Heard At Meetings
Wed, 2011-08-10 21:05
#401
RE: Ego-Depth-Deflation
Our early sober members spent many days and nights to
convince the early group members to lable the steps as
suggestive. They wanted the door left wide open for any
alcoholic with a desire to get well. To lable any member
as sick, silly, shitty, and stupid is harmful and drives
suffering alcoholics from our rooms. You can take both
hands off the wheel and applaud yourself, if your purpose
is to destroy our fellowship. ANONYMOUS
Fri, 2011-08-05 03:36
#402
heard it at a meeting
"you can do it now or you can do it later, but sooner or later you will do it" An old timer told me that.
Thu, 2011-07-28 22:41
#405
13 Stepping?
What is this? I met someone and am marrying him. For over a year & a half my life has been connected, healthy & sober, but I keep being told rumours that 13 Stepping is basically breaking the AA law. I have read all literature that I can find, and there is nothing that opposes this. Apart from 'unwanted romantic advances' in the traditions checklist. I understand there are predators and vulnerable people out there, and this fortunately does not apply to me. I am being ostracised, and while it doesn't affect my sobriety, it affects those who were very friendly and excited for us and were coming to the wedding and have now decided not to, and refuse to give an explanation. How would you deal with this. It seems so sad and wrong.... perhpas we will find out more in time....
Confused yet hopefull
Tue, 2011-09-13 00:34
#406
13 th Stepping
Only a sponsor would bring up their own reality - Principles before personalities - Personality is simply a sponsors reality who love to use fear calling it helping you!!!!
Trust in God and Clean house and you'll be OK with or without
Sat, 2011-09-10 18:48
#407
Re: 13 stepping
Read a Vision for you in the Big Book. It does mention people find love or marriage in the rooms.God of your understanding and your will in his care. If you found love in the rooms and your honest in your motives good for you!
Wed, 2011-08-31 20:44
#408
13Stepping?
There is a reference. Look up "boy meets girl on AA campus.". Sober people refer to "bar behavior". Why are u at meetings? Check your motives. Keep the focus on yourself is an AlAnon phrase, useful in their recovery and ours. You want a deep, fulfilling relationship? Find the right sponsor (do they have what u want? For starters...).
Mon, 2011-08-22 12:17
#409
AA Relationships.
Did you ever notice? Those who keep repeating Women stick with the women and men stick with the men are the same
members whose mates are in the program. But on the other hand maybe they are trying to give us advice from their
own experience. I have seen several relationships and
marriages between members go sour. I believe Bill W.
left us some good advice in the big book about this
kind of question. Easy does it. Take your time. ANONYMOUS
Fri, 2011-08-05 14:06
#410
Re. 13 Stepping?
First, I want to wish you congratulations on your impending wedding. You have found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, and that is fantastic!
As to relationships when fairly newly sober, there are of course no rules in AA. However, sometimes when we are fairly new to sobriety, our judgment may not always be the best -- just a lot going on in the head and it can be difficult to have clear perspective. Not sure how long your fiance has been sober -- I'm sure the two of you have talked about how your marriage and your sobriety will fit together. If you have also discussed things with your sponsor and other trusted friends in AA and prayed and meditated about it (preferably not just once but for a period of time) and your fiance has done the same, and you both still feel this is the right decision for you, then in my opinion there is no reason to hold back. (If on the other hand you have not done these things, then those are suggestions you might want to consider.)
As to others in the program who may criticize your decision, if there are among them those you love and respect, I would suggest you ask their opinion and take the time to talk with them about it in a private setting. My feeling is that if they are truly worried about your welfare and your prospects for a long term relationship, they will offer their honest opinion in a loving way, and in the end they will still love you and support your decision, whatever that happens to be. I think friends support friends even when they think their friend is making a mistake. If they act otherwise (not willing to talk, overly critical, thinking they know better and expressing that in a negative fashion, etc.), then it indicates something about the lack of depth of their friendship.
Whatever you end up doing, I wish you all the best! And sobriety no matter what.
Cheers / Love.
Wed, 2011-08-03 00:36
#411
13 Stepping
You go to AA because you're f'd up, why would you bother with a relationship if you can't bother to fix yourself first? Or the people you've hurt, money you owe, etc. You should go to AA to get SOBER, build relationships with people to stay sober by talking.....not dating. 13 Stepping seems to be another denial of fake sobriety so you don't have to do the work yourself. But what do I know, I'm still trying to stand up......
ps - I will add this to my lists of amends, I am full of self loathing and self pity.
