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[00:00:02.080 – 00:00:03.200] So good evening, everyone. [00:00:03.200 – 00:00:05.100] Uh, my name is David, and I'm an alcoholic. [00:00:05.100 – 00:00:11.820] I'd like to welcome you to this open AA recovery workshop with Q&A, and along with- Hello, I'm Stuart. [00:00:11.820 – 00:00:12.860] I'm an alcoholic. [00:00:12.860 – 00:00:14.220] Nice to see you all. [00:00:14.220 – 00:00:15.880] I'll see you later for the Q&A. [00:00:15.880 – 00:00:18.240] We are delighted to serve you this evening.

[00:00:18.240 – 00:00:26.000] So this is a, a series of workshops inspired by recoveryspeakers.com, and it's hosted by the Saturday night AA group, Camberwell, London, SE5. [00:00:26.000 – 00:00:35.220] Now in keeping with the traditions, in particular tradition five, each AA group has but one primary purpose, and that, of course, is to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers. [00:00:35.220 – 00:00:40.320] Now we are recording this meeting, and we've, we've been restoring the records, but I have Debbie M. [00:00:40.320 – 00:00:45.040] here from Prosper, Texas, and also with Threads of Recovery and recoverytapers.com. [00:00:45.040 – 00:00:48.160] Debbie, have you got an update for us, please, on your r- on your website? [00:00:48.160 – 00:00:58.410] Debbie, I'm an alcoholic, and, um, I've got an update, but it's not the one we want, that the magic link now works for all of our, um, talks [00:00:58.410 – 00:00:59.940] that we wanna listen to.

[00:00:59.940 – 00:01:01.230] Um, they are still working on it. [00:01:01.230 – 00:01:11.240] Every time we get through one door, we run into another roadblock, so they are still diligently working on it, and we've got a team of expert alcoholics to get into this stuff. [00:01:11.240 – 00:01:13.860] So, um, I will let you guys know as soon as I know. [00:01:13.860 – 00:01:14.140] All right. [00:01:14.140 – 00:01:15.440] Thank you so much. [00:01:15.440 – 00:01:15.830] Appreciate it. [00:01:15.830 – 00:01:17.060] God, you'll be, uh, yeah.

[00:01:17.060 – 00:01:17.350] Thank you. [00:01:17.350 – 00:01:17.690] Thank you, Debbie. [00:01:17.690 – 00:01:19.780] Trisha, I'm going to mute you there for a second. [00:01:19.780 – 00:01:21.580] So in keeping with… [00:01:21.580 – 00:01:22.100] I've done my bit. [00:01:22.100 – 00:01:30.220] The main purpose of these workshops is to introduce and/or develop ideas and concepts, and hopefully to encourage participants to do some further investigation on their own. [00:01:30.220 – 00:01:40.440] The common thread throughout has been a quote from step 10 in our basic text which says, "We have entered the world of the spirit, and that our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness,"

[00:01:40.440 – 00:01:42.060] and that's from page 84. [00:01:42.060 – 00:01:44.060] Now tonight we have Tom R. [00:01:44.060 – 00:01:44.360] with us. [00:01:44.360 – 00:01:45.990] And just b- I'm just gonna do an intro, Tom, for you. [00:01:45.990 – 00:01:46.420] Tom R. [00:01:46.420 – 00:01:52.700] of, uh, the moderator, if you like, from, uh, History L., and Tom is celebrating at the m- at this present… [00:01:52.700 – 00:01:53.660] Is it today, Tom?

[00:01:53.660 – 00:01:56.460] You said today was- It was yesterday. [00:01:56.460 – 00:02:01.600] Yesterday T. celebrated three zero, 30 years of continuous recovery. [00:02:01.600 – 00:02:03.220] Congratulations, Tom. [00:02:03.220 – 00:02:05.960] Unmute if you'd like to join in the applause. [00:02:05.960 – 00:02:07.160] Uh, well done, everyone. [00:02:07.160 – 00:02:09.920] Melinda, your 31st year. [00:02:09.920 – 00:02:14.820] I finally reached guru status.

[00:02:14.820 – 00:02:15.460] Yay. [00:02:15.460 – 00:02:16.520] Go you. [00:02:16.520 – 00:02:17.360] Go you. [00:02:17.360 – 00:02:19.880] And I believe Ry is gonna sing a song for you. [00:02:19.880 – 00:02:20.500] Is that right, Ry? [00:02:20.500 – 00:02:22.620] No, Ry has dropped. [00:02:22.620 – 00:02:23.440] Ry is from Florida.

[00:02:23.440 – 00:02:24.620] He's not doing that, no. [00:02:24.620 – 00:02:25.400] Okay. [00:02:25.400 – 00:02:31.180] As I said, the audio for tonight, we will be recording the audio, and, uh, if you want a link for that, please send me an email. [00:02:31.180 – 00:02:33.240] I'll put a link in the chat for my email. [00:02:33.240 – 00:02:34.080] Please send me an email. [00:02:34.080 – 00:02:34.520] Thank you. [00:02:34.520 – 00:02:42.570] We would like to point out that what is shared at these workshop meetings represents the experience, strength, and hope of their members and not, not to be taken to represent the fellowship as a whole.

[00:02:42.570 – 00:02:50.800] The 12 step proven program of recovery can be found in our basic textbook titled, of course, Alcoholics Anonymous, which we fondly call the big book. [00:02:50.800 – 00:02:54.880] Now if you'd like to unmute, we're gonna say a version of, uh, the Sericide P.. [00:02:54.880 – 00:02:57.560] And if you'd like to just join in with that, we'd appreciate that, thank you. [00:02:57.560 – 00:03:01.780] It creates a fellowship, and we get into the language of the heart, of course. [00:03:01.780 – 00:03:03.579] So using God as you understand him. [00:03:03.579 – 00:03:05.609] God- God. [00:03:05.609 – 00:03:07.020] Please- God.

[00:03:07.020 – 00:03:07.430] To such and such. [00:03:07.430 – 00:03:07.950] To such and such. [00:03:07.950 – 00:03:16.620] To set aside everything that I know and my limited experience in my mind. [00:03:16.620 – 00:03:26.660] And we'll just wanna have a few moments silence to gather our thoughts, reflect on why we're here, think of those who've passed, of course think of those who are still suffering from alcoholic torture, and [00:03:26.660 – 00:03:27.400] their family members. [00:03:27.400 – 00:03:27.920] Thank you. [00:03:27.920 – 00:03:38.640] Thank

[00:03:38.640 – 00:03:39.220] you, everyone. [00:03:39.220 – 00:03:39.660] I appreciate that. [00:03:39.660 – 00:03:42.380] Um, Melinda, I'd love to mute you. [00:03:42.380 – 00:03:44.720] Yeah, and so it's great to have Tom R. [00:03:44.720 – 00:03:45.380] with us again. [00:03:45.380 – 00:03:48.820] Tom, great to see you in your Liverpool FC, uh, top. [00:03:48.820 – 00:03:52.500] You'll never walk alone, but please share with us about your vision for us.

[00:03:52.500 – 00:03:55.420] I appreciate it very much. [00:03:55.420 – 00:03:57.360] Uh, thank you for having me, David. [00:03:57.360 – 00:03:59.280] Thank you everyone for being here today. [00:03:59.280 – 00:04:00.620] My name is Tom. [00:04:00.620 – 00:04:01.640] I am an alcoholic. [00:04:01.640 – 00:04:06.660] My, uh, sobriety date is February 10, 1992. [00:04:06.660 – 00:04:16.760] I am extremely grateful for Alcoholics Anonymous for giving me the life that I have, which is definitely one I could never have predicted, and it is beyond my wildest

[00:04:16.760 – 00:04:17.089] dreams. [00:04:17.089 – 00:04:27.000] Even with trials and tribulations, AA has always given me the necessary tools necessary to get through it, because the proof is here I am and I'm in a good mood. [00:04:27.000 – 00:04:29.840] So, so that's good. [00:04:29.840 – 00:04:34.040] Um, today's talk is gonna be a little bit different from the norm. [00:04:34.040 – 00:04:43.340] Um, I deliberately do not make a presentation, like a PowerPoint, for this talk because I don't want it to be separated from the talk itself. [00:04:43.340 – 00:04:53.480] I like to try to put as much information into the recording as possible, um, so I kind of go a little fast because I normally, um, don't do these in 90 minutes. [00:04:53.480 – 00:04:56.040] I, I mean, I have a short version, I've got a longer version.

[00:04:56.040 – 00:05:05.520] I could do entire workshops on this stuff because I've been a historian in, in, in AA, and an archivist, uh, for well over a quarter century. [00:05:05.520 – 00:05:08.340] I've been in love with AA history for a long, long time. [00:05:08.340 – 00:05:13.380] Uh, I'm a guy that likes to stay in the background usually and work on infrastructure. [00:05:13.380 – 00:05:17.960] I like to build platforms for other archivists and historians to stand on. [00:05:17.960 – 00:05:20.960] So, uh, I, I do a lot of stuff in the background and stuff. [00:05:20.960 – 00:05:23.940] I don't come forward as often as a lot of the, uh, presenters- [00:05:24.460 – 00:05:33.200] do, and they do such a smashing job that I don't really feel that much of a call to do it, because the history is getting told, and it is getting put out there.

[00:05:33.200 – 00:05:42.180] However, I do wanna say that what I've learned in all these years is that AA history is kind of a moving target. [00:05:42.180 – 00:05:49.740] It's, it's, it's a narrative, is what it is really, because you know how individually we don't like to take our own inventories? [00:05:49.740 – 00:05:51.220] Well, groups don't either. [00:05:51.220 – 00:05:55.060] Nobody likes to take their inventory. [00:05:55.060 – 00:06:01.200] Business meetings don't like to take minutes, and I mean, it's just like we just hate document- menting ourselves. [00:06:01.200 – 00:06:01.210] Correct. [00:06:01.210 – 00:06:05.060] We don't wanna write a thing if we can avoid it.

