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From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
Click the page number or the book cover icon
to view that page in the literature.1.
Though there may be justifiable exceptions, and though we
wish to lay down no rule
of any sort, we have often found this the best course to take.
2.
3.
Here again we are presented with the temptation to overmanage things, and sometimes this results in
rebuffs and other consequences which are hard
to take.
4.
They flatly declare that
since they have come to believe in a Power greater than themselves,
to take a certain attitude toward that Power, and to do certain simple things, there has been a
revolutionary change
in their way of living and thinking.
5.
6.
There is the type who always
believes that after being entirely free from alcohol for a period of time he can take a drink without danger.
7.
8.
Straightway he appeared at New York's A.A. headquarters, asking, "Is
there anything in our tradition that suggests I
shouldn't take a job like this one?
9.
We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show
us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one.
10.
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.
11.
First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have
been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop
the best possible relations with every human being we know.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Of course, it is reasonable and understandable that the question is often asked: "Why can't we take a specific and troubling dilemma straight to God, and in prayer secure from Him sure and definite answers to our requests?"
16.
17.
So, for one reason or another, they cover these men, hoping matters will take a turn for the better.
18.
To avoid falling into confusion over the names these defects should be
called, let's take a universally recognized list of major human failings -- the Seven Deadly Sins of pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth.
19.
20.
At the very least, we shall have to come to grips with some of our worst character defects and take action toward their removal as quickly as we can.
21.
This is a condition which, in ordinary life, would produce untold grief; there might be scandalous gossip, laughter at the expense of
other people, and a tendency to take advantage of intimate information.
22.
23.
24.
Only by discussing ourselves, holding back nothing, only by being willing to take advice and accept direction could we set foot on the road to straight thinking, solid honesty, and genuine humility.
25.
This doesn't mean an A.A. won't
take advice or suggestions from more experienced members, but
he surely won't take orders.
26.
27.
28.
29.
Even if you feel your organization has no alcoholic problem, it might
pay to take another look down the line.
30.
And no group, regional committee, or individual should ever take any action that might greatly affect A.A. as a whole without conferring with the trustees of the General Service Board.
31.
And no group, regional committee, or individual should ever take any action that might greatly affect A.A. as a whole without conferring with the trustees of the General Service Board.
32.
Neither does A.A. take any particular medical point of view, though we cooperate widely with the men of medicine as well as with the men of religion.
33.
... take appreciative
cognizance of this great therapeutic ...
BB
Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A., p.569
34.
35.
36.
37.
At last experience taught us that to take away any alcoholic's full chance was sometimes to pronounce his death sentence, and often to condemn him to endless misery.
38.
If he opened that old affair, he was afraid it would
destroy the reputation
of his partner, disgrace
his family and take away his means of livelihood.
39.
Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life.
40.
41.
It became clear that if we ever were to feel emotionally secure among grown-up people, we would have to put our lives on a give-and-take basis; we would have to develop
the sense of being in partnership or brotherhood with all those
around us.
42.
43.
44.
We usually conclude the
period of meditation
with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems.
45.
46.
How could we ever take care of those awful debts, possess a decent home, educate the kids, and set something by for old age?
47.
When we had taken the opposite tack and had insisted, like infants ourselves, that people protect and take care of us or that the world owed us a living, then the result had
been equally unfortunate.
48.
If you have decided you want
what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it -- then you are
ready to take certain steps.
49.
Readiness to take consequences of our past
and to take responsibility for well-being of others is spirit of Step Nine.
50.
Would they be able to take discipline, stand up under fire, and endure the monotony and misery of war?
51.
Having so considered our day, not omitting to take due note of
things well done, and having searched our
hearts with neither fear nor favor, we can truly thank God for the blessings we have received
and sleep in good conscience.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
Father knows he is to blame; it may take him many seasons of hard work to be restored financially,
but he shouldn't be reproached.
57.
So Step Six -- "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character" -- is
A.A.'s way of stating the best possible attitude one can take in order to make a beginning on this lifetime
job.
58.
To me, this incident illustrates lack of understanding as to what really ails the alcoholic, and lack of knowledge as to what part employers might profitably take in salvaging their sick employees.
59.
As beginners in meditation, we might now reread this prayer several times very slowly, savoring every word and trying to take in the deep meaning of each phrase and idea.
60.
Although these reparations take innumerable forms, there
are some general principles which we find guiding.
61.
Once we have a complete willingness to take inventory, and exert ourselves to do the job thoroughly, a wonderful
light falls upon this foggy scene.
62.
63.
To take inventory in this
respect we ought to consider carefully all personal relationships
which bring continuous or
recurring trouble.
64.
