A. group should be ... 12&12 p.189, Tradition Four (Long)

Four -- With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience.

16.

... own affairs, each A.A. group should be ... BB p.563(565), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

4. With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience.

17.

... own, became accustomed to wearing the family ... BB p.131, The Family Afterward

Thus mother, through no fault of her own, became accustomed to wearing the family trousers.

18.

... own besetting evil. 12&12 p.30, Step Two

Self-righteousness, the very thing that we had contemptuously condemned in others, was our own besetting evil.

19.

... own book. BB xvii, Foreword to Second Edition

Display entire Foreword to Second Edition

The fledgling society, which had been nameless, now began to be called Alcoholics Anonymous, from the title of its own book.

20.

... own case. 12&12 p.26, Step Two

The sponsor continues, "Take, for example, my own case.

21.

... own character defects have not been so ... 12&12 p.53, Step Four

Some will object to many of the questions posed, because they think their own character defects have not been so glaring.

22.

... own character may still be gravely defective, ... 12&12 p.109, Step Twelve

His own character may still be gravely defective, but he somehow knows that God has enabled him to make a mighty beginning, and he senses that he stands at the edge of new mysteries, joys, and experiences of which he had never even dreamed.

23.

... own circumstances, he needs to develop the ... 12&12 p.40, Step Three

All by himself, and in the light of his own circumstances, he needs to develop the quality of willingness.

24.

... own circumstances, ought to decide for themselves. BB p.103, Working With Others

We feel that each family, in the light of their own circumstances, ought to decide for themselves.

25.

... own club worse than the distant alcoholics ... 12&12 p.163, Tradition Seven

I who had boasted my generosity that morning was treating my own club worse than the distant alcoholics who had forgotten to send the Foundation their dollars.

26.

... own community. BB p.152, A Vision For You

You are going to meet these new friends in your own community.

27.

... own conception, however inadequate, was sufficient to ... BB p.46, We Agnostics

Our own conception, however inadequate, was sufficient to make the approach and to effect a contact with Him.

28.

... own conception, however limited it was. BB p.47, We Agnostics

So we used our own conception, however limited it was.

29.

... own conception of a Power greater than ... BB p.568(570), Appendix II, Spiritual Experience

With few exceptions our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power greater than themselves.

30.

... own conception of God?" BB p.12, Bill's Story

He said, "Why don't you choose your own conception of God?"

31.

... own conception of God. BB p.47, We Agnostics

When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God.

32.

... own conclusion. BB p.92, Working With Others

Let him draw his own conclusion.

33.

... own conduct and so adjust myself serenely ... 12&12 p.52, Step Four

These are the sort of fundamental inquiries that can disclose the source of my discomfort and indicate whether I may be able to alter my own conduct and so adjust myself serenely to self-discipline.

34.

... own conduct over the years past. BB p.69, How It Works

We reviewed our own conduct over the years past.

35.

... own conscience. 12&12 p.189, Tradition Four (Long)

Four -- With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience.

36.

... own conscience. BB p.95, Working With Others

If he thinks he can do the job in some other way, or prefers some other spiritual approach, encourage him to follow his own conscience.

37.

... own conscience. BB p.132, The Family Afterward

Each individual should consult his own conscience.

38.

... own conscience. BB p.563(565), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

4. With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience.

39.

... own conscience as a guide to action. 12&12 p.147, Tradition Four

This meant, of course, that we had been given the courage to declare each A.A. group an individual entity, strictly reliant on its own conscience as a guide to action.

40.

... own contributions. Grapevine, Preamble

There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions.

41.

... own convictions are. BB p.93, Working With Others

Don't raise such issues, no matter what your own convictions are.

42.

... own convictions have not worked and why ... BB p.93, Working With Others

But he will be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well.

43.

... own Creator. 12&12 p.63, Step Six

He goes on to explain that any person capable of enough willingness and honesty to try repeatedly Step Six on all his faults -- without any reservations whatever -- has indeed come a long way spiritually, and is therefore entitled to be called a man who is sincerely trying to grow in the image and likeness of his own Creator.

44.

... own Creator. 12&12 p.98, Step Eleven

And we will be comforted and assured that our own destiny in that realm will be secure for so long as we try, however falteringly, to find and do the will of our own Creator.

45.

... own death warrant. 12&12 p.174, Tradition Nine

Unless each A.A. member follows to the best of his ability our suggested Twelve Steps to recovery, he almost certainly signs his own death warrant.