[00:06:05.060 – 00:06:07.890] Pens are our enemies, and I get that, okay? [00:06:07.890 – 00:06:18.380] So AA history's kinda tough sometimes, but every now and then you get some gems, and I'm gonna give a bit of a background before I literally take you all through the chapter, [00:06:18.380 – 00:06:22.840] A Vision F. You, and I'm gonna point out some things that I've discovered over the years. [00:06:22.840 – 00:06:30.280] I'm gonna point out some history when it mentions something, and if I happen to have the names, sobriety date, and the story they wrote, I'm gonna let you know. [00:06:30.280 – 00:06:34.120] If I've got some dates and names, I'm gonna give you all that information. [00:06:34.120 – 00:06:35.560] So there's definitely history here. [00:06:35.560 – 00:06:45.620] But, um, but my main goal is to point out that we need to be reminded that we are very fortunate to

[00:06:45.620 – 00:06:54.640] have what we have today, okay, as a fellowship, which is becoming a worldwide fellowship now once and for all, thanks to technology, right? [00:06:54.640 – 00:07:00.380] I mean, we're in, we're in a renaissance that's unbelievable, but that's a different topic for a different day. [00:07:00.380 – 00:07:10.360] But let's go all the way back to what AA looked like in November of 1938 when chapter 11 was actually written by Bill. [00:07:10.360 – 00:07:13.280] He wrote it before he wrote How It W.. [00:07:13.280 – 00:07:15.260] He wrote it before Into A.. [00:07:15.260 – 00:07:16.580] He… [00:07:16.580 – 00:07:26.620] So the 12 steps weren't even written yet when A Vision F. You was, was done, and the original idea for a history chapter

[00:07:26.620 – 00:07:30.180] was, uh, as far as we know, from Hank P.. [00:07:30.180 – 00:07:40.220] And some proof we have, and this is actually available on AA History L. in the files section, but it's a, it's called Hank's Ideas, [00:07:40.220 – 00:07:49.820] and it's in his own handwriting, and it's a bunch of stuff and notes of things he wanted to do, like an outline of, of, of things he wanted to put into the book. [00:07:49.820 – 00:07:55.880] Hank, Hank P., like Bill S., he says, "No, no Hank, no book," he's not kidding. [00:07:55.880 – 00:07:58.120] He is so not kidding. [00:07:58.120 – 00:08:08.240] Without H., there wouldn't be a big book, at least not as we know it, um, if it ever would've gotten written, 'cause Bill wasn't as motivated as, as we like to, [00:08:08.240 – 00:08:18.140] you know, put him on that pedestal and say, "Oh, he was the one driving all of this." He was being pushed also by a couple people that were very close to him.

[00:08:18.140 – 00:08:22.200] And, and, uh, but then again, I don't wanna get too deep into it. [00:08:22.200 – 00:08:31.740] I wanna give a brief introduction, because in the 90 minutes allotted, I wanna take you all the way through the chapter, and I wanna point, point out some stuff that I think you're gonna find very interesting. [00:08:31.740 – 00:08:35.650] Uh, but I'm gonna go ahead and, uh, read something. [00:08:35.650 – 00:08:41.090] In H.'s handwriting it says sug- suggestions for chapter one. [00:08:41.090 – 00:08:46.080] Now, why are we talking about chapter one if A Vision F. You is chapter 11? [00:08:46.080 – 00:08:56.200] Well, that's because the original idea was to make the history chapter the first chapter of the book, and it's an entire narrative as to why it ended [00:08:56.200 – 00:09:02.620] up being a book that starts off saying, "We are many thousands who have recovered," and chapter one's about one guy, okay?

[00:09:02.620 – 00:09:04.520] That's a whole nother topic. [00:09:04.520 – 00:09:14.690] But the original idea, the original concept when the book was being thought up, was that there would be a history chapter, and here is exactly [00:09:14.690 – 00:09:16.820] what Hank said. [00:09:16.820 – 00:09:20.920] "Suggestions for chapter one: A history of the work. [00:09:20.920 – 00:09:25.540] Probably this could be carried on the first two pages of the book. [00:09:25.540 – 00:09:35.760] Uh, thus, history should establish proof of success of the work and c- and carry hope to everyone that reads [00:09:35.760 – 00:09:41.579] that much." The first two pages, he was hoping they'd at least read the first two pages.

[00:09:41.579 – 00:09:42.560] I think that's hilarious. [00:09:42.560 – 00:09:52.100] And then he says, um, "The opening to the book should arouse the emotion of hope." Wow, I love it. [00:09:52.100 – 00:09:59.900] Well, even though it got relegated to chapter 11, hope does spring eternal in this chapter. [00:09:59.900 – 00:10:05.580] The second source I'm going to quote from is the- We got a… [00:10:05.580 – 00:10:06.500] Okay. [00:10:06.500 – 00:10:07.200] Thank you. [00:10:07.200 – 00:10:12.580] The book that started it all, which is the, uh, original working manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:10:12.580 – 00:10:13.460] I'm, uh… [00:10:13.460 – 00:10:15.520] Yeah. [00:10:15.520 – 00:10:22.140] There, in the beginning, there's a bunch of history, and there's a little section that says, "Some historical context" as the header. [00:10:22.140 – 00:10:29.500] And so what I wanna do right before I get into the chapter is I wanna paint a, just a brief picture of what, what AA kinda looked like. [00:10:29.500 – 00:10:32.900] What, well, you could call it AA at the time. [00:10:32.900 – 00:10:38.060] It really didn't technically have its name yet, but, but there was a small band of people. [00:10:38.060 – 00:10:44.650] You know, there's, uh, we debate on AA History L. if it was 40, if it was 80, if it was a, really was 100.

[00:10:44.650 – 00:10:47.900] Let's just for sake of argument call it 80. [00:10:48.260 – 00:10:53.279] 80 people in the world, in two cities, had any idea what this thing was about. [00:10:53.279 – 00:10:55.160] It wasn't codified yet. [00:10:55.160 – 00:11:02.460] Uh, there's this, um, narrative that goes around that we had these six steps before the Big Book was written. [00:11:02.460 – 00:11:03.780] That's a false narrative. [00:11:03.780 – 00:11:04.920] That was never true. [00:11:04.920 – 00:11:11.400] When we were part of the Oxford Group, we had the four absolutes, we had the five Cs, but there was no six steps.

[00:11:11.400 – 00:11:20.800] It was just kind of a process that was word of mouth that people did, and it was never codified until, um, Jim W. can correct me on the exact date. [00:11:20.800 – 00:11:31.220] It was '46 or '48, all right, when the, the first known so far writing, uh, where Bill actually wrote down six steps. [00:11:31.220 – 00:11:37.580] So it was an invention that came much later, and then everybody kind of jumped on the bandwagon on that. [00:11:37.580 – 00:11:47.600] So there's a lot of narrative stuff that we believe in AA that simply isn't true, and it could even be proven untrue, and [00:11:47.600 – 00:11:50.420] yet we continue to try, you know, to believe it anyway. [00:11:50.420 – 00:11:58.500] And I think that's because, looking back at my own recovery, I love the simple narrative. [00:11:58.500 – 00:12:01.280] I love the story that sounds good.

[00:12:01.280 – 00:12:04.780] I like the story that's romantic and fun and easy. [00:12:04.780 – 00:12:06.220] I don't want the hard truth. [00:12:06.220 – 00:12:10.440] I don't want the facts, and until I got into history, I didn't even want the details. [00:12:10.440 – 00:12:14.400] I just, tell me the story that makes me feel good and I'm, we're good. [00:12:14.400 – 00:12:16.190] It doesn't have to be true or not. [00:12:16.190 – 00:12:20.820] I don't know the difference between the true or the false anyway, so what difference does it make, right? [00:12:20.820 – 00:12:31.020] So the challenge is to fight against my own instinct to not care about the truth in order to try to dig and find out the truth from a bunch of people

[00:12:31.020 – 00:12:32.460] that weren't very good at telling it. [00:12:32.460 – 00:12:35.560] They were not saints. [00:12:35.560 – 00:12:45.460] But it does give some historical context of what the world looked like back in 1936, '37, '38, '39 when the book was being conceived. [00:12:45.460 – 00:12:48.660] In, and here, a great narrative, I'm gonna read a couple paragraphs. [00:12:48.660 – 00:12:58.720] "While reading this amazing document," it's talking about the original manuscript, "you can expand your understanding and appreciation by being mindful of the [00:12:58.720 – 00:13:02.460] time period in which this book was written," which is the whole point of my talk. [00:13:02.460 – 00:13:08.040] We gotta be mindful of the time period of which chapter 11 in particular was written.

[00:13:08.040 – 00:13:14.640] "Here are just a few of the important historical elements that affected and influenced the creation of the Big Book. [00:13:14.640 – 00:13:16.510] The Great Depression. [00:13:16.510 – 00:13:23.130] In 1938 and 1939, most of the world was still in the depths of the Great D.. [00:13:23.130 – 00:13:30.940] In the United States, the economy was not as dire as it had been three years earlier, but it was…" You know why? [00:13:30.940 – 00:13:34.420] Because in 1933, Prohibition was lifted. [00:13:34.420 – 00:13:38.440] So, so we had our economy back. [00:13:38.440 – 00:13:48.040] Everybody's happy and drunk again legally, and, uh, now they wanna work instead of, you know, make bathtub gin that was really low quality.

[00:13:48.040 – 00:13:51.980] Anyway, "But it was still just barely limping along. [00:13:51.980 – 00:14:01.860] This had a direct effect on the ability of many marginal workers, for instance alcoholics, to obtain jobs and to properly support their families. [00:14:01.860 – 00:14:11.880] The language of the Big Book, especially in the chapters To W., Family A., and To E., is more understandable when seen in this context." [00:14:11.880 – 00:14:17.540] Now, even though that didn't mention A Vision F. You, I am… [00:14:17.540 – 00:14:19.540] Here's the premise of my entire talk. [00:14:19.540 – 00:14:29.840] A Vision F. You explains the context of the rest of the book in a way that I truly believe we're ignoring [00:14:29.840 – 00:14:31.200] today.

[00:14:31.200 – 00:14:32.640] We're just ignoring it. [00:14:32.640 – 00:14:42.720] We are comparing the Big Book to the way we are now, and I believe it is a disservice to the newcomers who are trying to grasp and understand [00:14:42.720 – 00:14:49.400] the book, and I also believe it's what's giving rise to the backlash, saying, "Well, it was old. [00:14:49.400 – 00:14:50.740] It's written in the '30s. [00:14:50.740 – 00:14:53.240] It's out of date." No. [00:14:53.240 – 00:14:54.500] It's not. [00:14:54.500 – 00:15:05.200] It's actually still just as amazing as it ever was, except that we are reading it out of context, and my goal today is to prove it

[00:15:05.200 – 00:15:07.240] right out of the chapter itself. [00:15:07.240 – 00:15:08.500] All right? [00:15:08.500 – 00:15:18.780] And then there's some more stuff about Prohibition, and then it talks about the Oxford Group here, and, uh, we're gonna talk about more th- of that when we get into the chapter anyway, [00:15:18.780 – 00:15:21.160] so I don't wanna waste any more time on that. [00:15:21.160 – 00:15:26.820] Um, I'm gonna show you guys one artifact just for fun before we get into it that I happen to have. [00:15:26.820 – 00:15:30.100] This is a book called Industrial A.. [00:15:30.100 – 00:15:35.120] Came out in, came out in 1921, right after the Volstead A..

