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[00:00:05.640 – 00:00:06.320] Thank you, everyone. [00:00:06.320 – 00:00:07.860] My name is Joe, and I'm an alcoholic. [00:00:07.860 – 00:00:09.010] Hi, Joe. [00:00:09.010 – 00:00:16.840] And it's truly by God's grace and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and the program of Alcoholics Anonymous that I found in a book called Alcoholics Anonymous. [00:00:16.840 – 00:00:18.900] I'm sober today, and for that, I'm very, very thankful. [00:00:18.900 – 00:00:20.200] Charlie. [00:00:20.200 – 00:00:21.560] Hi, everybody.

[00:00:21.560 – 00:00:24.620] My name is Charlie Parmlie, and I'm a very grateful recovering alcoholic. [00:00:24.620 – 00:00:25.500] Hi, Charlie. [00:00:25.500 – 00:00:35.800] Because I'm a member of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, and by the grace of the power that I found in the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, [00:00:35.800 – 00:00:44.180] I haven't found it necessary to take a drink for ten thousand five hundred and sixteen days today, one day at a time, and for this, I'm grateful. [00:00:44.180 – 00:00:46.280] It's great to be here. [00:00:46.280 – 00:00:56.300] Joe leaned over a while ago, and he said, "Charlie, this is one of the finest-looking bunches of sick people we've seen in a long [00:00:56.300 – 00:01:00.589] time." Isn't it great?

[00:01:00.589 – 00:01:09.680] We always, uh, like to say as we start one of these things that we do not consider ourselves to be the gurus of the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous. [00:01:09.680 – 00:01:14.540] We don't consider ourselves to be the experts on anything at all. [00:01:14.540 – 00:01:22.440] We're just two old drunks, met together several years ago, found we had a mutual interest in the Big Book. [00:01:22.440 – 00:01:25.700] We studied it together for quite some time. [00:01:25.700 – 00:01:28.980] Hopefully, we've learned a few things about it. [00:01:28.980 – 00:01:34.220] And those few things we've learned about it, we just love to be able to share them with other people. [00:01:34.220 – 00:01:44.540] We do not attempt to speak for AA as a whole, and you are most certainly free to agree or disagree with anything that we say throughout

[00:01:44.540 – 00:01:46.460] the entire weekend as you see fit. [00:01:46.460 – 00:01:56.280] In fact, if you hear us saying things that can't be reconciled with what's in the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, we suggest you just don't pay any attention to those things. [00:01:56.280 – 00:02:01.980] And we'll do our best to keep most of our conversation centered on the book itself. [00:02:01.980 – 00:02:12.000] If we're going to, uh, study the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, which of course, that's what we're here for this weekend, I think it would do– be well if we would [00:02:12.000 – 00:02:21.240] go back and look at just a little bit of the history behind the book, be able to see what happened to some of the first people that put this thing together. [00:02:21.240 – 00:02:26.900] And by looking at that history, then it's gonna make it a lot easier to understand the book itself as we go through that. [00:02:26.900 – 00:02:36.920] And what we like to do to look at some of the history is go to the forward to the second edition, Roman numeral fifteen, and we'll start with

[00:02:36.920 – 00:02:38.980] the last paragraph on that page. [00:02:38.980 – 00:02:46.260] So everybody that's got your books, if you're ready, Roman numeral fifteen, and the last paragraph on that page. [00:02:46.260 – 00:02:46.620] Joe? [00:02:46.620 – 00:02:53.020] One of the things that's helped me over the years in studying Bill's writings, and he does this in, in most all of his writings. [00:02:53.020 – 00:02:57.780] If you kind of follow along with what he does, and you– help, help you understand some of his writings. [00:02:57.780 – 00:03:08.520] For instance, he'll always tell us what the problem is, then he'll just d– tell us a solution to that problem, and then he'll give us a practical program of action to im-implement the solution [00:03:08.520 – 00:03:09.660] that he just described.

[00:03:09.660 – 00:03:15.280] He does that in most all cases in his writings, so that kind of helped me in, in understanding how Bill writes. [00:03:15.280 – 00:03:25.560] So on the bottom of page, on Roman numeral page fifteen, he said, "The spark that was to flare the first AA group was struck in Akron, Ohio, in June 1935 [00:03:25.560 – 00:03:33.400] during a talk between a New York stockbroker and an Akron physician." Now, we know that New York stockbroker to be this fellow named Bill Wilson. [00:03:33.400 – 00:03:37.860] I think we're treating Bill pretty good when we call him a New York stockbroker. [00:03:37.860 – 00:03:42.100] He really was, and he was a New York City stock speculator. [00:03:42.100 – 00:03:46.540] He made his living out of selling fast, talking to slow-thinking people. [00:03:46.540 – 00:03:51.320] I don't want to take anything away from Bill because he's a great man.