46.

... own deepest instinct. 12&12 p.64, Step Six

They work against their own deepest instinct.

47.

... own defects. 12&12 p.46, Step Four

As soon as he begins to be more objective, the newcomer can fearlessly, rather than fearfully, look at his own defects.

48.

... own defects and admit them. BB p.99, Working With Others

Little by little the family may see their own defects and admit them.

49.

... own defects, he will ask, "Just how ... 12&12 p.50, Step Four

Now willing to commence the search for his own defects, he will ask, "Just how do I go about this?

50.

... own defects, past and present. 12&12 p.46, Step Four

This the sponsor promptly proves by talking freely and easily, and without exhibitionism, about his own defects, past and present.

51.

... own defects, there will be little need ... BB p.118, To Wives

If you both show a willingness to remedy your own defects, there will be little need to criticize each other.

52.

... own desires, was obliged to conform to ... 12&12 p.136, Tradition Two

One of the first members of A.A., entirely contrary to his own desires, was obliged to conform to group opinion.

53.

... own destiny. 12&12 p.71, Step Seven

Solely by their own intelligence and labor, men will have shaped their own destiny.

54.

... own destiny in that realm will be ... 12&12 p.98, Step Eleven

And we will be comforted and assured that our own destiny in that realm will be secure for so long as we try, however falteringly, to find and do the will of our own Creator.

55.

... own destruction? 12&12 p.117, Step Twelve

So our question will be this: How, by ignorance, compulsion, and self-will, do we misuse this gift for our own destruction?

56.

... own diagnosis, and deciding his situation hopeless, ... BB xxxi(xxix), The Doctor's Opinion

The patient had made his own diagnosis, and deciding his situation hopeless, had hidden in a deserted barn determined to die.

57.

... own difficulties. BB p.94, Working With Others

Make it plain he is under no obligation to you, that you hope only that he will try to help other alcoholics when he escapes his own difficulties.

58.

... own doctor. BB p.143, To Employers

The matter of physical treatment should, of course, be referred to your own doctor.

59.

... own doctor is willing to tell him ... BB p.92, Working With Others

If his own doctor is willing to tell him that he is alcoholic, so much the better.

60.

... own domestic problems, tell the newcomer's family ... BB p.100, Working With Others

If you have been successful in solving your own domestic problems, tell the newcomer's family how that was accomplished.

61.

... own drinking experience you can be uniquely ... BB p.89, Working With Others

Ministers and doctors are competent and you can learn much from them if you wish, but it happens that because of your own drinking experience you can be uniquely useful to other alcoholics.

62.

... own drinking histories, we could show that ... 12&12 p.23, Step One

By going back in our own drinking histories, we could show that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression.

63.

... own drinking, or lack of it. BB p.139, To Employers

If you desire to help it might be well to disregard your own drinking, or lack of it.

64.

... own experience by the dozen. BB p.42, More About Alcoholism

They cited cases out of their own experience by the dozen.

65.

... own experience does provide certain answers that ... 12&12 p.117, Step Twelve

We A.A.'s cannot pretend to offer full answers to age-old perplexities, but our own experience does provide certain answers that work for us.

66.

... own experience, how the queer mental condition ... BB p.92, Working With Others

Show him, from your own experience, how the queer mental condition surrounding that first drink prevents normal functioning of the will power.

67.

... own experience, of course. 12&12 p.27, Step Two

"This is only one man's opinion based on his own experience, of course.

68.

... own family, but we cannot disclose anything ... BB p.74, Into Action

It may be one of our own family, but we cannot disclose anything to our wives or our parents which will hurt them and make them unhappy.

69.

... own fault, so feuds of years' standing ... BB p.78, Into Action

Sometimes the man we are calling upon admits his own fault, so feuds of years' standing melt away in an hour.

70.

... own firms. 12&12 p.180, Tradition Eleven

Employers learn that great corporations have set their approval upon us, and wish to discover what can be done about alcoholism in their own firms.

71.

... own good. 12&12 p.29, Step Two

To these, many A.A.'s can say, "Yes, we were like you -- far too smart for our own good.

72.

... own group, or A.A. as a whole, ... 12&12 p.107, Step Twelve

For the time being, we who were atheist or agnostic discovered that our own group, or A.A. as a whole, would suffice as a higher power.

73.

... own guidance, as a result of their ... BB p.569(571), Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A.