[00:15:35.120 – 00:15:38.220] 1919 was when, uh, Prohibition started. [00:15:38.220 – 00:15:47.219] And so one way to get around the, uh, lack of alcohol was to create these little underground books, and this is one of them. [00:15:47.219 – 00:15:57.430] This is an original copy, 1921, and in it, it has the, uh, Volstead A., 'cause it had to by law, which is the law of Prohibition, you know, all the rules [00:15:57.430 – 00:15:58.420] and everything. [00:15:58.420 – 00:16:00.360] Medical use, uh, was okay. [00:16:00.360 – 00:16:10.700] But then it had a bunch of recipes of how to make industrial, quote, quote, "alcohol," using things like wheat, [00:16:10.700 – 00:16:11.800] corn, rye

[00:16:12.100 – 00:16:19.340] Barley, oats, buckwheat, rice, berries, uh, different fruits. [00:16:19.340 – 00:16:22.860] You know, for industrial purposes only, of course. [00:16:22.860 – 00:16:27.400] Oh, my God, we weren't saints. [00:16:27.400 – 00:16:29.520] It goes on and on and on. [00:16:29.520 – 00:16:33.100] So the world was crazy. [00:16:33.100 – 00:16:34.920] It was absolutely crazy. [00:16:34.920 – 00:16:45.760] But what's really important to know is that when this book was being written, there were people in two cities in the entire world, Akron

[00:16:45.760 – 00:16:55.800] and New York, who knew anything about this way of life that was still under development in terms of codifying it and, and, and actually writing [00:16:55.800 – 00:17:00.200] it down and, and putting it into a format that, that, that anyone can use it. [00:17:00.200 – 00:17:07.240] And I'm gonna prove right out of the chapter that the book was written for the loner. [00:17:07.240 – 00:17:14.680] We are reading it out of context when we read it for the group, and that applies to all of the other chapters. [00:17:14.680 – 00:17:23.280] The book assumes that the reader is alone, and that's one of the reasons why it over-explains itself as much as it does. [00:17:23.280 – 00:17:30.020] Because it has to take the stance that it is the only source of information you're gonna get. [00:17:30.020 – 00:17:31.520] There was no internet.

[00:17:31.520 – 00:17:36.300] There was no group in Topeka, Kansas, Des M., Iowa, right? [00:17:36.300 – 00:17:38.920] Um, any of… [00:17:38.920 – 00:17:42.179] When the book was released, you know, it was sent out to Los Angeles. [00:17:42.179 – 00:17:43.340] All they had was the book. [00:17:43.340 – 00:17:45.790] They, like, "Well, we saw a chapter, How It W.. [00:17:45.790 – 00:17:51.440] Well, we might as well start reading there." And they did, and now we all read How It W. at meetings, 'cause they didn't know. [00:17:51.440 – 00:17:53.580] It was their only source of information, see?

[00:17:53.580 – 00:18:04.080] A Vision for You explains and gives the history of what it looked like, but more importantly, what they hoped it would become, [00:18:04.080 – 00:18:05.880] okay? [00:18:05.880 – 00:18:09.480] And it came true in spades. [00:18:09.480 – 00:18:19.700] There's also something else that you're gonna see in A Vision for You as I'm about to take you through, and that is that Akron is very, very [00:18:19.700 – 00:18:22.580] heavily represented in A Vision for You. [00:18:22.580 – 00:18:27.920] There are 34 paragraphs just on Akron history. [00:18:27.920 – 00:18:32.060] There are two paragraphs on New York.

[00:18:32.060 – 00:18:34.260] Why is that? [00:18:34.260 – 00:18:35.780] I'll tell you up front. [00:18:35.780 – 00:18:38.960] It's because Akron wanted nothing to do with this book. [00:18:38.960 – 00:18:40.440] That is the fact. [00:18:40.440 – 00:18:43.220] They didn't wanna write stories. [00:18:43.220 – 00:18:45.650] They weren't interested at all in this. [00:18:45.650 – 00:18:53.060] In fact, they were very much against it and it, when it was being, uh, written, and that's just a fact.

[00:18:53.060 – 00:18:55.600] I mean, have they come to since accept it? [00:18:55.600 – 00:18:57.200] You know, we could… [00:18:57.200 – 00:19:03.080] That's a yet another topic we could have a nice long 90-minute talk on, is, uh, Akron versus New York. [00:19:03.080 – 00:19:09.840] And then throw Cleveland into the mix and we could have a real party discussing things. [00:19:09.840 – 00:19:20.100] But what A Vision for You does is it, it, it talks about the hope and dream of what maybe the book could become, [00:19:20.100 – 00:19:25.580] what the fellowship might someday look like, and it's just a beautiful, beautiful thing. [00:19:25.580 – 00:19:30.560] But most importantly, it explains why the book was written the way it was.

[00:19:30.560 – 00:19:39.360] And if we don't understand why the book was written the way it was, how, how could we possibly read it in the proper context? [00:19:39.360 – 00:19:47.180] So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna take you through now, I'm gonna give you the history as we, as I get to it, as I know it, and I'm always learning new things. [00:19:47.180 – 00:19:49.780] Uh, but I'm gonna give you a lot of it. [00:19:49.780 – 00:19:58.240] I'm gonna have to skip over a few things due to time, but, um, you're still gonna get, you're still gonna get, uh, quite a, quite an hour here we're gonna spend on this. [00:19:58.240 – 00:20:07.080] And as far as the Q&A part goes, um, uh, hopefully there's time for some, but if not, I happen to run, uh, A.A. [00:20:07.080 – 00:20:07.920] History L.. [00:20:07.920 – 00:20:09.250] I can give you the information.

[00:20:09.250 – 00:20:18.560] There's 29,000 archivists from around the world on two platforms on this thing, and historians and history lovers, and we can ask our questions there. [00:20:18.560 – 00:20:27.740] We can have amazing conversations there if you guys wanna do that, and then we don't have to cram a 10, 15-minute Q&A when we can… [00:20:27.740 – 00:20:30.720] We have the rest of our lives to discuss this stuff. [00:20:30.720 – 00:20:33.579] So let me give you the information to the recording. [00:20:33.579 – 00:20:35.660] I may go a little bit fast. [00:20:35.660 – 00:20:36.780] Just kick back. [00:20:36.780 – 00:20:40.640] Try to follow with your book if you have one, and, and…

[00:20:40.640 – 00:20:44.380] Or just kick back and relax while I tell this story. [00:20:44.380 – 00:20:52.100] And, uh, don't worry so much about the data, because you can always go back to the recording to get it if it means something to you. [00:20:52.100 – 00:20:54.560] So you don't need to sit there and scramble writing things down. [00:20:54.560 – 00:20:55.170] It's… [00:20:55.170 – 00:20:57.540] I'm gonna put it all under the recording for you, okay? [00:20:57.540 – 00:20:59.220] So are we ready? [00:20:59.220 – 00:21:02.220] Page 151.

[00:21:02.220 – 00:21:04.380] All right. [00:21:04.380 – 00:21:13.380] There were about 80 people in the world, half of them didn't want this written when, when this book, when this chapter was written. [00:21:13.380 – 00:21:20.240] And, uh, just as a side note, you've all heard of T. Hospital, right? [00:21:20.240 – 00:21:22.780] Where B. went multiple times, got sober. [00:21:22.780 – 00:21:25.340] Charles T. loved this chapter. [00:21:25.340 – 00:21:29.740] When B. sent it to him in draft form, he freaked out. [00:21:29.740 – 00:21:30.700] He loved it.

[00:21:30.700 – 00:21:34.979] He started sending it around, and this was even before chapters five and six were written. [00:21:34.979 – 00:21:35.969] He was send- [00:21:36.069 – 00:21:38.040] hanging it out while he was trying to solicit money. [00:21:38.040 – 00:21:40.560] He sent it to Henry F.. [00:21:40.560 – 00:21:50.980] He sent it out to, uh, I can give you the list of names later, but the point is Charles T. was a big fan of this, and that's an interesting bit of information. [00:21:50.980 – 00:21:56.480] All right, so the first part of this chapter opens with what I believe, uh… [00:21:56.480 – 00:22:01.259] And this, and, and a lot of this is gonna be my, my, um, my experience too.

[00:22:01.259 – 00:22:07.860] I mean, AA is a narrative, and this is what I've discovered and what I've been taught, but also what I've noticed. [00:22:07.860 – 00:22:10.200] I'm gonna point out a lot of things I've noticed as well. [00:22:10.200 – 00:22:20.340] I believe this is probably one of the most powerful descriptions of alcoholism ever written, because it's the most powerful description of alcoholism that I've ever [00:22:20.340 – 00:22:21.520] found. [00:22:21.520 – 00:22:23.860] I mean, it just nails it. [00:22:23.860 – 00:22:30.800] When drinking stops working, and, uh, just how horrible it can get, the disease of loneliness. [00:22:30.800 – 00:22:37.260] In only a few paragraphs, it describes something that just…

[00:22:37.260 – 00:22:39.820] It describes a bottom better than anything. [00:22:39.820 – 00:22:40.820] So let's start. [00:22:40.820 – 00:22:47.320] And this was very heavily influenced by Frank, uh, by Hank, I said, as, as I mentioned earlier. [00:22:47.320 – 00:22:50.200] So the first part is what we remember. [00:22:50.200 – 00:22:57.740] It says, "For most normal folk, drinking means conviviality, companionship, and colorful imagination. [00:22:57.740 – 00:23:01.300] It means release from care, boredom, and worry. [00:23:01.300 – 00:23:11.080] It's great, uh, it is a joyous intimacy with friends and a feeling that life is good." All the good stuff alcohol would give us when it was working.

[00:23:11.080 – 00:23:15.240] "But not so with us in these last days of heavy drinking. [00:23:15.240 – 00:23:19.130] The old pleasures…" And this is the way it was in the end, right? [00:23:19.130 – 00:23:22.260] "The old pleasures were gone. [00:23:22.260 – 00:23:23.380] They were but memories. [00:23:23.380 – 00:23:26.980] Never could we recapture the great moments of the past. [00:23:26.980 – 00:23:36.080] There was an insistent yearning to enjoy life as we once did, and a heartbreaking obsession that some new miracle of control would enable us to do it. [00:23:36.080 – 00:23:41.360] There was always one more attempt and one more failure.