[00:03:51.320 – 00:03:56.760] But I think we all need to realize that he's a real alcoholic, just like all the rest of us. [00:03:56.760 – 00:04:00.520] And understanding that, it'll make it easier to understand the book. [00:04:00.520 – 00:04:04.200] Because after all, Bill is the primary author of the book. [00:04:04.200 – 00:04:09.500] The New York– or the, the, uh, Akron physician is this fellow named Dr. [00:04:09.500 – 00:04:10.540] Bob Smith. [00:04:10.540 – 00:04:20.560] Now, six months earlier, the broker had been relieved of his drink obsession by a sudden spiritual experience following a meeting with an alcoholic friend who'd been in contact with the Oxford groups of that [00:04:20.560 – 00:04:20.840] day.

[00:04:20.840 – 00:04:30.920] A little later on, we're gonna get into Bill's story, and we're gonna see in Bill's story where he had what he always called a vital spiritual experience [00:04:30.920 – 00:04:35.100] in the town's hospital in December of 1934. [00:04:35.100 – 00:04:41.840] But prior to him having that spiritual experience, certain things had to take place in Bill's life. [00:04:41.840 – 00:04:51.840] And one of the things was that this meeting with the alcoholic friend took place in the latter part of November 1934, and this was a fellow [00:04:51.840 – 00:04:52.900] named Ebby Thatcher. [00:04:52.900 – 00:05:02.700] And Ebby Thatcher came with Bill and sat down in– with Bill in his– Bill's kitchen, and he gave Bill what turned out to be two vital pieces of information. [00:05:02.700 – 00:05:12.940] He said, "Bill, people like you and I who have become absolutely powerless over alcohol, if we're going to recover from that condition, we're

[00:05:12.940 – 00:05:23.140] gonna have to have the aid of a Power greater than human power." He said, "The doctors and the ministers and the psychiatrists have tried to help people like us, but the human [00:05:23.140 – 00:05:33.190] power doesn't seem to be able to do the job." And he said, "We'll have to have the aid of a Power greater than, greater than human power." And he said, "I've been attending meetings [00:05:33.190 – 00:05:43.240] with a group of people called the Oxford groupers, and they told me if I could have a spiritual experience, that during that spiritual experience, [00:05:43.240 – 00:05:53.300] I would be able to find that power, and I would be able to recover from alcoholism." He said, "Also, they have given me a practical program of [00:05:53.300 – 00:06:03.300] action, and they guaranteed me if I would follow that program of action, I would have the spiritual experience, I would find the power, [00:06:03.300 – 00:06:10.716] and I would be able to recover from alcoholism." And he said, "Look at me, Bill." It's been two months since I've had a drink. [00:06:10.716 – 00:06:15.516] Now, Bill knew about Ebby Thatcher, and he knew how Ebby drank.

[00:06:15.516 – 00:06:25.546] In fact, Bill had always said, "If I ever get as bad as Ebby Thatcher, I'm gonna quit drinking." And here's Ebby sitting in Bill's kitchen, and Bill is about two-thirds drunk, and [00:06:25.546 – 00:06:28.236] Ebby's been sober for two months. [00:06:28.236 – 00:06:39.336] This made a great impression on Bill when he told him of the solution, the vital spiritual experience, and he told him of the practical program of action necessary [00:06:39.336 – 00:06:41.136] to have that spiritual experience. [00:06:41.136 – 00:06:44.076] But that isn't everything Bill had to know. [00:06:44.076 – 00:06:45.476] Let's go a little further. [00:06:45.476 – 00:06:49.016] He said he had, he had also been greatly helped by the lac– by the late Dr.