Dr. G. Kirby Collier, psychiatrist: "I have felt that A.A. is a group unto themselves and their best results can be had under their own guidance, as a result of their philosophy.

74.

... own house is in order. BB p.164, A Vision For You

The answers will come, if your own house is in order.

75.

... own ideas about the alcohol problem in ... 12&12 p.35, Step Three

Already a willingness has been achieved to cast out one's own will and one's own ideas about the alcohol problem in favor of those suggested by A.A.

76.

... own illness that we have in our ... 12&12 p.112, Step Twelve

Can we have the same kind of confidence and faith in these people who have been infected and sometimes crippled by our own illness that we have in our sponsors?

77.

... own image in the mirror be too ... 12&12 p.37, Step Three

Should his own image in the mirror be too awful to contemplate (and it usually is), he might first take a look at the results normal people are getting from self-sufficiency.

78.

... own, in the moment of stress. 12&12 p.103, Step Eleven

Just saying it over and over will often enable us to clear a channel choked up with anger, fear, frustration, or misunderstanding, and permit us to return to the surest help of all -- our search for God's will, not our own, in the moment of stress.

79.

... own inadequacy. BB xxix(xxvii), The Doctor's Opinion

Faced with this problem, if a doctor is honest with himself, he must sometimes feel his own inadequacy.

80.

... own individual strength and intelligence, for just ... 12&12 p.72, Step Seven

For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible.

81.

... own intelligence and labor, men will have ... 12&12 p.71, Step Seven

Solely by their own intelligence and labor, men will have shaped their own destiny.

82.

... own kind. 12&12 p.144, Tradition Three

I have been deserted by my own kind.

83.

... own language and from his own point ... BB p.29, There Is A Solution

Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language and from his own point of view the way he established his relationship with God.

84.

... own life over to the care of ... 12&12 p.35, Step Three

No matter how much one wishes to try, exactly how can he turn his own will and his own life over to the care of whatever God he thinks there is?

85.

... own lives. BB p.60, How It Works

(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.

86.

... own lives and sanity. 12&12 p.151, Tradition Five

For us, if we neglect those who are still sick, there is unremitting danger to our own lives and sanity.

87.

... own lives, God helping a little now ... 12&12 p.75, Step Seven

The notion that we would still live our own lives, God helping a little now and then, began to evaporate.

88.

... own making. 12&12 p.116, Step Twelve

These were the new attitudes that finally brought many of us an inner strength and peace that could not be deeply shaken by the shortcomings of others or by any calamity not of our own making.

89.

... own making. BB p.62, How It Works

So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making.

90.

... own making. BB p.103, Working With Others

After all, our problems were of our own making.

91.

... own members. 12&12 p.190, Tradition Seven (Long)

Seven -- The A.A. groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their own members.

92.

... own members. BB p.564(566), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

7. The A.A. groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their own members.

93.

... own members did. 12&12 p.182, Tradition Eleven

There was actually a time when the press of America thought the anonymity of A.A. was better for us than some of our own members did.

94.

... own mind was about made up. 12&12 p.137, Tradition Two

"Although I asked Charlie for a little time to consider it, my own mind was about made up.

95.

... own misery. BB p.133, The Family Afterward

But it is clear that we made our own misery.

96.

... own misfortunes and understood his. BB p.160, A Vision For You

He succumbed to that gay crowd inside, who laughed at their own misfortunes and understood his.

97.

... own mistakes. BB p.67, How It Works

Putting out of our minds the wrongs others had done, we resolutely looked for our own mistakes.

98.

... own mistakes fed my gnawing anxieties. 12&12 p.52, Step Four

I can ask myself to what extent have my own mistakes fed my gnawing anxieties.

99.

... own moral fiber, can claim "soundness of ... 12&12 p.33, Step Two

Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior, whether the destruction fell on the dining-room furniture or his own moral fiber, can claim "soundness of mind" for himself.

100.

... own, my heart filled with pity. 12&12 p.162, Tradition Seven

Remembering some of my own, my heart filled with pity.

101.

... own near-fatal encounter with the juggernaut of ... 12&12 p.37, Step Three

Each of us has had his own near-fatal encounter with the juggernaut of self-will, and has suffered enough under its weight to be willing to look for something better.

102.

... own parents. BB p.115, To Wives

You avoid the subject of drinking, even with your own parents.

103.