[00:23:41.360 – 00:23:49.160] The less people tolerated us, the more we withdrew from society, from life itself. [00:23:49.160 – 00:23:59.220] As we became subjects of King A…." And when they put, uh, things in capital letters, they're deifying [00:23:59.220 – 00:23:59.700] them, right? [00:23:59.700 – 00:24:02.480] So they're basically saying alcohol, higher power. [00:24:02.480 – 00:24:10.660] "King A., shivering denizens of his mad realm, the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down. [00:24:10.660 – 00:24:13.180] It thickened, ever becoming blacker. [00:24:13.180 – 00:24:23.200] Some of us sought out sordid places, hoping to find understanding, companionship, and approval." You know, for me, I had to find out more and

[00:24:23.200 – 00:24:26.780] more sordid places because I needed the adrenaline, you know? [00:24:26.780 – 00:24:30.740] So it always had to get more and more exciting, more and more dangerous. [00:24:30.740 – 00:24:34.480] That was just the way I did it, and hopefully some people can relate to that. [00:24:34.480 – 00:24:37.380] "Momentarily we did. [00:24:37.380 – 00:24:47.660] Then would come oblivion, and the awful awakening to face the hideous Four H.." And this is from the Book of Revelations in the Bible, [00:24:47.660 – 00:24:51.460] uh, chapter six, paragraphs two through eight. [00:24:51.460 – 00:24:55.240] "Terror, bewilderment, frustration, and despair.

[00:24:55.240 – 00:25:05.280] Unhappy drinkers who read this page will understand." And my note is, "No one else probably will." [00:25:05.280 – 00:25:09.460] I mean, if, if you're not an unhappy drinker, this isn't gonna make any sense to you. [00:25:09.460 – 00:25:13.940] So if this made sense to you, welcome to Alcoholics Anonymous. [00:25:13.940 – 00:25:15.660] See how powerful this is? [00:25:15.660 – 00:25:24.380] I love to bring my, my, my new sponsees in through chapter 11 first, 'cause it just sets the stage for everything, as you're gonna, as you're gonna find out. [00:25:24.380 – 00:25:25.620] And I've got a few notes here. [00:25:25.620 – 00:25:35.620] Uh, it says, "Balance more a history…" Um, this is, this is a, a good description of what it was like when it

[00:25:35.660 – 00:25:45.820] stops working, and I, uh, also describe terror, bewilderment, frustration, and despair as it's come to me [00:25:45.820 – 00:25:47.460] in my 11 step work. [00:25:47.460 – 00:25:51.220] And maybe this will… [00:25:51.220 – 00:25:52.079] Maybe you'll relate. [00:25:52.079 – 00:26:03.620] The terror that we are out of control, the bewilderment at how we got drunk again, the [00:26:03.620 – 00:26:13.520] frustration that willpower isn't working, and the despair that we're never gonna rise above this problem. [00:26:13.520 – 00:26:17.320] Horrible.

[00:26:17.320 – 00:26:23.540] And to live a life of constant damage control is hell on earth, isn't it? [00:26:23.540 – 00:26:26.380] So this is a great description. [00:26:26.380 – 00:26:27.940] Let's continue. [00:26:27.940 – 00:26:33.660] "Now and then, a serious drinker being dry at the moment says, 'I don't miss it at all. [00:26:33.660 – 00:26:43.680] Feel better, work better, having a better time.'" And then it says, "As ex-problem drinkers," but in the first 11 printings of [00:26:43.680 – 00:26:53.720] the, uh, of the big book, of the first edition, it actually said ex-alcoholics, and for reasons we don't know, they changed it to ex-problem [00:26:53.720 – 00:26:57.380] drinkers in the 12th printing of the first edition.

[00:26:57.380 – 00:26:58.740] Bit of trivia there, okay? [00:26:58.740 – 00:26:59.969] "As ex-problem- [00:27:00.069 – 00:27:00.720] gloom drinkers. [00:27:00.720 – 00:27:08.080] And this, and this paragraph is about what happens if we're dry instead of sober. [00:27:08.080 – 00:27:08.920] Great description. [00:27:08.920 – 00:27:15.300] "As ex-problem drinkers, we smile at such a sally." And the word sally means attempt. [00:27:15.300 – 00:27:17.600] We smile at such an attempt.

[00:27:17.600 – 00:27:23.260] "We know our friend is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits. [00:27:23.260 – 00:27:25.000] He fools himself. [00:27:25.000 – 00:27:30.020] Inwardly, he would give anything to take half a dozen drinks." Love that. [00:27:30.020 – 00:27:32.040] Not one drink, six. [00:27:32.040 – 00:27:35.440] Half a dozen drinks and get away with them. [00:27:35.440 – 00:27:40.850] "He will presently try the old game again, for he isn't happy about his sobriety. [00:27:40.850 – 00:27:43.560] He cannot picture life without alcohol.

[00:27:43.560 – 00:27:50.200] Someday he will be able to ima- unable to imagine life either with alcohol or without it. [00:27:50.200 – 00:27:54.860] Then he will know loneliness such as few do. [00:27:54.860 – 00:28:01.640] He will be at the jumping-off place," which of course means on the brink of suicide. [00:28:01.640 – 00:28:02.520] How do I know that? [00:28:02.520 – 00:28:03.940] The next sentence. [00:28:03.940 – 00:28:13.960] "He will wish for the end." Now, I think that's the difference, and this is my, my observations, and problems other than alcohol, and some of the AA literature [00:28:13.960 – 00:28:22.060] does back up this conclusion, that the a- alcoholic and the addict are two very different things in some ways.

[00:28:22.060 – 00:28:32.100] The alcoholic will drink themselves alone, burn all the bridges until we are by ourselves in the world, just us and a bottle, and that bottle does not have a warning [00:28:32.100 – 00:28:40.420] sticker on it for us that says, "Warning, this bottle might become empty." I think we should put warning stickers on all our bottles for that. [00:28:40.420 – 00:28:50.460] An addict that's addicted to certain expensive things has to play more and more dangerous games involving more [00:28:50.460 – 00:28:58.180] and more people, ripping off more and more, doing bigger and bigger scams in order to support a more and more expensive habit. [00:28:58.180 – 00:29:04.660] So while the mental obsession might be similar, we don't relate on a, on a whole lot of other levels. [00:29:04.660 – 00:29:10.949] So that's kind of probably why they wrote Tradition F., but that's another topic for another day. [00:29:10.949 – 00:29:16.140] But it is kind of explained here that we are the lonely ones.

[00:29:16.140 – 00:29:18.760] We drink ourselves alone. [00:29:18.760 – 00:29:22.260] And then it says… [00:29:22.260 – 00:29:30.600] And here is where the first time the book says that it assumes the reader is alone. [00:29:30.600 – 00:29:33.880] So not my opinion. [00:29:33.880 – 00:29:34.500] Here it is. [00:29:34.500 – 00:29:36.829] "We have shown…" Who are we? [00:29:36.829 – 00:29:37.960] We who wrote the book.

[00:29:37.960 – 00:29:41.980] "We have shown how we got out from under. [00:29:41.980 – 00:29:52.040] You say, 'Yes, I'm willing, but am I to be consigned to a life where I shall be stupid, boring, and glum like some [00:29:52.040 – 00:29:58.480] righteous people I see?'" Oh, and by the way, the way they shown how they got out from under was by the stories in the back, right? [00:29:58.480 – 00:29:59.180] I mean… [00:29:59.180 – 00:30:03.620] "I know I must get along without liquor, but how can I? [00:30:03.620 – 00:30:13.680] Have you a sufficient substitute?" "Yes, there is a substitute, and it is vastly more than that." Now notice this [00:30:13.680 – 00:30:14.720] is future tense.

[00:30:14.720 – 00:30:17.040] In this paragraph, I counted them. [00:30:17.040 – 00:30:18.900] There's six promises in this paragraph. [00:30:18.900 – 00:30:22.860] "Yes, there is a substitute, and it is vastly more than that. [00:30:22.860 – 00:30:29.000] It is a fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous." I love the word in. [00:30:29.000 – 00:30:31.060] Not around, in. [00:30:31.060 – 00:30:35.269] "There you will find," future tense. [00:30:35.269 – 00:30:37.160] It assumes you haven't found it yet.

[00:30:37.160 – 00:30:41.280] "There you will find release from care, boredom, and worry. [00:30:41.280 – 00:30:45.240] Imagination will be fired," future tense. [00:30:45.240 – 00:30:48.140] "Life will mean something at last. [00:30:48.140 – 00:30:51.740] The most satisfactory years of your existence lie ahead. [00:30:51.740 – 00:30:59.980] Thus we found the fellowship, and so will you." The book assumes you haven't found us yet. [00:30:59.980 – 00:31:10.080] This is so important, 'cause it changes everything in the w- way the r- rest of the book reads, if you, if you, [00:31:10.080 – 00:31:11.620] uh, keep an open mind here.

[00:31:11.620 – 00:31:13.420] The next paragraph. [00:31:13.420 – 00:31:15.740] "How is that to come about?" you ask. [00:31:15.740 – 00:31:18.560] "Where am I to find these people?" See? [00:31:18.560 – 00:31:20.079] Assumes you haven't found them yet. [00:31:20.079 – 00:31:28.380] See, we're looking for something new, uh, thus we leave the old, and the book answers, you know? [00:31:28.380 – 00:31:29.700] It, I mean, it, it tells you. [00:31:29.700 – 00:31:34.080] It, it, it explains you're alone, but not forever.

[00:31:34.080 – 00:31:36.340] The next paragraph. [00:31:36.340 – 00:31:41.600] It explains how your fellowship's gonna be created amongst the people that you help. [00:31:41.600 – 00:31:43.500] Okay? [00:31:43.500 – 00:31:45.840] We create the fellowship we crave. [00:31:45.840 – 00:31:47.560] We'll get to that line in a bit. [00:31:47.560 – 00:31:52.520] Says, "You're gonna meet these new friends in your own community. [00:31:52.520 – 00:31:58.960] Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly like people in a sinking ship.

[00:31:58.960 – 00:32:08.020] If you live in a large place, there are hundreds." And there used to be a line right here in the original manuscript that was taken out for some reason. [00:32:08.020 – 00:32:14.480] That line was, "These are to be your companions." What a beautiful line. [00:32:14.480 – 00:32:16.640] I don't know why they took it out. [00:32:16.640 – 00:32:19.180] These are to be your companions. [00:32:19.180 – 00:32:23.969] High and low, rich and poor, these are future- [00:32:24.060 – 00:32:26.180] Your fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous. [00:32:26.180 – 00:32:27.940] See, there's no meeting to go to yet.

