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Source: Vannoy S – Al-Anon Big Book Study – Part 4 – Date Unknown.mp3 File: vannoy-s-al-anon-big-book-study-part-4-date-unknown.mp3 Duration: 00:07:00
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Cling to the Thought, That in God's Hands, The Dark Past is the Greatest Possession You Have, The Key to Life and Happiness for Others, With It, You Can Avert Death and Misery for Them. Now that's a pretty awesome statement. This is what we're all about. This is our fifth tradition. Now I'm going to read this one, this couple of paragraphs to you, because there's a couple, N.A.A., they're very, very well known, they're out and about all the time talking, and this alumna came up to me and she showed me this page. Someone had ripped out this page out of Big Book and underlined some of this and mailed it to her. It was addressed to both of them, and she was laughing about it.
And she was laughing about it. I said, you know what, that isn't funny to me. Somebody was really hurt that they tore this out of a page and mailed it to you. Maybe you ought to pay attention. And I went home and I thought about that, and I reread this, and I really thought about it. So I want you to listen to this. This is the way we live here, and hopefully the way we treat each other here, and it's real important that we get this down. Page 125. We families of alcoholics and almost keep fused skeletons in the closet. Everyone knows about the other's alcoholic troubles. This is a condition which in ordinary life would produce untold grief. There must be scandalous gossip, laughter at the expense of other people, and a tendency to take advantage of intimate information. Among us, these are rare occasions, occurrences. We do talk about each other a great deal, but we almost invariably temper such a talk with a spirit of love and tolerance. Another principle we observe carefully is that we do not relate intimate experiences of another person unless we are sure he or she would approve. We find it better when possible to stick to our own stories. A man may criticize or laugh at himself, and it will affect others favorably, but criticisms or ridicule coming from another often produces the contrary effect. Members of a family should watch such matters carefully, for one careless, inconsiderate remark has been known to raise the very devil.
We alcoholics and alums are sensitive people. It takes some of us a long time to grow that serious hand, outgrow that serious handicap. Many alcoholics are enthusiasts. They run to the extremes. So are many alums. We run everything to extremes. So let us remember all these things. On page 132, we have been speaking to you of serious, I have been speaking to you of serious and sometimes tragic things, right? At lunch we were speaking to each other of sometimes serious and tragic things, right? We have been dealing with alcohol in its worst aspect. We have to, to get the understanding of it, we have to bring out the old grievances, take a look at it, experience it.
Some of them are fun, some of them are not fun. Some of these memories that we bring up are just very painful, but we are not a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life. Next paragraph. So we think cheerfulness and laughter make for usefulness. Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience of the past. But why shouldn't we laugh? We have recovered and we have been given the power to help others. Now let me tell you some people are so serious. I mean you've got to have the light touch. You've got to give the light touch to this thing or it will bury us.
Y'all see some of them's face when I make a light touch. It's like you don't understand, you understand. Yeah I do. You know anything I don't understand about this. I've been there, done that, touched it, felt it, smelled it. But the more power you give it to it, the worse it is. Give it a light touch. Everybody knows that those in bad health and those who sell and play do not laugh much. So let each family play together or separately as much as their circumstances warrant.
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We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. Now look on page 164. This is beautiful. This is my favorite two paragraphs. Our book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come if your own house is in order. But obviously you cannot transmit something you haven't got. See to it that your relationship with him is right and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This is the great fact for us.
So abandon yourselves to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the fellowship of the spirit and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the road of destiny. May God bless and keep you until then and until our next meeting together. You've been great. Thank you very much for letting me do this.
Thank you.