how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book
We have struck out viciously. He proved to be a devil-may-care young fellow whose parents could not make out whether he wanted to stop drinking or not. When we decide who is to hear our story, we waste no time. This may lay the groundwork for a friendly talk about his alcoholic problem. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about God. The other day an approach was made to the vice president of a large industrial concern. But the difficulty is that few alcoholics have enough desire to stop while there is yet time. I fancied myself a leader, for had not the men of my battery given me a special token of appreciation? On the way I felt hungry so I stopped at a roadside place where they have a bar. The exercise of an option brought in more money, leaving us with a profit of several thousand dollars for that year. Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that. He is the Father, and we are His children. What irony-I became an alcoholic myself! There is another thing you might wish to do. I love the ease of use of the Kindle version on my smart phone for use in meetings when you or someone else is trying to remember the page number of a specific passage, or how many times a specific word is mentioned (for instance, RECOVERED- 34 times in the first 164!!!) chapters. But Im sure this man is done drinking. To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude. They expect him to give them the nice times they used to have before he drank so much, and to show his contrition for what they suffered. If our testimony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to think honestly, encourages you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish, you can join us on the Broad Highway. We have tried to hold the love of our children for their father. Select the book genre. He listened in wonder as I talked. Opposite of every page is a blank page for all your additional writing. A pivotal decision was made in '95: "The first 164 pages of the Big Book, the Forwards, 'The Doctor's Opinion,' 'Doctor Bob's Nightmare,' and the Appendices [will] remain the same," which was not reversed during Advisory Actions in '97, '98, '99, and 2000, leading up to publication of the 4th Edition of the Big Book in 2001. We shouldnt be shy on this matter of prayer. That includes bars, nightclubs, dances, receptions, weddings, even plain ordinary whoopee parties. Had you offered yourselves as patients at this hospital, I would not have taken you, if I had been able to avoid it. Then came the insidious insanity of that first drink, and on Armistice Day 1934, I was off again. In reality that was the beginning of my last debauch. No later vicissitude has shaken it. 39 How many times is the word powerless used in the first 164 pages? Though some of us resisted, we found no great difficulty in casting aside such feelings. ,Sitemap,Sitemap, Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Indstria Grfica, Comunicao We must remember that ten or twenty years of drunkenness would make a skeptic out of anyone. It works when other activities fail. That is why we are anxious that you understand, and that you avoid these unnecessary difficulties. And I did. But we could not. Yet he got drunk again. Most of them give freely of themselves, that their fellows may enjoy sound minds and bodies. For three for four months the goose hung high. In 1995 AA's General Service Conference "ruled" by Advisory Action that, "The first 164 pages of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Preface, the Forewords, 'The Doctor's Opinion,' 'Doctor Bob's Nightmare' and the Appendices remain as is." This was reaffirmed by Advisory Actions in 1998, 1999, 2000, and twice in 2001. I dare to disagree with the words of Bill Wilson. If we keep on the way we are going there is little doubt that much good will result, but the surface of the problem would hardly be scratched. So he inquired, what did our friend have on the ball? This is the one he likes his fellows to see. The outlines and the promise of the New Land had brought lustre to tired eyes and fresh courage to flagging spirits. Much moved, I wandered outside. We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do. If he speaks of his home situation, you can undoubtedly make helpful suggestions. We found that it is fatal. Mathematically, if the word God were distributed evenly throughout the book it would appear every 1.2 pages. You should continue to be friendly to them. He had stepped from bridge to shore. We landed in England. But there is One who has all power-that One is God. We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. His change of heart was dramatic, convincing, and moving. Judging from what I had seen in Europe and since, the power of God in human affairs was negligible, the Brotherhood of Man a grim jest. Many of us have been so touchy that even casual reference to spiritual things made us bristle with antagonism. Just put in the word or phrase and you can even check to have just the 164 pages. Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get well regardless of anyone. FOR MOST normal folks, drinking means conviviality, companionship and colorful imagination. Though we have no religious connection, we may still do well to talk with someone ordained by an established religion. So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. Francisco Morato, Franco da Rocha, Indaiatuba, Itatiba, Itupeva, Jarinu, Joanpolis, Louveira, Morungaba, The following is a list of the 40 Musts from the Big Book. Print a copy of the first side (print page 1 only), then reinsert it into the paper tray of your printer and print page 2. Presently the man did slip and was fired. So we think that unless some good and useful purpose is to be served, past occurrences should not be discussed. Passing all understanding is the patience mothers and wives have had with alcoholics. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Can you charge this off as you would a bad account and start fresh with him? When we saw our faults we listed them. He said, Why dont you choose your own conception of God?. What about people who proved that man could never fly? We ask especially for freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no request for ourselves only. I rightly imagined that they would some day have a great rise. He thus used his own wrong-doing as a means of destroying the reputation of another. Little or nothing, we saw at last. Nothing would please us so much as to write a book which would contain no basis for contention or argument. Let them praise his progress. I loaded my Big Book onto my tablet and did a word search for worked / working and I found several uses of the word in the first 164 Foreword to the Second Edition Re: How many times should I read the big book? Far from it. That floored me. We reviewed our fears thoroughly. 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. He remarked: Im mighty glad you fellows got over your drinking. My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. Afterward, we found ourselves accepting many things which then seemed entirely out of reach. The matter of physical treatment should, of course, be referred to your own doctor. Will he take every necessary step, submit to anything to get well, to stop drinking forever? 8-b. Outline the program of action, explaining how you made a self-appraisal, how you straightened out your past and why you are now endeavoring to be helpful to him. Nevertheless, we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration. After dinner I decided to take a walk. Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances! Name the two reasons for the strong sentiment against any radical changes being mad to the first portion of the Big . You will thus get a better idea of how you ought to proceed. Almost none of us liked the self- searching, the leveling of our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the process requires for its successful consummation. In this tape Johnny H. shares his experience with the recovery process laid out in the 12 steps. He may rebel at the thought of a drastic housecleaning which requires discussion with other people. And do not his actions make each of them wish to retaliate, snatching all they can get out of the show? Then comes a baker's dozen personal stories, and the apparent miraculous relief that certain problem drinkers have experienced, armed only with the hope that there just might be another way to live without having to fight constantly with . Common sense would thus become uncommon sense. Good generalship may decide that the problem be attacked on the flank rather than risk a face- to-face combat. Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted. Stepping into his car, he made the rounds of people he had hurt. We must not shrink at anything. But I cannot accept as surely true the many articles of faith which are so plain to him. So it was comforting to learn that we could commence at a simpler level. In this way he was slyly carrying tales. Go along with your husband if you possibly can. We stick to our own. Notice that the word fear is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. BoardPrep Recovery is an excellent option for people who may already be familiar with 12-step recovery but who may also need professional support. I began to wonder, for such an appalling lack of perspective seemed near being just that. They should wait for the end of his next drinking bout. These are facts out of our experience. They were deeply religious people, much shocked by their sons refusal to have anything to do with the church. Cling to the thought that, in Gods hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have-the key to life and happiness for others. He does absurd, incredible, tragic things while drinking. There should be no hesitancy in consulting a doctor or psychologist if the condition persists. For example, the passage about "King Alcohol" is not shown in the A's since there are no listings for the common word Common words cannot be used when searching for a particular passage. But we must go further and that means more action. We, who have traveled this dubious path, beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized religion. I saw that my friend was much more than inwardly reorganized. Those of us who travel drop in as often as we can. We have elsewhere remarked how much better life is when lived on a spiritual plane. Why? We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. Each day my friends simple talk in our kitchen multiplies itself in a widening circle of peace on earth and good will to men. I was finished and so were many friends. My incredible behavior in the face of a desperate desire to stop was explained. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. However, it might be easy to forget that there are many more scattered throughout the first 164 pages of the Big Book. In this way we tried to shape a sane and sound ideal for our future sex life. Hes just beaten up a couple of nurses. Nearly always, these antics indicate nothing more than temporary conditions. It is an effort to discover the truth about the stock-in-trade. Some of the promises are directly associated with completion of a step. Some employers have tried every known remedy. He did no drinking until he was thirty-five. To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while. We could make few social engagements. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem. Sede: Cajamar - Rua Vereador Jos Mendes, 267, Jordansia CEP: 07776-460 Fone: (11) 97166-5785 Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. It is followed up with a personal example of the 12 steps in action. The more you type, the more precise the results. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. We looked askance at many individuals who claimed to be godly. God makes that possible. If he is not interested in your solution, if he expects you to act only as a banker for his financial difficulties or a nurse for his sprees, you may have to drop him until he changes his mind. If you propose such a procedure to him, it may be necessary to advance the cost of treatment, but we believe it should be made plain that any expense will later be deducted from his pay. At the hospital I was separated from alcohol for the last time. But we must not use this as a mere excuse to postpone. This couple has since become so fascinated that they have dedicated their home to the work. If not members of religious bodies, we sometimes select and memorize a few set prayers which emphasize the principles we have been discussing. Sometimes we sensed dimly that we were dealing with sick men. The barriers he had built through the years were swept away. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We see that these expressions refer to people whose reactions are very different from ours. Here is a case in point: One of our friends is a heavy smoker and coffee drinker. The first 164 pages explain the alcoholic problem and how to solve it. Over and over, he would say: Thats me. If your man accepts your offer, it should be pointed out that physical treatment is but a small part of the picture. I pointed out that I had had nothing to drink whatever for three years, and this in the face of difficulties that would have made nine out of ten men drink their heads off. These family talks will be constructive if they can be carried on without heated argument, self-pity, self-justification or resentful criticism. He saw that he had to place the outcome in Gods hands or he would soon start drinking again, and all would be lost anyhow. Since I added various properties to the text in order to create the derivative ebook, I have an (unregistered) copyright to it --that is, to the PDF file. Some people tell us so. Show him, from your own experience, how the queer mental condition surrounding that first drink prevents normal functioning of the will power. Physically, I felt fine. You may have to fight with him if he is violent. You have to act the Good Samaritan every day, if need be. The Wright brothers almost childish faith that they could build a machine which would fly was the main- spring of their accomplishment. In thinking about our day we may face indecision. The process of one addict/alcoholic guiding another through the Book takes between 24 and 30 hours, usually done in 2 - 3 hour sessions, typically over a period of 2 - 3 weeks. Death was often near. We liked it. What usually happens? Thats a common form of trouble too. You may be afraid your husband will lose his position; you are thinking of the disgrace and hard times which will befall you and the children. If we have carefully followed directions, we have begun to sense the flow of His Spirit into us. In the midst of an understanding and sympathetic family, these vagaries of dads spiritual infancy will quickly disappear. Some of us veered from extreme to extreme, ever hoping that one day our loved ones would be themselves once more. Shortly afterward I came home drunk. Cessation of drinking is but the first step away from a highly strained, abnormal condition. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon. Though, it is an impressive number when you stop to consider how many pages are in the Big Book. However, some of the stories after the first 164 pages have been updated and changed as time has passed. In 1929 I contracted golf fever. If a repetition is to be prevented, place the problem, along with everything else, in Gods hands. He wants to make good. 200. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news, blogs, and so much more! It is the proper use of the will. One school would allow man no flavor for his fare and the other would have us all on a straight pepper diet. The number of pages changes depending on the number of words, the font and the font size. For a few days he was depressed about his condition. Favorite Passages in the Big Book There are four editions of the Big Book. Perhaps we had been leaning too heavily on Reason that last mile and we did not like to lose our support. He agreed he was a real alcoholic and in a serious condition. First Edition of the Big Book. In most cases it was found that our self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal relationships (including sex) were hurt or threatened. Sometimes there are cases where alcoholism is complicated by other disorders. Therefore, ask yourself on each occasion, Have I any good social, business, or personal reason for going to this place? He did, and also sent a small amount of money. Four copies on a page, Microsoft Word .doc format. You should point out that his defects of character are not going to disappear over night. Common words are needed to keep the book to a reasonable size and an affordable cost. We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. They knew they had a host of new friends; it seemed they had known these strangers always. Half measures availed us nothing. They were but memories. I