[00:06:49.016 – 00:06:49.536] William D. [00:06:49.536 – 00:06:55.566] Silkworth, a New York specialist in alcoholism, who is now accounted no less than a medical saint by A.A. [00:06:55.566 – 00:07:00.256] members, and whose story of ear– of the early days of our society appears in the next pages. [00:07:00.256 – 00:07:03.896] And from this doctor, the broker learned the grave nature of alcoholism. [00:07:03.896 – 00:07:14.356] Again, as we get into Bill's story, we'll be able to see how as far back as the summer of 1933, Bill was placed in the town's hospital [00:07:14.356 – 00:07:17.556] for withdrawal from alcohol by Dr. [00:07:17.556 – 00:07:18.476] Silkworth.

[00:07:18.476 – 00:07:24.096] And after he had been in there a few days and his mind kind of cleared up, Dr. [00:07:24.096 – 00:07:31.016] Silkworth sat down with Bill and began to explain to him his ideas about this thing concerning alcoholism. [00:07:31.016 – 00:07:35.756] And he said, "Bill, I do not believe that alcoholism is a matter of willpower. [00:07:35.756 – 00:07:45.816] I do not believe it's a matter of moral character, and I don't think sin's got anything to do with it." He said, "I believe people like you are suffering [00:07:45.816 – 00:07:50.556] from an illness." And he said, "It seems to be a very peculiar illness. [00:07:50.556 – 00:08:00.956] It's a twofold illness, an illness of the body as well as an illness of the mind." And he said, "I think what has happened to people like you is [00:08:00.956 – 00:08:11.616] you have become absolutely physically allergic to alcohol, and it seemed to me as though any time you put any alcohol whatsoever into your system, it

[00:08:11.616 – 00:08:22.026] develops an actual physical craving which makes it virtually impossible for you to stop drinking after you have once started." And he said, "Because [00:08:22.026 – 00:08:32.076] of that allergy which produces that physical craving, you'll never be able to safely drink alcohol again." And he said, "You also have developed [00:08:32.076 – 00:08:42.316] what we refer to as an obsession of the mind." And he said, "An obsession of the mind is an idea that overcomes all other ideas to the contrary." And [00:08:42.316 – 00:08:47.476] he said, "It really doesn't make any difference how badly you want to stop drinking. [00:08:47.476 – 00:08:57.476] From time to time, your obsession of the mind to drink will be so strong that it will overcome any ideas not to drink, [00:08:57.476 – 00:09:07.516] and your mind will actually lead you to believing it's okay to take a drink." And he said, "Then you will take that drink, and then you will trigger that allergy, and you'll be unable to [00:09:07.516 – 00:09:11.856] stop." He said, "You can't safely drink because of your body.

[00:09:11.856 – 00:09:15.336] You can't stay sober because of your mind. [00:09:15.336 – 00:09:22.916] Therefore, you've become absolutely powerless over alcohol." Now, Bill knew that in the summer of 1933. [00:09:22.916 – 00:09:30.396] But knowing the problem didn't solve it, because if shortly after that, his mind told him it was okay to drink. [00:09:30.396 – 00:09:34.516] And he took a drink and triggered the allergy and drank for another year. [00:09:34.516 – 00:09:40.996] In the summer of 1934, he was placed back in the hospital again to be withdrawn from alcohol by Dr. [00:09:40.996 – 00:09:41.856] Silkworth. [00:09:41.856 – 00:09:43.776] And this time, Dr.

[00:09:43.776 – 00:09:53.796] Silkworth pronounced him incurable and told Bill's wife, Lois, that, "This guy is either gonna die from DTs or he's gonna become completely [00:09:53.796 – 00:10:03.796] insane from a wet brain, and you're gonna have to lock him up or hire a bodyguard if you expect him to live." And Bill overheard that, and he said this time fear [00:10:03.796 – 00:10:05.116] sobered him for a bit. [00:10:05.116 – 00:10:10.796] But then on Armistice Day 1934, his mind told him it was okay to drink. [00:10:10.796 – 00:10:14.576] And he took a drink and triggered the allergy and couldn't stop drinking. [00:10:14.576 – 00:10:24.646] It's only after Ebby came to see him and gave him a solution to that problem and gave him a program of action that [00:10:24.646 – 00:10:26.096] Bill was able to recover.

[00:10:26.096 – 00:10:29.116] So basically, he had to know three things. [00:10:29.116 – 00:10:30.876] He had to know the problem. [00:10:30.876 – 00:10:31.716] He got that from Dr. [00:10:31.716 – 00:10:32.636] Silkworth. [00:10:32.636 – 00:10:35.876] He had to know the solution and the program of action. [00:10:35.876 – 00:10:38.056] That came to him from Ebby. [00:10:38.056 – 00:10:43.356] And then Bill was able to have his spiritual experience and recover from alcoholism.