[00:32:27.940 – 00:32:29.620] The book doesn't assume you have one. [00:32:29.620 – 00:32:40.140] In fact, the word "meetings" is only in the book one time in the first 164, and it's in this chapter mentioned in passing, as we'll see later. [00:32:40.140 – 00:32:43.460] Among them, you will make lifelong friends. [00:32:43.460 – 00:32:50.110] You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties, for you will escape disaster together. [00:32:50.110 – 00:32:57.600] And people who say that sponsorship isn't in the book, someone tell me what the chapter Working with Others means. [00:32:57.600 – 00:32:59.780] I mean, come on. [00:32:59.780 – 00:33:02.360] Spo- the book is about sponsorship.

[00:33:02.360 – 00:33:10.740] And you will, you will escape disaster together, and you will commence shoulder-to-shoulder your common journey. [00:33:10.740 – 00:33:18.980] Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life. [00:33:18.980 – 00:33:23.540] You will learn the full meaning of love thy neighbor as thyself. [00:33:23.540 – 00:33:28.680] You know, like I said, Charles T. love this… [00:33:28.680 – 00:33:35.140] loved this chapter, and he regularly sent it out with letters and such when he was trying to drum up support for the book. [00:33:35.140 – 00:33:41.820] He sent it to the AMA, he sent it to, to F., uh, whole bunch of stuff. [00:33:41.820 – 00:33:44.440] Anyway, here we go.

[00:33:44.440 – 00:33:51.700] It may seem incredible that these men are to become happy, respectful, respected, and useful once more. [00:33:51.700 – 00:33:56.510] How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute, and hopelessness? [00:33:56.510 – 00:34:04.780] The practical answer is that since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you. [00:34:04.780 – 00:34:06.660] See, it assumes it hasn't happened to you yet. [00:34:06.660 – 00:34:09.500] I cannot emphasize this enough. [00:34:09.500 – 00:34:19.640] Should you wish them above all else and be willing to make use of our experience, assuming, it assumes you haven't done so yet, we are sure they will come. [00:34:19.640 – 00:34:23.260] The age of miracles is still with us.

[00:34:23.260 – 00:34:25.880] Our own recovery proves that. [00:34:25.880 – 00:34:35.970] This next paragraph just kicks my butt because [00:34:35.970 – 00:34:39.020] it also proves th- this is w- why they wrote the book. [00:34:39.020 – 00:34:41.260] Here's the context right here. [00:34:41.260 – 00:34:51.480] Our hope is that when this chip of a book is launched on the world tide of alcoholism, [00:34:51.480 – 00:34:57.000] defeated drinkers will seize upon it to follow its suggestions. [00:34:57.000 – 00:35:01.160] In other words, the book was designed to be a sponsor.

[00:35:01.160 – 00:35:04.060] Luckily, we don't… [00:35:04.060 – 00:35:05.359] And it's gonna say it again. [00:35:05.359 – 00:35:07.300] This isn't the only time. [00:35:07.300 – 00:35:09.400] It will, it will say it again. [00:35:09.400 – 00:35:17.980] The book was designed to be a self-contained sponsor if you had nothing else, uh, i- i- uh, you had nobody else. [00:35:17.980 – 00:35:28.040] And all the context when you're i- like, when you're on, uh, page 70 or, or, uh, 74 looking for a sponsor, just go to your clergy bit if you're in there. [00:35:28.040 – 00:35:30.180] Find a trusting friend who understands.

[00:35:30.180 – 00:35:33.560] Uh, it could be your wife, your best friend, your spiritual advisor. [00:35:33.560 – 00:35:36.040] I mean, it's, it's, it doesn't assume you have a sponsor. [00:35:36.040 – 00:35:43.920] See, these other parts of the book start to click when you have in the back of your mind the context that I'm trying to show you. [00:35:43.920 – 00:35:48.440] It really does open up a whole new vision of what the book reads like. [00:35:48.440 – 00:35:56.680] And, uh, it cha- it, it was a game changer for me and my sobriety, and it's, it's just a privilege to share it with you, so let's continue. [00:35:56.680 – 00:35:57.840] I'm having fun. [00:35:57.840 – 00:36:05.980] Our hope is when this chip of a book is launched on the world tide of alcoholism, defeated drinkers will seize upon it to follow its suggestions.

[00:36:05.980 – 00:36:09.890] Many, we are sure, will rise to their feet and march on. [00:36:09.890 – 00:36:12.900] They will approach still other sick ones. [00:36:12.900 – 00:36:13.720] What's that mean? [00:36:13.720 – 00:36:16.600] That means they'll do 12 steps, right? [00:36:16.600 – 00:36:20.880] And fellowships of Alcoholics Anonymous may spring up. [00:36:20.880 – 00:36:23.980] It is- doesn't assume that they did yet, you see. [00:36:23.980 – 00:36:32.020] May spring up in each city and hamlet havens for those who must find a way out.

[00:36:32.020 – 00:36:34.300] Isn't that beautiful? [00:36:34.300 – 00:36:35.720] Because it's come true. [00:36:35.720 – 00:36:44.360] In the chapter Working with Others, you gathered an idea of how we approach and aid others to health. [00:36:44.360 – 00:36:48.640] You know, they say it's a pr- program of attraction rather than promotion. [00:36:48.640 – 00:36:53.200] That is a twisting of the 11 step into something that it's not supposed to be. [00:36:53.200 – 00:36:57.620] We're not supposed to promote AA at the level of r- press, radio, films. [00:36:57.620 – 00:37:07.620] We're not supposed to, uh, break our anonymity at those levels, but 12-step work, you got a crying newcomer in the corner scared, doesn't know

[00:37:07.620 – 00:37:13.560] what to do, doesn't know how to socialize without a drink in their hand, and we're not supposed to approach them, hold out our hand? [00:37:13.560 – 00:37:18.640] We have a responsibility statement now because we didn't get it for so many years. [00:37:18.640 – 00:37:19.820] We had to come up with that. [00:37:19.820 – 00:37:28.540] We are absolutely supposed to promote AA, but we're supposed to do it with love and compassion, not crusade or reform, you see? [00:37:28.540 – 00:37:30.560] And the book talks about that too. [00:37:30.560 – 00:37:38.300] Everything falls into context when we understand the, the, the, that the book was written for the loner. [00:37:38.300 – 00:37:39.220] Okay?

[00:37:39.220 – 00:37:40.520] Let me continue. [00:37:40.520 – 00:37:47.950] In the chapter Working with Others, you've gathered an idea of how we approach- [00:37:48.340 – 00:37:49.440] aided others to health. [00:37:49.440 – 00:37:59.540] Suppose now that through you, several families have adopted this way of life, and throughout the book it very [00:37:59.540 – 00:38:05.480] strongly urges families to work the program together: husband and wife, entire families. [00:38:05.480 – 00:38:06.480] It's, it's in there. [00:38:06.480 – 00:38:16.620] There was no Al-Anon yet, so all those chapters now, which are sponsor manuals, since chapter seven is all about step 12, eight, nine,

[00:38:16.620 – 00:38:18.400] and 10 are all sponsor manuals. [00:38:18.400 – 00:38:21.180] I call them the downloadable content of the Big Book. [00:38:21.180 – 00:38:23.720] The, if you're into video games, the DLC. [00:38:23.720 – 00:38:33.980] You know, after you go through the steps, those chapters unlock, and they automatically now start to read as what they are: extremely [00:38:33.980 – 00:38:40.800] dense, good in- information on how to sponsor if we can get past our prejudices of those chapters. [00:38:40.800 – 00:38:43.060] But it's all there. [00:38:43.060 – 00:38:48.800] You will wanna know more of how to proceed from that point.

[00:38:48.800 – 00:38:57.260] Perhaps the best way of treating you to a glimpse of your future will be to describe the growth of the fellowship among us. [00:38:57.260 – 00:38:59.320] Here is a brief account. [00:38:59.320 – 00:39:09.400] Now, there's no mention of, uh, of sauerkraut, Karo syrup, tomatoes in this part of the book. [00:39:09.400 – 00:39:11.240] But Dr. [00:39:11.240 – 00:39:21.420] Bob, all the way to his death, he loved sauerkraut, tomatoes, and Karo syrup, because back then they actually thought [00:39:21.420 – 00:39:28.580] that was part of the cure in Akron, and that's just another little bit of trivia. [00:39:28.580 – 00:39:34.500] But at least it didn't get into the Big Book because, luckily, because Akron didn't care about this.

[00:39:34.500 – 00:39:37.880] They did not want anything to do with this when it was being written. [00:39:37.880 – 00:39:42.560] That is a fact, and it is well-documented, but it's beyond the scope of this talk. [00:39:42.560 – 00:39:52.560] So for the next 34 paragraphs, this is all Akron history, because if these 34 paragraphs were not put in here, Akron wouldn't have even been mentioned in the [00:39:52.560 – 00:39:54.700] Big Book because they didn't wanna be. [00:39:54.700 – 00:40:04.840] So this is proof that Bill really was trying to include them, even though they gave him no- oh boy, did they not [00:40:04.840 – 00:40:05.400] like him. [00:40:05.400 – 00:40:08.780] And that's another topic for another day.

[00:40:08.780 – 00:40:11.600] But he did it anyway. [00:40:11.600 – 00:40:16.200] He wanted that balance and he wanted that inclusion, and to his credit. [00:40:16.200 – 00:40:18.100] So here we go. [00:40:18.100 – 00:40:21.860] And now there's some data I'm gonna be able to give you here. [00:40:21.860 – 00:40:24.660] Uh, what's my note here? [00:40:24.660 – 00:40:34.900] And again, it assumes you don't have access to the fellowship yet, but years ago in 1935, one of our mem- number, Bill W., made a journey [00:40:34.900 – 00:40:37.580] to a certain western city, Akron, Ohio.

[00:40:37.580 – 00:40:47.800] From a business standpoint, his trip, and the trip was to a company called National R. Company, and there was a proxy fight going on. [00:40:47.800 – 00:40:49.060] He was part of a company. [00:40:49.060 – 00:40:55.060] They were trying to do a hostile takeover of a company in Akron called the National R. Company. [00:40:55.060 – 00:40:59.380] Um, had he been… [00:40:59.380 – 00:41:03.140] From, from a business standpoint, his trip came off badly. [00:41:03.140 – 00:41:11.200] Had he been successful in his enterprise, he would have been set on his feet financially, which at the time seemed vitally important. [00:41:11.200 – 00:41:16.340] But his venture wound up in a lawsuit and bogged down completely.