must turn in all things to the Father of Light who presides over us all. Once this malady has a real hold, they are a baffled lot. Yet we found it impossible. He interrupted: I used to be strong for the church, but that wont fix it. We all know that the first 164 pages of the big book are the meat and potatoes this books first 164 is only 90 pages! We do not know of many cases where this difficulty lasted long. In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill. Do you want to stop drinking or not? We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. Were not these things the tissue out of which our lives were constructed? Written by Dale K, it contains a rewritten version of the first 164 pages of the Big Book. He trembled as he went about, for this might mean ruin, particularly to a person in his line of business. We find the more one member of the family demands that the others concede to him, the more resentful they become. . Certainly I was interested. Social distinctions, petty rivalries and jealousies-these are laughed out of countenance. Not long afterward he had called me from Hartford on two successive days, so drunk he could hardly speak. Post by Brock Tue Dec 10, 2013 6:31 pm Franky wrote: I would also work the Step as my Sponsee worked the Step. After all, had he not been sober six months now? The average reader will spend 9 hours and 36 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute). But some of us think we should not serve liquor to anyone. He will appreciate knowing you are not bothering your head about him, that you are not suspicious nor are you trying to run his life so he will be shielded from temptation to drink. Many of us have felt, for the first time, the Presence and Power of God within its walls. Even when you understand the malady better, you may feel this feeling rising. War fever ran high in the New England town to which we new, young officers All sections of this country and many of its occupations are represented. Everybody believes them without a murmur of doubt. It is important for him to realize that your attempt to pass this on to him plays a vital part in your own recovery. All went well for a time, but he failed to enlarge his spiritual life. Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly like people in a sinking ship. It is possible to dig up past misdeeds so they become a blight, a veritable plague. If he is lukewarm or thinks he is not an alcoholic, we suggest you leave him alone. Where am I to find these people?, You are going to meet these new friends in your own community. Some . My old manner of life was by no means a bad one, but I would not exchange its best moments for the worst I have now. We had to learn these things the hard way. how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book. Of an evening, you can go on a mild bender, get up in the morning, shake your head and go to business. To Christ I conceded the certainty of a great man, not too closely followed by those who claimed Him. Perhaps there are some cases where the utmost frankness is demanded. Remember they are very ill. Life will take on new meaning. If you act upon these principles, your husband may stop or moderate. That was not easy. He will feel he can deal with you without being nagged by his family. Giving, rather than getting, will become the guiding principle. Could we still say the whole thing was nothing but a mass of electrons, created out of nothing, meaning nothing, whirling on to a destiny of nothingness? HAVING MADE our personal inventory, what shall we do about it? He had a commendable World War record. 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. Little clusters of twos and threes and fives of us have sprung up in other communities, through contact with our two larger centers. I drink like that.. Sometimes they were so inaccessible that it seemed as though a great wall had been built around them. Did we not have confidence in our ability to think? Make use of what they offer. It is better, however, that one does not needlessly name a person upon whom she can vent jealousy. Explain that many are doomed who never realize their predicament. Our homes have been battle-grounds many an evening. Some day he will be unable to imagine life either with alcohol or without it. Are the stones properly in place? In actual practice, we usually find a solitary self-appraisal insufficient. He sometimes drinks in the morning and through the day also, to hold his nervousness in check. Almost invariably they got drunk. Not all of us join religious bodies, but most of us favor such memberships. So many want to stop but cannot. Starting from a speck on the domestic horizon, great thunderclouds of dispute may gather. Included is all material from inside the front cover through page 164, plus Appendices I (Traditions) and II (Spiritual Experience). Come, whats this all about? I queried. So we let God discipline us in the simple way we have just outlined. It had been 52 that morning. Show any longshoreman a Sunday supplement describing a proposal to explore the moon by means of a rocket and he will say I bet they do it maybe not so long either. Is not our age characterized by the ease with which we discard old ideas for new, by the complete readiness with which we throw away the theory or gadget which does not work for something new which does? This PDF file is an Easy-Read Large Print Ebook created in 2009 by major1212 -at-pobox.com. On the other hand, he may be mean, egotistical, selfish and dishonest. Read more. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. If you both show a willingness to remedy your own defects, there will be little need to criticize each other. I stood in the sunlight at last. And how appallingly true for the alcoholic! The good old days will soon be back, they think. We have had long rendezvous with hurt pride, frustration, self-pity, misunderstanding and fear. This sort of thing can be avoided. Copyright 2005-2013 by Recovery Press. Also, grammar has been changed in some cases, as well as, the numbers cited have been changed to reflect the growing fellowship over the decades. These are not pleasant companions. When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith. Some of us sought out sordid places, hoping to find understanding companionship and approval. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality- safe and protected. We want to analyze mistakes we have made. We hope you are convinced now that God can remove whatever self-will has blocked you off from Him. Perhaps they were right. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest. He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar to find his home ruined. Any A.A. who has not experienced the joys and satisfaction of helping another alcoholic regain his place in life has not yet fully realized the complete benefits of this fellowship. (A.A. Broadcast in Self Help; Tue, May 6, 2014 10:00PM UTC Part 2. But we saw that it really worked in others, and we had come to believe in the hopelessness and futility of life as we had been living it. Though my drinking was not yet continuous, it disturbed my wife. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such an errand. Whenever you want to, you control your drinking. Now we need more action, without which we find that Faith without works is dead. Lets look at Steps Eight and Nine. We have been dealing with alcohol in its worst aspect. This makes for discord and unhappiness. But what about his responsibilities-his family and the men who would die because they would not know how to get well, ah-yes, those other alcoholics? Members of a family should watch such matters carefully, for one careless, inconsiderate remark has been known to raise the very devil. In the midst of such pandemonium they may have rushed out threatening to live with the other woman forever. The family must realize that dad, though marvelously improved, is still convalescing. Be quick to see where religious people are right. He will tell you he is misunderstood. Sometimes they demand that dad bring them back instantly! Many of us have heard of the Ninth Step Promises from page 83-84 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. His wife is one of those persons who really feels there is something rather sinful about these commodities, so she nagged, and her intolerance finally threw him into a fit of anger. Maybe you have already been obliged to put him away. The real significance of my experience in the Cathedral burst upon me. We think it no concern of ours what religious bodies our members identify themselves with as individuals. Understanding myself now, I fared forth in high hope. We have begun to develop this vital sixth sense. He had felt only the first nip of the wringer. They remember when father was romantic, thoughtful and successful. Most people try to live by self-propulsion. We may be short in our accounts and unable to make good. For myself, I had adopted those parts which seemed convenient and not too difficult; the rest I disregarded. Four: You may have a husband of whom you completely despair. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. It has been repeatedly proven among us that upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built. My downfall cost the business community unknown thousands of dollars, for it takes real money to train a man for an executive position. Is he not unconsciously trying to see what he can take from the family life rather than give? 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. how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book | May 25 / 2022 | . Who are you fellows, and why this private room? You are betting, of course, that your changed attitude plus the contents of this book will turn the trick. Yet its elements are simple. We made a list of people I had hurt or toward whom I felt resentment. FUN FACT: The word God individually appears 134 times within the first 164 pages of the book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Dont deal with him when he is very drunk, unless he is ugly and the family needs your help. They need your companionship and your help. Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come. They piled on me heaps of evidence to the effect that an alcoholic mentality, such as I had exhibited in Washington, was a hopeless condition. To calculate the page count for a 5.5 8.5 book: 10 pt type - divide your word count by 475. Nothing would fix me. Still you may say: But I will not have the benefit of contact with you who write this book. We cannot be sure. He soon indicated he was anxious to see us. Treatment seemed wise, for I showed signs of delirium tremens. My brain raced uncontrollably and there was a terrible sense of impending calamity. Without much ado, he accepted the principles and procedure that had helped us. All Rights Reserved. It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. After two weeks of drinking, he had placed his toe on the trigger of a loaded shotgun- the barrel was in his mouth. We try not to indulge in cynicism over the state of the nations, nor do we carry the worlds troubles on our shoulders. Yet in ancient times material progress was painfully slow. How often have some of us begun to drink in this nonchalant way, and after the third or fourth, pounded on the bar and said to ourselves, For Gods sake, how did I ever get