[00:10:43.356 – 00:10:47.536] And Ebby began to take Bill to these Oxford Group meetings after that. [00:10:47.536 – 00:10:57.596] And he said, though he could not accept all the tenets of the Oxford Group, he was convinced of the need of moral inventory, confession of personality defects, restitution of those [00:10:57.596 – 00:11:07.816] harmed, helpfulness to others, and the necessity of belief in and dependence upon God, which were the tenets of the Oxford Group, which were later on expanded into the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. [00:11:07.816 – 00:11:14.836] Now, prior to his journey to Akron, the broker had worked hard with many alcoholics on the theory that only an alcoholic could help an alcoholic. [00:11:14.836 – 00:11:17.696] But he succeeded only in keeping sober himself. [00:11:17.696 – 00:11:22.356] After Bill got out of the hospital that last time, he began to try to help other, other people. [00:11:22.356 – 00:11:27.276] He began to go out and, and sane them up out of the gutters and take them to these Oxford Group meetings.

[00:11:27.276 – 00:11:31.616] He began to go into the bars and drag them off a bar stool and take them to the Oxford Group meetings. [00:11:31.616 – 00:11:34.156] Most of them didn't want to go, but he was taking them anyhow. [00:11:34.156 – 00:11:36.656] He's trying to sober up the world. [00:11:36.656 – 00:11:38.056] He had lots of enthusiasm. [00:11:38.056 – 00:11:42.816] But after a few months of trying to do this, why, nobody was staying sober but Bill. [00:11:42.816 – 00:11:47.436] And he went to Lois, and he said, "Lois, I'm trying to help these people, these alcoholics stay sober. [00:11:47.436 – 00:11:51.636] Nobody seems to want to stay sober." And he said, well, she said, "Why don't you go talk to Dr.

[00:11:51.636 – 00:11:55.046] Silkworth and see what he has to say?" So he went over to talk to Dr. [00:11:55.046 – 00:11:57.596] Silkworth and told him the same story. [00:11:57.596 – 00:11:57.996] And Dr. [00:11:57.996 – 00:12:08.156] Silkworth said, "Yes, I've heard some of the shenanigans you're pulling out there on the streets." He said, "Uh, you know, Bill, you're staying sober, so obviously trying to help other people is helping you stay sober." [00:12:08.156 – 00:12:17.256] And he said, "You're talking to those drunks about that g-great spiritual experience that you had, and a drunk just won't accept that." He said, "Why don't you do for them what I did for you? [00:12:17.256 – 00:12:20.316] Why don't you talk to them about the illness of alcoholism? [00:12:20.316 – 00:12:24.296] Talk to them about the physical allergy and the obsession of the mind.

[00:12:24.296 – 00:12:26.976] Show them through your experience how that worked for you. [00:12:26.976 – 00:12:35.256] And if they will accept that, then maybe you can talk to them about spiritual matters." He said, "Bill, every alcoholic I know has two questions. [00:12:35.256 – 00:12:39.776] Number one, why can't I drink like I used to without getting drunk all the time? [00:12:39.776 – 00:12:49.816] And number two, why can't I quit drinking now that I want to?" And he said, "If you will explain to them the exact nature of the illness, tell them about [00:12:49.816 – 00:12:59.316] the physical allergy of the body and the obsession of the mind, you'll get their attention." And he said, "Then after you get their attention, you can talk to them about spirituality. [00:12:59.316 – 00:13:09.316] But tell them what the problem is first." Now our book said the broker had gone to Akron on a business venture which had collapsed, leaving him greatly in fear [00:13:09.316 – 00:13:10.936] that he might start drinking again.

[00:13:10.936 – 00:13:20.576] He suddenly realized that in order to save himself, he must carry his message to another alcoholic, and that alcoholic turned out to be the Akron physician. [00:13:20.576 – 00:13:23.536] And we all know the story of Bill going to Akron. [00:13:23.536 – 00:13:27.096] He and some other guys had put a business deal together. [00:13:27.096 – 00:13:32.656] They're gonna take over one of the companies there in Akron just through a proxy fight. [00:13:32.656 – 00:13:40.356] And while there, the whole thing blew up in their face, and his friends all deserted him and left him there in Akron. [00:13:40.356 – 00:13:50.396] Standing in the lobby of the Mayflower Hotel, low, sad, and depressed, counting the money in his pocket, realized he didn't even have enough [00:13:50.396 – 00:13:52.856] money to pay his hotel bill.