Now willing to commence the search for his
own defects, he will ask, "Just how do I go about this? How do I
take inventory of myself?"
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
If you take it, your past will be forgotten and the fact that you went away for treatment will not be mentioned.
72.
73.
74.
Though the family has no religious connections, they may wish
to make contact with or take membership in a religious body.
75.
76.
77.
Let's here take note of our improved outlook upon the problems of personal importance, power, ambition, and leadership.
78.
79.
80.
We can be the ones who take on
the unspectacular but important tasks that make good Twelfth Step work possible, perhaps arranging for the
coffee and cake after the meetings, where so
many skeptical, suspicious newcomers
have found confidence and
comfort in the laughter
and talk.
81.
This doesn't mean an A.A. won't
take advice or suggestions from more experienced members, but
he surely won't take orders.
82.
83.
We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength.
84.
85.
You, as well as your husband,
ought to think of what you can
put into life instead of how much you can
take out.
86.
4. Because every time I do it I take out a little more insurance for myself against a possible slip.
87.
88.
89.
When this happens, they can be invited to join in morning meditation and
then they can take part in the
daily discussion without rancor or bias.
90.
91.
This thought brings us to
Step Ten, which suggests we continue to
take personal inventory and continue to
set right any new mistakes as we go along.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
For the readiness to take
the full consequences of
our past acts, and to take responsibility for the
well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine.
97.
Readiness to take consequences of our past
and to take responsibility for well-being of others is spirit of Step Nine.
98.
In a perverse way we can actually take satisfaction from the fact
that many people annoy us, for it brings a comfortable feeling of superiority.
99.
Unless they actually need protection from their father, it is best not to take sides in any argument he has with them while drinking.
100.
As by some deep instinct, we
A.A.'s have known from the very beginning that we must never, no matter what the provocation, publicly
take sides in any fight, even a worthy one.
101.
102.
He may take small interest in the children
and may show irritation
when reproved for his delinquencies.
103.
104.
If they sense these things,
they will not take so seriously his periods of crankiness, depression,
or apathy, which will disappear when there is tolerance, love, and spiritual understanding.
105.
106.
Good judgment, a careful sense of timing, courage, and prudence -- these are the qualities we shall need when we take Step Nine.
107.
When we take such personality traits as
these into shop, office, and
the society of our fellows, they can do damage almost as extensive as that
we have caused at home.
108.
109.
110.
111.
We simply couldn't afford to
take the chance of letting self-appointed members present themselves as messiahs representing
A.A. before the whole public.
112.
For the readiness to take
the full consequences of
our past acts, and to take responsibility for the
well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine.
113.
114.
115.
116.
117.
118.
If I am unable to change the
present state of affairs, am I willing to
take the measures necessary to shape my life to conditions as they
are?
119.
120.
Most of the time, therefore, I did not take the
morning drink which I craved so badly, but instead would fill up on large doses of sedatives to quiet the jitters, which distressed me terribly.
121.
To be gravely affected,
one does not necessarily
have to drink a long time nor take
the quantities some of us have.
122.
123.
124.
I ruthlessly faced my sins and became willing to have my new-found Friend take them away, root and branch.
125.
Our basic troubles are the
same as everyone else's, but when an honest effort is made "to practice these principles
in all our affairs," well-grounded A.A.'s seem to have the ability, by God's grace, to take these troubles in stride and turn them into demonstrations of faith.
126.
Rightly and naturally,
we think well before we choose the person or persons with whom to
take this intimate and confidential step.
127.
128.
We found it very desirable to take this spiritual step with an understanding person, such as our wife, best friend, or spiritual adviser.
129.
Since Step One requires an admission that
our lives have become unmanageable, how could people such as these take this Step?
130.
After consulting with his
wife and partner he came to the conclusion that
it was better to take those risks than to stand before his Creator guilty of such ruinous slander.
131.
132.
133.
My next move was to take up the study of medicine, entering one of the largest universities in
the country.
134.
135.
If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and will have learned our lesson.
136.
It occurred to us that we could take what we had into the factories and cause laborers and capitalists
to love each other.
137.
Yet all reasons for not drinking were easily pushed aside in favor of the foolish idea that he could take whiskey if only he mixed it
with milk!
138.
139.
Though old buildings will eventually be replaced by
finer ones, the new structures will take years to complete.
140.
If, when you honestly want
to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic.
141.
He may, for example, reveal
that he has padded his expense account or that he
has planned to take your best customers away from you.
142.
In a weak moment he may take your dislike of his high-stepping friends as one of those insanely trivial excuses to drink.
143.
144.
145.
Once the card was unfolded, a single pungent sentence leaped to the eye: "Don't take yourself too damn seriously."
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