... own particular case, that nothing my company ... BB p.141, To Employers

I know, in my own particular case, that nothing my company could have done would have stopped me for, so long as I was able to hold my position, I could not possibly realize how serious my situation was.

104.

... own peace of mind at the expense ... 12&12 p.84, Step Nine

While we may be quite willing to reveal the very worst, we must be sure to remember that we cannot buy our own peace of mind at the expense of others.

105.

... own personality defects have thus demolished their ... 12&12 p.52, Step Four

But all alcoholics who have drunk themselves out of jobs, family, and friends will need to cross-examine themselves ruthlessly to determine how their own personality defects have thus demolished their security.

106.

... own personality flaws and for a discussion ... 12&12 p.56, Step Five

Psychiatrists and psychologists point out the deep need every human being has for practical insight and knowledge of his own personality flaws and for a discussion of them with an understanding and trustworthy person.

107.

... own point of view the way he ... BB p.29, There Is A Solution

Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language and from his own point of view the way he established his relationship with God.

108.

... own positions by trying to help serious ... BB p.147, To Employers

They often jeopardize their own positions by trying to help serious drinkers who should have been fired long ago, or else given an opportunity to get well.

109.

... own power. BB p.62, How It Works

Neither could we reduce our self-centeredness much by wishing or trying on our own power.

110.

... own purposes. 12&12 p.178, Tradition Ten

Instead, the Washingtonians permitted politicians and reformers, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, to use the society for their own purposes.

111.

... own purposes, the damage might be irreparable. 12&12 p.187, Tradition Twelve

If even one publicly got drunk, or was lured into using A.A.'s name for his own purposes, the damage might be irreparable.

112.

... own rationalization and wishful thinking. 12&12 p.60, Step Five

The second difficulty is this: what comes to us alone may be garbled by our own rationalization and wishful thinking.

113.

... own reactions, it is possible for you ... BB p.139, To Employers

Drinking occasionally, and understanding your own reactions, it is possible for you to become quite sure of many things which, so far as the alcoholic is concerned, are not always so.

114.

... own reasoning? BB p.54, We Agnostics

For did we not believe in our own reasoning?

115.

... own recovery. BB p.94, Working With Others

It is important for him to realize that your attempt to pass this on to him plays a vital part in your own recovery.

116.

... own recovery proves that! BB p.153, A Vision For You

Our own recovery proves that!

117.

... own recovery, try to help others and ... BB p.90, Working With Others

You should be described to him as one of a fellowship who, as part of their own recovery, try to help others and who will be glad to talk to him if he cares to see you.

118.

... own religion that would aid his recovery. 12&12 p.153, Tradition Five

Finally, he saw that I wasn't attempting to change his religious views, that I wanted him to find the grace in his own religion that would aid his recovery.

119.

... own resources. 12&12 p.22, Step One

It was a statistical fact that alcoholics almost never recovered on their own resources.

120.

... own resources, never grows up. 12&12 p.43, Step Four

This weak one, failing to meet life's responsibilities with his own resources, never grows up.

121.

... own reward, whether his brother has yet ... 12&12 p.109, Step Twelve

And then he discovers that by the divine paradox of this kind of giving he has found his own reward, whether his brother has yet received anything or not.

122.

... own right. 12&12 p.49, Step Four

All these failings generate fear, a soul-sickness in its own right.

123.

... own righteousness. 12&12 p.67, Step Six

Here we are not trying to help those we criticize; we are trying to proclaim our own righteousness.

124.

... own roof. BB p.127, The Family Afterward

He is not likely to get far in any direction if he fails to show unselfishness and love under his own roof.

125.

... own satisfaction, whether they are one of ... BB p.34, More About Alcoholism

How then shall we help our readers determine, to their own satisfaction, whether they are one of us?

126.

... own selfish ends. BB p.87, Into Action

We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends.

127.

... own shortcomings. 12&12 p.30, Step Two

Moreover, we could avoid looking at some of our own shortcomings.

128.

... own sick brother? 12&12 p.141, Tradition Three

Who dared to be judge, jury, and executioner of his own sick brother?

129.

... own skin at another person's expense. BB p.74, Into Action

We have no right to save our own skin at another person's expense.

130.

... own sobriety. BB p.119, To Wives

The fact is that he should work with other people to maintain his own sobriety.

131.

... own sobriety and a mighty happy life.' 12&12 p.152, Tradition Five

"Of course, my answer was 'My own sobriety and a mighty happy life.'

132.