started again? Only to have that thought supplanted by Well, Ill stop with the sixth drink. Or Whats the use anyhow?. Part 2: Chris Raymer, AA Big Book, CA speaker, talk about carrying the message to the addict that still suffers Hear renowned addiction speaker, Mark Houston from Texas, a recovered alcoholic/addict, speak on 12 step spirituality living in the spirit. I had commenced to drink as carelessly as though the cocktails were ginger ale. We came to live almost alone. After a while, turn the talk to some phase of drinking. We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends. All men of faith have courage. We say this because we are very anxious that we talk to the right person. How true this is, few realize. e-mail: why are bulgarians so beautifulsubcajamar@sindigraficos.org Drinking isolates most homes from the outside world. To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic such an experience seems impossible, but to continue as he is means disaster, especially if he is an alcoholic of the hopeless variety. If you are satisfied that he is a real alcoholic, begin to dwell on the hopeless feature of the malady. Treat him, when you can, as though he had pneumonia. We dont use this as an excuse for shying away from the subject of God. The minute we put our work on a service plane, the alcoholic commences to rely upon our assistance rather than upon God. These juniors are often in a difficult position. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. In some cases it may be better to let someone outside the family present the book. They are questions for each individual to settle for himself. This, the first translation of the core 164 pages of the Big Book, is written by a sober 12-year member of AA. What does Surrender Mean?The hardest thing about trusting in the sanctuary of outcasts book club questions. If common words were not discarded, the The web site uses a less-restrictive set of common words than the printed book. We shall tell you what we have done. 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. If you have already made a decision, and an inventory of your grosser handicaps, you have made a good beginning. 6. Within a week after leaving the hospital a fast-moving trolley car breaks his arm. Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. For most cases, there is virtually no other solution.. Why cant he? Why dont you drink like a gentleman or quit? That fellow cant handle his liquor. Why dont you try beer and wine? Lay off the hard stuff. His will power must be weak. He could stop if he wanted to. Shes such a sweet girl, I should think hed stop for her sake. The doctor told him that if he ever drank again it would kill him, but there he is all lit up again.. A man so involved often feels very remorseful at times, especially if he is married to a loyal and courageous girl who has literally gone through hell for him. Your desire to protect him should not cause you to lie to people when they have a right to know were he is and what he is doing. The reader may still ask why he should believe in a Power greater than himself. But by studying this book I learned (p. 29) that the clear-cut directions are in the first 164 pages, but the story section of a different ilk. My schoolmate visited me, and I fully acquainted him with my problems and deficiencies. While the program is considered a suggested method for dealing with the disease of Alcoholism, there are places within the Big Book where the authors used the word MUST. The following is a list of the 40 Musts from the Big Book. We have indulged in spiritual intoxication. The exceptions are few. When it made us cocky, it was worse. (Bill wrote on the very last page of the first 164 pages: We realize we know only a little). But where and how were we to find this Power? Everyone spent in thousands and chattered in millions. As our husbands began to apply spiritual principles in their lives, we began to see the desirability of doing so too. Why sit with a long face in places where there is drinking, sighing about the good old days. Perhaps the best way of treating you to a glimpse of your future will be to describe the growth of the fellowship among us. I dare to disagree with the words of Bill Wilson. Can you have every confidence in his ability to recover? We hope no one will consider these self-revealing accounts in bad taste. In trying to make these arrangements our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous. After the sermon, he quietly got up and made an explanation. Surrender in Big Book terms means to: "Abandon yourself to God as you understand God." (BB pg 164) Let him decide for himself. Our design for living is not a one-way street. Probably there are still some misgivings. In a vague way their families and friends sense that these drinkers are abnormal, but everybody hopefully awaits the day when the sufferer will rouse himself from his lethargy and assert his power of will. Belief in the power of God, plus enough willingness, honesty and humility to establish and maintain the new order of things, were the essential requirements. how many electrolyzers per hydrogen generator; 5-letter words containing g l a s; teach your child the word of god bible verse. Our friend proceeded to tell him. Big Book, page 164. He knows that thousands of men, much like himself, have recovered. If, on the other hand, they took nothing, their self-pity made them killjoys. He had come to pass his experience along to me-if I cared to have it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); PHP with Housing for Health Professionals, Substance Abuse Treatment Programs for Professionals, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program