[00:13:52.856 – 00:13:55.936] He happened to look through a door off the lobby into the bar. [00:13:55.936 – 00:13:59.736] And I would assume probably the lights were low in the bar. [00:13:59.736 – 00:14:02.716] The music was probably playing in the bar. [00:14:02.716 – 00:14:04.976] The laughter was great, and the smoke was thick. [00:14:04.976 – 00:14:15.056] And Bill's mind said, "I believe I'll go in there and be with people of my kind and I'll feel better." And as he started through the door, his mind began to think about [00:14:15.056 – 00:14:15.876] taking a drink. [00:14:15.876 – 00:14:20.656] And Bill suddenly realized that if he went in that bar, he was gonna end up drunk.

[00:14:20.656 – 00:14:30.656] But he remembered how back in New York City, every time he'd tried to help another alcoholic, even though he had failed with them, every time [00:14:30.656 – 00:14:32.756] he had tried, he himself had felt better. [00:14:32.756 – 00:14:42.776] So he said to himself, "What I better do is find me a drunk here in Akron to talk to." Made a few phone calls, came in to-contact with a lady named [00:14:42.776 – 00:14:44.036] Henrietta Seiberling. [00:14:44.036 – 00:14:54.115] And Henrietta said, "Yeah, I know a guy that you can talk to." Said, "Let me call him and see if I can't set up a meeting for you." So she calls Dr. [00:14:54.115 – 00:15:04.276] Bob's house and got hold of Ann Smith, Bob's wife, and said, "There's a fella here from New York City that says he may have a possible means [00:15:04.276 – 00:15:05.226] that Dr.

[00:15:05.226 – 00:15:07.316] Bob could recover from alcoholism. [00:15:07.316 – 00:15:09.196] Can you bring Dr. [00:15:09.196 – 00:15:19.336] Bob over for a visit?" And Ann said, "Well, I'd like to," but she said, "You know, this is the day before Mother's Day, and he brought me home [00:15:19.336 – 00:15:29.396] a potted plant, and it's sitting on the table, and he's potted underneath the table." She said, "Let me wait [00:15:29.396 – 00:15:34.786] until the morning and see if I can get him to come over." So of course, the next morning, as soon as Dr. [00:15:34.786 – 00:15:41.416] Bob woke up, she set in on him to go over to Henrietta's and see this guy and talk to this guy from New York City. [00:15:41.416 – 00:15:43.036] Now, you know Dr.

[00:15:43.036 – 00:15:45.216] Bob didn't feel very good the next morning. [00:15:45.216 – 00:15:52.956] Hung over and felt bad, and he said, "I'm not going." And Ann kept after him and kept after him and kept after him. [00:15:52.956 – 00:15:55.336] And finally, finally, Dr. [00:15:55.336 – 00:16:05.396] Bob said, "I'll go over there and give that guy 15 minutes of my time, and then I'm coming back home." So Ann took him over there, and Bill and Bob went into [00:16:05.396 – 00:16:10.016] a room by themselves, and they stayed in that room for literally hours. [00:16:10.016 – 00:16:11.356] And Dr. [00:16:11.356 – 00:16:21.056] Bob came out of that room, and he said, "This is the first man I've ever met that knows what he's talking about when he talks about alcoholism." Let's see what happened to him.

[00:16:21.056 – 00:16:25.996] He said the physician had repeatedly tried spiritual means to resolve his alcoholic dilemma, but it failed. [00:16:25.996 – 00:16:29.056] Bill was surprised to find out Dr. [00:16:29.056 – 00:16:31.536] Bob was already in the Oxford Groups. [00:16:31.536 – 00:16:39.296] He knew more about the solution, the spiritual experience, and the program of action that Bill knew. [00:16:39.296 – 00:16:46.296] But he had never been able to apply it to the depth necessary to recover 'cause he didn't know what was wrong with him. [00:16:46.296 – 00:16:48.656] You see, he thought it was willpower. [00:16:48.656 – 00:16:50.936] He thought it was moral character.