[00:41:16.340 – 00:41:26.360] The proceeding was shot through with much hard feeling and controversy, and we also have some stuff in our archives about this, including some letters, a letter [00:41:26.360 – 00:41:30.420] he wrote to Lois, and a few other things too that are beyond the scope of this talk. [00:41:30.420 – 00:41:32.560] But again, it's all on, uh, history lovers. [00:41:32.560 – 00:41:40.020] Bitterly discouraged, he found himself in a strange place, Akron, Ohio, of course, discredited and almost broke. [00:41:40.020 – 00:41:45.620] Still physically weak and sober but a few months, he saw that his predicament was dangerous. [00:41:45.620 – 00:41:49.040] He wanted so much to talk with someone, but whom? [00:41:49.040 – 00:41:59.600] One dismal afternoon, May 11th, 1935, Bill had five months sober at

[00:41:59.600 – 00:42:00.180] this time. [00:42:00.180 – 00:42:03.400] He paced a hotel lobby. [00:42:03.400 – 00:42:11.460] That lobby was at the Mayflower H., Akron, Ohio, wondering how his bill was to be paid. [00:42:11.460 – 00:42:16.680] At one end of the room stood a glass-covered directory of local churches. [00:42:16.680 – 00:42:21.040] Down the lobby, a door opened into an attractive bar. [00:42:21.040 – 00:42:24.020] He could see the gay crowd inside. [00:42:24.020 – 00:42:27.400] Remember that thought.

[00:42:27.400 – 00:42:32.060] He could see the gay crowd inside the bar, okay? [00:42:32.060 – 00:42:35.180] Remember that, 'cause it's gonna come back later. [00:42:35.180 – 00:42:40.640] In there he would find companionship and release. [00:42:40.640 – 00:42:48.080] Unless he took some drinks, he might not have the courage to scrape an acquaintance and would have a lonely weekend. [00:42:48.080 – 00:42:48.860] Loneliness. [00:42:48.860 – 00:42:53.640] Man, I think that's the most scary thing. [00:42:53.640 – 00:42:58.740] For me, the idea of being alone, nothing scares me more.

[00:42:58.740 – 00:43:01.520] Not even death scares me as much as being alone. [00:43:01.520 – 00:43:05.220] Of course, he couldn't drink. [00:43:05.220 – 00:43:09.969] But why not sit hopefully at a table, a bottle of ginger ale before him? [00:43:09.969 – 00:43:11.910] After all, had he but not been- [00:43:12.120 – 00:43:13.400] Sober six months now. [00:43:13.400 – 00:43:14.940] That is a misprint. [00:43:14.940 – 00:43:17.060] He really was only sober five months.

[00:43:17.060 – 00:43:18.180] We've done the research. [00:43:18.180 – 00:43:20.000] Whatever. [00:43:20.000 – 00:43:20.600] We'll let it go. [00:43:20.600 – 00:43:23.300] It was written by human beings. [00:43:23.300 – 00:43:26.680] Perhaps he could handle, say, three drinks. [00:43:26.680 – 00:43:27.420] No more. [00:43:27.420 – 00:43:29.779] Fear gripped him.

[00:43:29.779 – 00:43:32.200] He was on thin ice. [00:43:32.200 – 00:43:37.040] Again, it was the old insidious insanity, that first drink. [00:43:37.040 – 00:43:42.520] With a shiver, he turned away and walked down the lobby to the church directory. [00:43:42.520 – 00:43:46.640] Music and gay chatter still floated to him from the bar. [00:43:46.640 – 00:43:55.400] But what about his responsibilities, his family, and the men who would die because he– they would not know how to get well? [00:43:55.400 – 00:43:58.200] I ask those other alcoholics. [00:43:58.200 – 00:44:02.200] There must be many such in this town.

[00:44:02.200 – 00:44:04.760] He would phone a clergyman, and he did. [00:44:04.760 – 00:44:09.080] The clergyman's name was Reverend W. F. [00:44:09.080 – 00:44:14.360] Tunks, T-U-N-K-S, and he was the rector at St. [00:44:14.360 – 00:44:18.040] Paul's Episcopal C. in Akron. [00:44:18.040 – 00:44:23.600] His sanity returned, and he thanked God. [00:44:23.600 – 00:44:32.720] And my note here is, all he did was make the decision to work with another alcoholic, and his sanity returned. [00:44:32.720 – 00:44:34.360] He didn't have access to one yet.

[00:44:34.360 – 00:44:42.420] He just knew he had to, and even that was enough to give him enough grace to not walk into that bar. [00:44:42.420 – 00:44:44.840] That is how powerful… [00:44:44.840 – 00:44:52.070] And, and in chapter seven, you know, practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. [00:44:52.070 – 00:44:53.430] It works when other activities fail. [00:44:53.430 – 00:44:56.380] It's so true. [00:44:56.380 – 00:45:02.160] Just the desire to work with others, because step 12 says we have to try to carry this message. [00:45:02.160 – 00:45:03.780] It doesn't say we have to succeed.

[00:45:03.780 – 00:45:09.260] It's in the trying that we stay sober, and he knew that as instinct. [00:45:09.260 – 00:45:12.320] Remember, the 12 steps were not written yet. [00:45:12.320 – 00:45:15.940] His sanity returned, and he thanked God. [00:45:15.940 – 00:45:25.540] Selecting a church at random from the directory, which is another slight little bit of a twist on what actually happened. [00:45:25.540 – 00:45:31.000] What happened was he actually went down the list until he got to the last name on it, Reverend T.. [00:45:31.000 – 00:45:33.600] They were alphabetical, you know. [00:45:33.600 – 00:45:37.640] He made approximately 13 phone calls, and, uh, Dr.

[00:45:37.640 – 00:45:39.560] Bob's last talk claims different. [00:45:39.560 – 00:45:41.049] Of course, uh, Dr. [00:45:41.049 – 00:45:47.100] Bob, uh, if you listen to his last talk, 19– the– considered his last full talk. [00:45:47.100 – 00:45:48.660] It was a 1948 talk. [00:45:48.660 – 00:45:49.640] Very easy to find. [00:45:49.640 – 00:45:52.000] I know Recovery Speakers has it. [00:45:52.000 – 00:45:57.620] I'm sure it's on other, uh, platforms too, like XA or YouTube, but it's easy to find.

[00:45:57.620 – 00:45:59.120] And if you can't find it, ask me. [00:45:59.120 – 00:46:00.420] I'll get it to you, okay? [00:46:00.420 – 00:46:04.780] Um, so Dr. [00:46:04.780 – 00:46:06.520] Bob has a different version, but whatever. [00:46:06.520 – 00:46:11.720] And I happen to have a Buffalo nickel here in my book. [00:46:11.720 – 00:46:12.360] You see that? [00:46:12.360 – 00:46:19.400] That's a 1935 nickel, and I believe it is the one Bill used to call Reverend T..

[00:46:19.400 – 00:46:21.560] So prove me wrong. [00:46:21.560 – 00:46:23.960] Ha, you can't, so I get to believe that. [00:46:23.960 – 00:46:33.730] Um, his call to the clergyman led him presently to a certain resident, and it was Anne S., Dr. [00:46:33.730 – 00:46:41.920] Bob's wife, of the town who, though formerly able and respected, was then nearing the nadir of alcoholic despair. [00:46:41.920 – 00:46:44.920] And nadir means lowest point. [00:46:44.920 – 00:46:47.340] It means bottom, basically. [00:46:47.340 – 00:46:50.700] It was the usual situation.

[00:46:50.700 – 00:46:58.280] Home in jeopardy, wife ill, children distracted, bills in arrears and standing damaged. [00:46:58.280 – 00:47:05.060] He had a desperate desire to stop but saw no way out, for he had earnestly tried many avenues of escape. [00:47:05.060 – 00:47:05.560] Dr. [00:47:05.560 – 00:47:07.540] Bob wanted sobriety. [00:47:07.540 – 00:47:09.420] He just didn't have the key. [00:47:09.420 – 00:47:11.700] He didn't have full knowledge of his condition. [00:47:11.700 – 00:47:21.780] He did not understand that he was the victim of a, of a, of a mental obsession that was running his life, not him, that it was

[00:47:21.780 – 00:47:23.160] stronger than his willpower. [00:47:23.160 – 00:47:26.239] That was the message Bill carried to him. [00:47:26.239 – 00:47:28.420] It's like a spiritual Reese cup, right? [00:47:28.420 – 00:47:29.280] Dr. [00:47:29.280 – 00:47:31.519] Bob was a proctologist, you know. [00:47:31.519 – 00:47:33.220] We all know what those are. [00:47:33.220 – 00:47:35.340] We'll call that the chocolate, okay?

[00:47:35.340 – 00:47:40.540] And Bill was crazy, a crazy shyster stockbroker, so we'll call him Peanuts. [00:47:40.540 – 00:47:41.560] We'll call him the Nuts. [00:47:41.560 – 00:47:45.780] You put the chocolate and the peanuts together, you get a spiritual Reese cup. [00:47:45.780 – 00:47:48.320] We can now call Alcoholics Anonymous, okay? [00:47:48.320 – 00:47:52.320] So it's a beautiful thing, and we aren't saints. [00:47:52.320 – 00:47:54.240] They were just as human as we are. [00:47:54.240 – 00:47:55.500] That's the whole point of this.

[00:47:55.500 – 00:47:57.460] All right. [00:47:57.460 – 00:48:07.540] He had a desperate desire to stop but so no– saw no way out, for he had earnestly tried many avenues of escape, painfully aware of being somehow, [00:48:07.540 – 00:48:09.440] somehow abnormal. [00:48:09.440 – 00:48:12.980] He didn't understand how he was abnormal yet. [00:48:12.980 – 00:48:18.120] The man did not fully realize what it meant to be an alcoholic. [00:48:18.120 – 00:48:21.540] He didn't have that last piece of information. [00:48:21.540 – 00:48:32.219] That's why so many priests, alcoholic priests, don't get this thing until they come to AA too and get the full knowledge of their condition.