Mon, 2011-08-01 11:26
#412
13 Stepping
Hi Anonymous,
Read page 119 in the 12&12.
You will find your solution there.
"The prospective partners need to be solid A.A.'s and long enough acquainted to know that their compatibility at spiritual, mental, and emotional levels is a fact and not wishful thinking. They need to be as sure as possible that no deep-lying emotional handicap in either will be likely to rise up under later pressures to cripple them."
When I put relationships (or anything else) over sobriety, I am setting myself up for rejection and will eventually lead to relapse. My sobriety comes first.
Talk to your sponsor and/or do a 4th Step on it.
Odat08
Tue, 2011-07-26 09:48
#413
Dubious "Hope", LOL?
~
Heard at a meeting, several years ago:
"If you're new...there's good news, and there's bad news.
The good news is, there's hope. The bad news is, we're it!"
Submitted by - The Original Earthmom
~
Tue, 2011-07-19 23:29
#414
Surrender &" Let Go and Let God"
Heard today at a meeting:
One woman shared that she had recently read on someone's Facebook page a different take on this slogan: "LET GO OR BE......DRAGGED!".
Many times that's how it is. I was dragged to my first AA meeting and many times it takes the pain to finally let go of people, places and situations.
Tue, 2011-09-13 00:37
#415
Let go and let ?
Alcoholics don't let go of nothing - Their hands just give out!
Wed, 2011-08-03 18:39
#416
I was dragged to my first AA
I was dragged to my first AA meeting too. Yesterday was the
37 1/2 year anniversary! They always say that there's an exception to every rule, and I thank God that my friend decided to break the rule of "Attraction rather than Promotion." I think it's usually -- almost always -- true, but I would be dead a long time ago if he hadn't taken matters into his own hands.
I will never cease to be grateful to him, to my sponsor, and to this wonderful Program.
Tue, 2011-08-09 20:31
#417
RED: Dragged to first meeting
I wasn't dragged to my first 23 years of meetings but directed there by a Power greater than myself who I addressed as "Your Honor". I also never went to a meeting sober. I then found myself in a treatment center where I went because, again, I had to. So I never did "come to AA"; you came to me. And for that I thank you all and God for doing for (to?) me what I could not do for myself. Because of that experience I became willing to follow some suggestions and have now been sober 10 1/2 years. In a row! bootom line? I don't know what's good for me and neither (I assume) do most newcomers. So I abide by what a friend calls perhaps the most spiritual words ever spoken in AA: "Shut up and get in the car!"
Sun, 2011-07-10 21:44
#418
heard this @ a meeting
The first thing you put ahead of your soberity is the second thing you’ll lose.
Dennis D.
Tue, 2012-05-15 15:56
#419
first and second
"The first thing you put ahead of your sobriety is the second thing you'll lose," - Dennis D.
THANK YOU for this post. Last night was my first meeting in 5 years. Although I've kept a lot of what AA has tought me in mind throughout those years...this is something new and a HUGE eye opener, because that's exactly what I've been doing. Always putting something, or someone (mainly someone), ahead of my sobriety.
I feel like I've been on the worst bungee jump of my life, hitting rock bottom, then coming back into the air, and nose diving into the rocks again, and again, and again. Not putting myself (physical, mental, and spiritual being) ahead of everything else has truely been my issue.
Thank You, again, for putting this into perspective for me.
Much appreciated!!
Sun, 2011-07-10 01:16
#420
The door knob meaning
If God knocks one needs to open the door, there are a lot of people who have no door knobs to open the door - Just ding dongs sponsors to let them know something maybe going down.
Tue, 2011-07-12 20:36
#421
Live for today
If you have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow all you can do is pee on today...so get both feet in today.
Sat, 2011-07-09 14:55
#422
4th of July
Nearly all Independence Day disasters start with the following phrase: "Hey, hold my beer and watch THIS!"
Wed, 2011-07-06 23:35
#423
Sponsorship
Thw most important thing my first sponsor said to me was: Do you see that young man over by the coffee pot? I think he is new. Would you go over and talk to him? He never asked
me what step I was on. He did often ask me to sit in the
back seat. We were going to an open meeting and his wife
was joining us. He died at 13 years sober and to my knowledge never "worked" the steps. I know he never pushed the steps on me, although I eventually took them of my own
volition. The steps are suggestions. The Big Book is meant
to be suggestive only. Why do we cram and pound?? Anonymous
Wed, 2011-08-03 11:46
#424
sponsorship
You are so right! The steps are merely a suggestion........ then too a rip cord on a parachute is merely a suggestion. M.