[00:16:50.936 – 00:16:51.996] He thought it was sin. [00:16:51.996 – 00:16:53.596] Why would he not? [00:16:53.596 – 00:16:56.056] That's what everybody had told him up until that time. [00:16:56.056 – 00:17:06.236] And what really interested him was the message that Bill had to carry regarding the problem, not the solution, not the program of action, [00:17:06.236 – 00:17:10.276] but what alcohol– alcoholism really consists of. [00:17:10.276 – 00:17:12.206] He said, "But when the broker gave him Dr. [00:17:12.206 – 00:17:22.475] Silkworth's description of alcoholism and his hopelessness, the physician began to pursue the spiritual remedy with a malady– for his malady with a willingness he had never before been able to muster.

[00:17:22.475 – 00:17:28.356] He sobered, never to drink again up to the moment of his death in 1950." You know, Bill went in there this time. [00:17:28.356 – 00:17:30.416] For the first time, he began to talk to Dr. [00:17:30.416 – 00:17:33.035] Bob about the allergy to alcoholism. [00:17:33.035 – 00:17:43.136] He told him that every time he would go down by the bar and had every intention to have a drink or two, he, he would drink more than he intended to, and he'd drink more that night or the next day, and, and he'd be off [00:17:43.136 – 00:17:43.975] and running again. [00:17:43.975 – 00:17:45.476] And he said this Dr. [00:17:45.476 – 00:17:52.156] Silkworth had told him that, that that was a physical allergy that caused him to want to crave more drinks after he took a drink.

[00:17:52.156 – 00:17:53.016] And Dr. [00:17:53.016 – 00:17:54.956] Bob said, "Well, yes, I drink just like that. [00:17:54.956 – 00:17:56.975] You know, I– you, you really know what you're talking about. [00:17:56.975 – 00:17:58.056] That's the way I drink too. [00:17:58.056 – 00:18:08.056] I would want to have one or two drinks, and next thing I know is I drank three, four, five, 10, or 15, or 20 and didn't know how I got started." He said, "Do you call that a physical allergy?" [00:18:08.056 – 00:18:15.476] He said, "That's right." And he said, "Another thing," he said, "when I'm not drinking, when I'm sober, I have, I have these thoughts that I want to drink all the time. [00:18:15.476 – 00:18:17.536] It's always on my mind." And Dr.

[00:18:17.536 – 00:18:25.536] Silkworth said, "That's the obsession of the mind, that we're obsessed with the idea to drink." And Dr., uh, Bob said, "Well, I, I have those same kind of thoughts. [00:18:25.536 – 00:18:31.456] You really know what you're talking about." So they reached a rapport through the illness of alcoholism, and he explained it at great detail. [00:18:31.456 – 00:18:32.156] And Dr. [00:18:32.156 – 00:18:33.136] Bob said, "That's me. [00:18:33.136 – 00:18:34.496] That's just the way I drink. [00:18:34.496 – 00:18:38.296] You really know what you're talking about." So they had some identification going. [00:18:38.296 – 00:18:41.856] You know, this is the first time that Bill had tried this.

[00:18:41.856 – 00:18:50.916] Everybody back in New York City, he had always talked to them about the solution, the great spiritual experience, the big white flash he had had at a town's hospital. [00:18:50.916 – 00:18:52.796] But he sat down with Dr. [00:18:52.796 – 00:18:53.396] Bob. [00:18:53.396 – 00:18:54.356] He didn't talk to Dr. [00:18:54.356 – 00:18:55.516] Bob at all about Dr. [00:18:55.516 – 00:18:56.856] Bob's drinking either. [00:18:56.856 – 00:18:58.556] I'm sure that's what Dr.

[00:18:58.556 – 00:18:59.956] Bob expected to hear. [00:18:59.956 – 00:19:02.676] Everybody else had talked to him about his drinking. [00:19:02.676 – 00:19:11.036] But Bill said, "Let me tell you about my drinking." And through the sharing of his story, talking about his own allergy, Dr. [00:19:11.036 – 00:19:13.396] Bob could see himself immediately in it. [00:19:13.396 – 00:19:18.866] Through the sharing of his own story, talking about his obsession of the mind, Dr. [00:19:18.866 – 00:19:26.916] Bob could see himself immediately in it, and he could see where he had become absolutely powerless over alcohol. [00:19:26.916 – 00:19:32.396] And for the first time, he was completely defeated when it comes to alcohol.

[00:19:32.396 – 00:19:35.936] Then he began to apply the little program of action.