[00:48:32.219 – 00:48:35.480] It's also why AA can never be politically correct. [00:48:36.340 – 00:48:44.400] If we cushion the bottom too much, and that's on page 101, right in the middle of the page, it talks about cushioning bottoms and how it causes explosions. [00:48:44.400 – 00:48:54.410] It uses words like impossible and explosions, uh, because, uh, we have to have that information, and it's not an easy conversation to have, and [00:48:54.410 – 00:48:56.440] it hurts to, to, to be told that. [00:48:56.440 – 00:48:57.220] I know it does. [00:48:57.220 – 00:48:59.840] When our friend … [00:48:59.840 – 00:49:00.770] I'm back to the book now.

[00:49:00.770 – 00:49:04.700] Oh, there's a asterisk. [00:49:04.700 – 00:49:05.590] I'll read the footnote. [00:49:05.590 – 00:49:08.220] This refers to Bill's first visit with Dr. [00:49:08.220 – 00:49:08.860] Bob. [00:49:08.860 – 00:49:11.420] These men later became co-founders of AA. [00:49:11.420 – 00:49:13.980] Bill's story opens the text of the book. [00:49:13.980 – 00:49:14.200] Dr.

[00:49:14.200 – 00:49:16.220] Bob's heads the story section. [00:49:16.220 – 00:49:26.400] And the reason for that is because, uh, since Akron didn't want anything to do with the first part of the book, they were like, "Well," Bill was like, "Well, then you write the stories." And nobody [00:49:26.400 – 00:49:27.480] wanted to write stories. [00:49:27.480 – 00:49:35.820] Of, like, the 13 stories, I think it was, in the first edition, eight of them were written by one guy, a man named Jim S.. [00:49:35.820 – 00:49:43.080] He went around interviewing people who didn't want their stories in the book, and he wrote the stories for them behind their backs. [00:49:43.080 – 00:49:45.500] We are not saints. [00:49:45.500 – 00:49:48.520] That's a fact.

[00:49:48.520 – 00:49:52.360] And AA number three, Bill D., he didn't want his story in the book at all. [00:49:52.360 – 00:49:57.600] He was like, "No way, no way, no way in hell," and that's why his story didn't appear until the second edition. [00:49:57.600 – 00:50:04.720] So yeah, there's all kinds of shenanigans and fun we could be talking about, too, but all- that's all beyond the scope of what we're doing here. [00:50:04.720 – 00:50:06.500] We're gonna get through this, too, actually. [00:50:06.500 – 00:50:07.660] We're making some good time here. [00:50:07.660 – 00:50:11.720] When our friend related his experience, the man agreed. [00:50:11.720 – 00:50:15.440] No amount of willpower he might muster could stop his drinking for long.

[00:50:15.440 – 00:50:19.860] A spiritual experience, he conceded, was absolutely necessary. [00:50:19.860 – 00:50:20.240] This is Dr. [00:50:20.240 – 00:50:20.940] Bob, right? [00:50:20.940 – 00:50:24.700] But the price seemed high upon the basis suggested. [00:50:24.700 – 00:50:29.460] He told how he lived in constant worry about those who might find out about his alcoholism. [00:50:29.460 – 00:50:32.060] Everybody knew Dr. [00:50:32.060 – 00:50:34.180] Bob was a drunk.

[00:50:34.180 – 00:50:35.160] Everybody. [00:50:35.160 – 00:50:40.040] He had, of course, the familiar alcoholic obsession that few knew of his drinking. [00:50:40.040 – 00:50:50.300] Why, he argued, should he lose the remainder of his business only to bring still more suffering to his family by foolishly admitting his plight to people [00:50:50.300 – 00:50:52.209] from whom he had made his livelihood? [00:50:52.209 – 00:50:55.120] He would do anything, he said, but that. [00:50:55.120 – 00:50:59.140] Being intrigued, however, he invited our friend to his home. [00:50:59.140 – 00:51:03.200] You know, he, he, he invited his friend to his home.

[00:51:03.200 – 00:51:05.520] Bill ended up staying for two months. [00:51:05.520 – 00:51:08.080] They hit it off big time. [00:51:08.080 – 00:51:15.660] When they met at the Se- Cyberlink estate, uh, which is a whole nother story I'm not gonna tell, 'cause that's, you know, uh, again, we're … [00:51:15.660 – 00:51:21.880] Uh, but th- they agreed to meet for 15 minutes and ended up six hours. [00:51:21.880 – 00:51:26.440] They became really good friends, and that's just kinda how it went. [00:51:26.440 – 00:51:29.160] So B. moved in. [00:51:29.160 – 00:51:35.000] Sometime later, and just as he thought he was getting control of his liquor situation, he went on a roaring bender.

[00:51:35.000 – 00:51:42.780] He went to an AMA convention, uh, American M. Association convention in, in, in, uh, Atlantic C., New Jersey. [00:51:42.780 – 00:51:47.580] And this is extremely controversial, uh, because of the dates. [00:51:47.580 – 00:51:57.640] The founding date of AA that is generally accepted is, is, uh, June 10th, 1935, but there is proof [00:51:57.880 – 00:52:06.800] that the AMA convention happened from June 10th, which is … [00:52:06.800 – 00:52:10.440] It started on June 10th and lasted until June 14th. [00:52:10.440 – 00:52:15.920] Now, to get to Ohio to Atlantic C. by train was a two-day trip. [00:52:15.920 – 00:52:18.680] So the math just doesn't work.

[00:52:18.680 – 00:52:28.680] If B. went there, got drunk, and then rode the train home, ended up in Cuyahoga F., and they had to drive up and scoop him up off the front lawn of [00:52:28.680 – 00:52:35.320] his sister's house, and all the other stories p- uh, narrative of that, and then Bill had to nurse him back to health. [00:52:35.320 – 00:52:37.420] He had to literally taper him off. [00:52:37.420 – 00:52:39.080] How did that all happen by June 10th? [00:52:39.080 – 00:52:41.740] It, it just doesn't make any sense. [00:52:41.740 – 00:52:47.160] Now, there's some historians that come forward, but they don't actually … [00:52:47.160 – 00:52:57.840] No one's been able to prove this yet, that there was some sort of pre-convention for proctologists only that happened earlier, so it, it shifts the timeline back, but

[00:52:57.840 – 00:52:59.659] we don't have any proof of that. [00:52:59.659 – 00:53:05.200] So as archivists, historians, and stuff, if you guys have any information on that, bring it to AAHL. [00:53:05.200 – 00:53:09.520] We're ta- we would love to know what you've found if you have any documentation on this. [00:53:09.520 – 00:53:13.740] We really are trying to figure out the founding date of AA in 2022. [00:53:13.740 – 00:53:16.060] We really are. [00:53:16.060 – 00:53:18.880] That's how much they did not like writing things down back then. [00:53:18.880 – 00:53:20.760] All right.

[00:53:20.760 – 00:53:27.980] So there is supposedly evidence that the, the date's probably closer to about a week later, June 17th, okay? [00:53:27.980 – 00:53:29.180] So here we go. [00:53:29.180 – 00:53:32.520] For him, this was the spree that ended all sprees. [00:53:32.520 – 00:53:37.720] He saw that he would have to face his problem squarely, that God might give him mastery. [00:53:37.720 – 00:53:44.480] One morning, he took the bull by the horns and set out to tell those he feared what his trouble had been. [00:53:44.480 – 00:53:49.500] He found himself surprisingly well-received and learned that many knew of his drinking. [00:53:49.500 – 00:53:54.060] Stepping into his car, he made the rounds of people he had hurt.

[00:53:54.060 – 00:53:59.969] He trembled as he went about, for this might mean ruin, particularly to a person in hi- [00:54:00.080 – 00:54:01.060] His line of business. [00:54:01.060 – 00:54:04.040] Now, this was really cool and all. [00:54:04.040 – 00:54:10.940] He went out without telling anybody, disappeared, went out, made all these amends, which may have been dumping guilt and apologies, right? [00:54:10.940 – 00:54:11.560] We don't know. [00:54:11.560 – 00:54:12.420] We don't know what he did. [00:54:12.420 – 00:54:14.480] But nowadays, that's …

[00:54:14.480 – 00:54:16.880] We know that to be not a good idea. [00:54:16.880 – 00:54:20.400] It's usually good to have a plan when you go out and stuff. [00:54:20.400 – 00:54:21.140] It … [00:54:21.140 – 00:54:21.880] But, but what … [00:54:21.880 – 00:54:25.280] but more importantly, what it proves is that they were really flying blind. [00:54:25.280 – 00:54:31.440] There really wasn't anything codified that said, "Look, this is how we do it," you know? [00:54:31.440 – 00:54:34.100] Everything was an experiment back then.

[00:54:34.100 – 00:54:35.080] So they … [00:54:35.080 – 00:54:36.360] it was all trial and error. [00:54:36.360 – 00:54:39.440] We had to learn the hard way, like we always do. [00:54:39.440 – 00:54:40.460] That's never changed. [00:54:40.460 – 00:54:50.460] The book says some of us have to be beaten into a state of reasonableness, and the 12 and 12 says that, "Only through the process of repeated humiliations were we finally able to [00:54:50.460 – 00:54:55.980] learn something about humility." And man, oh, man, I am, I am very familiar with that. [00:54:55.980 – 00:55:00.360] I grew up in public, that's for sure.

[00:55:00.360 – 00:55:01.380] All right. [00:55:01.380 – 00:55:03.470] So at midnight, Dr. [00:55:03.470 – 00:55:06.680] Bob, he came home exhausted but very happy. [00:55:06.680 – 00:55:09.360] He has not had a drink since. [00:55:09.360 – 00:55:13.130] However, it is a fact, and it is documented, that Dr. [00:55:13.130 – 00:55:15.240] Bob did struggle with the desire. [00:55:15.240 – 00:55:18.320] The desire to drink never fully left him.

[00:55:18.320 – 00:55:21.220] So instead, he stayed very, very busy in service. [00:55:21.220 – 00:55:27.420] More proof that intensive work with other alcoholics works when other activities fail. [00:55:27.420 – 00:55:30.860] Even though he wanted a drink, he stayed in service. [00:55:30.860 – 00:55:31.680] He knew as … [00:55:31.680 – 00:55:41.880] a- a- and he says it in his story, "As long as I'm thinking the way I'm thinking now, as long as I'm doing the things I'm doing now," intensive work with others, "I believe I will not have another drink." [00:55:41.880 – 00:55:46.400] Doesn't mean he didn't want one, and he did die sober. [00:55:46.400 – 00:55:49.600] That's how important working with others is.