... own specialty. 12&12 p.150, Tradition Five

True, each physician in such a group might have his own specialty.

133.

... own specification. 12&12 p.176, Tradition Ten

Others fell apart because of sheer self-righteousness while trying to enforce upon the rest of mankind some millennium of their own specification.

134.

... own spiritual demonstration. BB p.98, Working With Others

He should concentrate on his own spiritual demonstration.

135.

... own steam, but that in our groups ... 12&12 p.152, Tradition Five

I insisted that few drunks could ever get well on their own steam, but that in our groups we could do together what we could not do separately.

136.

... own stories. BB p.125, The Family Afterward

We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own stories.

137.

... own story. 12&12 p.152, Tradition Five

But I told him my own story.

138.

... own strong personal attachment to him, the ... BB p.137, To Employers

Because of the employee's special ability, or of his own strong personal attachment to him, the employer has sometimes kept such a man at work long beyond a reasonable period.

139.

... own, then such a choice will be ... 12&12 p.61, Step Five

If you have developed a high confidence in him, and his temperament and problems are close to your own, then such a choice will be good.

140.

... own times, we have seen millions die ... 12&12 p.176, Tradition Ten

In our own times, we have seen millions die in political and economic wars often spurred by religious and racial difference.

141.

... own voluntary contributions. BB xix, Foreword to Second Edition

There were to be no fees or dues; our expenses were to be met by our own voluntary contributions.

142.

... own way. 12&12 p.101, Step Eleven

Aided by such instruction and example as we can find, it is essentially an individual adventure, something which each one of us works out in his own way.

143.

... own way. 12&12 p.160, Tradition Seven

They figured that it was high time we now -- sober -- paid our own way.

144.

... own way. BB p.60, How It Works

Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way.

145.

... own way, had constantly thrown us into ... 12&12 p.115, Step Twelve

Our demand for emotional security, for our own way, had constantly thrown us into unworkable relations with other people.

146.

... own way, the worse matters got. BB p.66, How It Works

But the more we fought and tried to have our own way, the worse matters got.

147.

... own way they will let him know ... BB p.134, The Family Afterward

In time they will see that he is a new man and in their own way they will let him know it.

148.

... own wayward mate might be hospitalized and ... BB p.160, A Vision For You

Many a distracted wife has visited this house to find loving and understanding companionship among women who knew her problem, to hear from the lips of their husbands what had happened to them, to be advised how her own wayward mate might be hospitalized and approached when next he stumbled.

149.

... own will. 12&12 p.40, Step Three

Trying to do this is an act of his own will.

150.

... own will and his own life over ... 12&12 p.35, Step Three

No matter how much one wishes to try, exactly how can he turn his own will and his own life over to the care of whatever God he thinks there is?

151.

... own will and one's own ideas about ... 12&12 p.35, Step Three

Already a willingness has been achieved to cast out one's own will and one's own ideas about the alcohol problem in favor of those suggested by A.A.

152.

... own will into all sorts of situations ... 12&12 p.104, Step Eleven

With the best of intentions, he tends to force his own will into all sorts of situations and problems with the comfortable assurance that he is acting under God's specific direction.

153.

... own will power. BB p.33, More About Alcoholism

Young people may be encouraged by this man's experience to think that they can stop, as he did, on their own will power.

154.

... own willful desires, they revolt, and resist ... 12&12 p.53, Step Four

When we habitually try to manipulate others to our own willful desires, they revolt, and resist us heavily.

155.

... own willingness to confide and your full ... 12&12 p.61, Step Five

The real tests of the situation are your own willingness to confide and your full confidence in the one with whom you share your first accurate self-survey.

156.

... own willpower just wouldn't work on alcohol. 12&12 p.63, Step Six

My own willpower just wouldn't work on alcohol.

157.

... own wishful thinking and the human tendency ... 12&12 p.104, Step Eleven

He may have forgotten the possibility that his own wishful thinking and the human tendency to rationalize have distorted his so-called guidance.

158.

... own work, has told us of his ... BB p.162, A Vision For You

We are greatly indebted to the doctor in attendance there, for he, although it might prejudice his own work, has told us of his belief in ours.

159.

... own wrong-doing as a means of destroying ... BB p.80, Into Action

He thus used his own wrong-doing as a means of destroying the reputation of another.

Passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. The A.A. Preamble, copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., is reprinted with permission. Permission to reprint does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either Alcoholics Anonymous or The A.A. Grapevine, Inc.

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