Wed, 2011-08-03 13:36
#425
SUGGESTED STEPS
Dear M. The steps are truly suggestions. I have used the
example of the cord on a parachute many times in the past
years. I called the steps D---ed well betters. But when I
found out that our fellowship was diminishing I did some
research. I know today that I was part of the problem. I
beg of you, read the history. This "problem" was solved
seventy years ago. We push alcoholics away by telling them
at their first meeting all that is contained in the first
two and a half pages of chapter five. I am grateful that
I finally pulled my head out of the sand, and looked around. Believe me, it has cost me dearly. But every time
an AA member tells me: NOW I UNDERSTAND!, it makes it
worth it. ANONYMOUS
Tue, 2011-07-12 05:59
#427
Why do we cram and pound?
" Why do we cram and pound?" What does that mean?
Tue, 2011-07-12 16:58
#428
cram and pound.
Bill W. wrote on page 8 in Language of the Heart that we do not cram the steps down anyone's throat. Yet we do it all the time at almost every meeting. We do this by reading the
steps to the newcomer at his very first meeting. Reading the
steps and telling the newcomer to find God and Find Him NOW
is harmful. The cart before the horse IDEA from Dr. Silkworth explains all this. The steps are not mandatory
and are only suggestions offered to those who wish to use them. We ought not push them on any AA member. The Big Book
was meant to be suggestive only. Yet we thump and pound the
book as if it were the second Bible. Bill and his friends
were frantic to get the book printed. They made several
last minute changes which were vital. Bill spent the rest
of his life explaining and clarifying the meanings. One of
the last minute changes had to do with following our path
and not our directions. Yet we spout directions all the
time telling newcomers and others what to do. To be
effective I need to only tell the newcomer EXACTLY what
I did and EXACTLY what happened to me. If we can stop
cramming the steps and thumping the big book, maybe we
can return to an accepted rate of effectiveness and growth.
In case you didn't know, we have lost 20% of our
membership in the past two decades, after 57 years of
continuous growth. These figures are provided by our
General Service Office. Our blunders can be reversed, but
first we have to recognize them and admit them. Anonymous
Tue, 2011-07-05 02:36
#429
Acceptance an inside job
Acceptance is an inside personal job. Surrender is an out side job that gives up. If one's acceptance is true to thy self it is impossible to surrender, unless of course your sponsor became your God.
Thu, 2011-06-30 15:34
#430
Heard at A Meeting - Love It
"The elevator to sobriety is broken....you need to take a cab instead."
Thu, 2011-07-07 12:13
#431
Saw in the grape vine
"The elevator to sobriety is broken. Please use the steps...................
Wed, 2011-07-06 23:42
#432
Take a cab
I found this comment amusing. it brought a chuckle. I find so little to smile about these days. Take a taxi to a meeting. I had never heard this one. Hopefully you will find sobriety there. But not always. Anonymous
Mon, 2011-06-20 14:27
#434
What is the difference
What is the difference between God and me? God never thinks he's me.
Johanne H.
Sun, 2011-06-19 10:32
#436
Subject to change
I am subject to change without notice, I am working to be subject to notice without change.
Sun, 2011-06-19 07:00
#437
God
"God never gives me more then I can handle...I just wish he didn't think so highly of me!"
Fri, 2011-06-17 05:50
#438
Steps vs. Traditions
Steps keep us from killing ourselves, Traditions keep us from killing each other.
Wed, 2011-06-15 06:18
#439
Heard at Meetings
"Some days you're the pidgeon - other days you're the statue"
Tue, 2011-06-14 16:01
#440
Heard At Meetings
We are the only people who get mad when we don't get whate don't even deserve.
Sun, 2011-06-12 12:31
#441
Keep working the program
Don't let the life that AA gave you get in the way of your AA life.
Fri, 2011-06-10 23:01
#443
closing prayer
Dear God,
I promise I'll never do it again if you just get me out of this one.
Sat, 2011-06-04 20:50
#446
Heard at meetings
"Quit telling your God how big your problems are, and start telling your problems how big your God is"
Wed, 2011-05-04 23:58
#449
What I can handle
Tonight at my home group, I heard something that I had heard a million times...but this time with a great caveat...
"God will never give me more than I can handle...but life will, which is why I need God."
-Lisa
Wed, 2011-05-04 07:25
#450
psychopath
I heard the definition of psychopath out of the dictionary at a meeting the other day and if your truelly an alcoholic thats how we were, my dictionary does'nt have the word in it or I would share it, but look it up you will be amazed at least our whole group could relate and it made us all feel alot better and made us feel even closer to eachother and that we really do need AA. Ejoy Jules