in Florida, Addiction Treatment Programs for Professionals, Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Programs for Professionals, Depression Treatment Center for Professionals, Rehab 101: Self-Will Run Riot How Learning to Let Go of Control Can Help Us Recover, How a 12 Step Program Helps Recovery From Addiction, Rehab 101: The Importance of Practicing New Behaviors (and Attitudes) in Recovery, Rehab 101: Some Reflections on How the Principle of Humility Fits into Recovery. Paragraph numbers along side the text for easy reference. He has just returned from a three-months leave of absence, has taken a cure, looks fine, and to clinch the matter, the board of directors told him this was his last chance., The only answer I could make was that if the man followed the usual pattern, he would go on a bigger bust than ever. They run to extremes. He becomes a religious enthusiast. He had lived there but a few weeks when he found that the place probably contained more alcoholics per square mile than any city in the country. And with us, to drink is to die. I made a host of fair- weather friends. Use 164andMore.com to search the Big Book and the 12&12. There is no use arousing any prejudice he may have against certain theological terms and conceptions about which he may already be confused. Long experience with alcoholic excuses naturally arouses suspicion. They had seen miracles, and one was to come to them. And so can you, though you be but one man with this book in your hand. He will have no further reason for covering up an alcoholic employee. We come to rely upon it. Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning. You can secure their confidence when others fail. A man may criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule coming from another often produces the contrary effect. They may be jealous of a God who has stolen dads affections. Try to drink and stop abruptly. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed. We find that most of this embarrassment is unnecessary. This is as it should be. Think of what you can bring to it. But these scrapes can generally be charged, no matter how bad, to the abnormal action of alcohol on his mind. It is probably true that you and your husband have been living too much alone, for drinking many times isolates the wife of an alcoholic. So we think cheerfulness and laughter make for usefulness. One more suggestion: Whether the family has spiritual convictions or not, they may do well to examine the principles by which the alcoholic member is trying to live. Why? The family may object to this, but unless he is in a dangerous physical condition, it is better to risk it. Admit that he probably knows more about it than you do, but call to his attention the fact that however deep his faith and knowledge, he could not have applied it or he would not drink. We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others. It just comes! My friends had dropped several million since ten oclock-so what? No wonder an alcoholic is strangely irrational. After reading this book, a junior executive can go to such a man and say approximately this, Look here, Ed. This practice enables us to lend a hand, at the same time avoiding certain alluring distractions of the road, about which any traveling man can inform you. Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you. To some extent this is already true. So we shall describe some of the mental states that precede a relapse into drinking, for obviously this is the crux of the problem. If your man needs hospitalization, he should have it, but not forcibly unless he is violent. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help. It is a design for living that works in rough going. He was sober. Ask any woman who has sent her husband to distant places on the theory he would escape the alcohol problem. He wasnt himself. That's an average of God being mentioned every 0.58 pages. So we used our own conception, however limited it was. Here is one. Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. This applies, too, to other spiritual expressions which you find in this book. Simple. Should they accept and practice spiritual principles, there is a much better chance that the head of the family will recover. Vinhedo. You are not doing him a favor by keeping him on. We were grateful that Reason had brought us so far. Even when he wanted to assert himself he could not, for his drinking placed him constantly in the wrong. Instead of developing new channels of activity for themselves, mother and children demand that he stay home and make up the deficiency. Even in the present century, American newspapers were afraid to print an account of the Wright brothers first successful flight at Kitty Hawk. This is true, the first 164 pages of the original Big Book publication in 1939 has been altered in small ways, such as the one you have mentioned. That statement hit me hard. The age of miracles is still with us. I won't quote it, but look at the subtitle on the title page in the big book. But does he? While the program is considered a suggested method for dealing with the disease of Alcoholism, there are places within the Big Book where the authors used the word 'MUST.'. We still like it. I wondered whether I dared hide a full bottle of gin near the head of our bed. Perhaps he spends too much money for liquor. Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism (Nicknamed The Big Book because of the thickness of the paper used in the first edition) is a 1939 basic text, describing how to successfully [citation needed] recover from alcoholism.Written by William G. "Bill W." 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