[00:55:49.600 – 00:55:50.740] All right. [00:55:50.740 – 00:55:54.040] But life was not easy for the two friends. [00:55:54.040 – 00:55:56.100] Oh, at midnight, he came home exhausted. [00:55:56.100 – 00:55:57.620] Sorry, paragraph before. [00:55:57.620 – 00:55:59.660] He has not had a drink since. [00:55:59.660 – 00:56:09.020] As we shall see, he now means a great deal to his community because his hands stopped shaking, and now they have a proctologist they can rely on. [00:56:09.020 – 00:56:16.109] And the major liabilities of 30 years of hard drinking have been repaired in four.

[00:56:16.109 – 00:56:19.820] But life was not easy for the two friends. [00:56:19.820 – 00:56:23.020] Plenty of difficulties presented themselves. [00:56:23.020 – 00:56:25.880] Both saw that they must … [00:56:25.880 – 00:56:27.060] No musts in the Big Book. [00:56:27.060 – 00:56:27.870] There's one. [00:56:27.870 – 00:56:30.900] They must keep spiritually active. [00:56:30.900 – 00:56:32.240] Not optional.

[00:56:32.240 – 00:56:38.560] One day they called up the head nurse of a local hospital, and I have her name. [00:56:38.560 – 00:56:39.760] Her name was Mrs. [00:56:39.760 – 00:56:46.380] Hall, H-A-L-L, and she was, uh, the admissions nurse at Akron C. Hospital. [00:56:46.380 – 00:56:53.480] They explained their need and inquired if she had a first-class alcoholic prospect. [00:56:53.480 – 00:56:56.780] She replied, "Oh, yeah. [00:56:56.780 – 00:56:59.060] We've got a corker. [00:56:59.060 – 00:57:02.440] He's just beaten up a couple of nurses.

[00:57:02.440 – 00:57:09.460] Goes off his head completely when he's drinking, but he's a grand chap when he's sober." Aren't we all? [00:57:09.460 – 00:57:15.960] "Though he's been in here eight times, eight times in the last six months. [00:57:15.960 – 00:57:26.260] Understand he was once a well-known lawyer in town, but just now we've got him strapped down tight." And there's a note, says, "This refers [00:57:26.260 – 00:57:27.300] to Bill and Dr. [00:57:27.300 – 00:57:35.000] Bob's first visit to AA number three," and that visit happened on June 26th of 1935. [00:57:35.000 – 00:57:36.060] Now, if Dr. [00:57:36.060 – 00:57:46.100] Bob's sobriety date was the 10th, okay, this time, that means he had 16 days of sobriety, and they're out 12 stepping, what is now known

[00:57:46.100 – 00:57:48.620] as 12 stepping already, you know? [00:57:48.620 – 00:57:50.200] They, people … [00:57:50.200 – 00:57:58.800] Th- th- the, the, the idea of working with others above all, no matter what, was very S. back in those days. [00:57:58.800 – 00:58:01.980] And, uh, yeah. [00:58:01.980 – 00:58:05.800] And I believe that it still works because that's what I do. [00:58:05.800 – 00:58:08.640] I am always looking for people to work with. [00:58:08.640 – 00:58:12.400] It's the only reason I go to meetings now, actually.

[00:58:12.400 – 00:58:13.820] All right. [00:58:13.820 – 00:58:18.860] He was a prospect all right, but by the description, none too promising. [00:58:18.860 – 00:58:19.599] Okay. [00:58:19.599 – 00:58:24.960] AA, "AA," quote, quote, has been going on for not even a month, okay? [00:58:24.960 – 00:58:32.280] Bill and Bob, been together 16 days, and they're already raising the bottom and being judgmental. [00:58:32.280 – 00:58:33.680] I love this line, right? [00:58:33.680 – 00:58:34.880] They're sitting there judging.

[00:58:34.880 – 00:58:39.800] Yeah, he was a prospect all right, but by the description, none too promising. [00:58:39.800 – 00:58:41.620] That is so arrogant. [00:58:41.620 – 00:58:47.520] The use of spiritual principles in such cases was not so well understood as it is now. [00:58:47.520 – 00:58:50.700] But one of the friends said, "Put him in a private room. [00:58:50.700 – 00:58:56.880] We'll be down." Back in those days, private rooms were only for the dying. [00:58:56.880 – 00:59:03.720] So when, when they put Bill D. in a private room, he flipped his lid. [00:59:03.720 – 00:59:05.960] He's like, "What is going on?

[00:59:05.960 – 00:59:07.820] Am I dying?" Oh, my… [00:59:07.820 – 00:59:12.020] And then these guys walk in, these two jokers. [00:59:12.020 – 00:59:13.080] Check this out. [00:59:13.080 – 00:59:14.740] Two days later… [00:59:14.740 – 00:59:17.000] They let him rot in that room for two days. [00:59:17.000 – 00:59:20.140] It's pretty funny. [00:59:20.140 – 00:59:23.930] Two days later, a future fellow of A-

[00:59:24.080 – 00:59:31.480] Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill D., date of sobriety, June 26th, 1955, or '35 I mean, sorry. [00:59:31.480 – 00:59:38.320] Uh, "A future fellow of Alcoholics Anonymous stared glassily at the strangers beside his bed. [00:59:38.320 – 00:59:40.980] 'Who are you fellows, and why this private room? [00:59:40.980 – 00:59:44.800] I was always in a ward before.'" He's been around. [00:59:44.800 – 00:59:47.540] He knows how it usually works. [00:59:47.540 – 00:59:51.300] "Said one of the visitors," and I'm betting it was Bill. [00:59:51.300 – 00:59:55.780] I have no proof, but I imagine that Bill was doing the talking here.

[00:59:55.780 – 01:00:05.920] "Said one of the visitors, 'We're giving you a treatment for alcoholism.' Hopelessness was written large on the man's face as he replied, 'Oh, but that's [01:00:05.920 – 01:00:06.500] no use. [01:00:06.500 – 01:00:07.940] Nothing would fix me. [01:00:07.940 – 01:00:09.019] I'm a goner. [01:00:09.019 – 01:00:13.580] The last three times, I got drunk on the way home from here. [01:00:13.580 – 01:00:15.640] I'm afraid to go out the door. [01:00:15.640 – 01:00:19.680] I can't understand it.'" See, he knows step one.

[01:00:19.680 – 01:00:21.300] He knows. [01:00:21.300 – 01:00:24.920] But what he needs is step two. [01:00:24.920 – 01:00:35.020] So for an hour, this is the identification phase beginning, where we tell the newcomer their secrets. [01:00:35.020 – 01:00:38.120] That's the magic of Alcoholics Anonymous as I understand it. [01:00:38.120 – 01:00:47.850] That is my goal when I'm doing a 12-step call, is I'm trying to get into the head of the newcomer by, not by telling them their story, but by telling them my story. [01:00:47.850 – 01:00:55.820] And when I go there, and I talk about all that sordid stuff I did, these are the secrets they were gonna take to the grave. [01:00:55.820 – 01:01:02.160] They just look up at me so- more often than not and go, "How can you just talk about this stuff like it's no big deal?

[01:01:02.160 – 01:01:12.300] You don't even know me." It's, it's mind-blowing stuff, and, and, and it's the foundation that trust starts to be built on, and I believe it's why [01:01:12.300 – 01:01:16.180] only an alcoholic can help another alcoholic, and I believe that's why Dr. [01:01:16.180 – 01:01:20.220] S. even said even we are useless in this endeavor. [01:01:20.220 – 01:01:26.060] We cannot carry the message of depth and weight because we can't tell an alcoholic their secrets. [01:01:26.060 – 01:01:27.320] We simply don't know them. [01:01:27.320 – 01:01:32.479] You have to walk a mile in their shoes is what this basically is saying here. [01:01:32.479 – 01:01:34.259] I love it.

[01:01:34.259 – 01:01:39.120] "So for an hour, the two friends told him about their drinking experiences. [01:01:39.120 – 01:01:42.060] Over and over he would say, 'That's me. [01:01:42.060 – 01:01:43.040] That's me. [01:01:43.040 – 01:01:50.000] I drink like that.'" And you know, you can change the word to drink to think, and it still works too. [01:01:50.000 – 01:01:51.820] That's me. [01:01:51.820 – 01:01:52.440] That's me. [01:01:52.440 – 01:01:54.800] I think like that.

[01:01:54.800 – 01:02:03.160] The man in the bed was told, and now they're gonna talk about the allergy to alcohol, plus the obsession of the mind. [01:02:03.160 – 01:02:05.840] This is the information that Dr. [01:02:05.840 – 01:02:12.040] Bob didn't have, he now has, and they're about to give it to Bill D.. [01:02:12.040 – 01:02:22.080] "The man in the bed was told of the acute poisoning from which he suffered, and how it deteriorates the body of the alcoholic and warps his mind." [01:02:22.080 – 01:02:23.700] That's the missing link. [01:02:23.700 – 01:02:33.860] All alcoholics know this stuff is destroying their liver and kicking their butt and all that, wet brain and the DTs, but the part [01:02:33.860 – 01:02:37.360] about the mental obsession, that's new information.

[01:02:37.360 – 01:02:43.600] There was much talk about the mental state preceding the first drink for that very reason. [01:02:43.600 – 01:02:50.900] Restless, irritable, and discontent, you know. [01:02:50.900 – 01:02:52.040] All right. [01:02:52.040 – 01:02:54.820] So step one sets this up now for step two. [01:02:54.820 – 01:02:57.080] He says he started to identify. [01:02:57.080 – 01:03:00.880] He said, "'Yes, that's me,' said the sick man, 'the very image. [01:03:00.880 – 01:03:08.660] You fellows know your stuff all right, but I don't see what good it'll do.'" See, see, no hope yet.

[01:03:08.660 – 01:03:10.620] Step two hasn't clicked. [01:03:10.620 – 01:03:11.840] Not yet. [01:03:11.840 – 01:03:13.760] But he's identifying. [01:03:13.760 – 01:03:14.820] That's good. [01:03:14.820 – 01:03:19.700] We're going in the right direction, and this is the goal of a 12-step call today. [01:03:19.700 – 01:03:20.680] Nothing's changed. [01:03:20.680 – 01:03:24.020] "'You fellows are somebody.

[01:03:24.020 – 01:03:25.000] I don't see what good it'll do. [01:03:25.000 – 01:03:26.200] You fellows are somebody. [01:03:26.200 – 01:03:28.760] I was once, but I'm a nobody now. [01:03:28.760 – 01:03:36.420] From what you tell me, I know more than ever I can't stop.' At this, both the visitors burst into a laugh. [01:03:36.420 – 01:03:46.500] Said the future Fellow A.," and the capital F and capital A means he joined the Fellowship of the Spirit. [01:03:46.500 – 01:03:48.250] That's what it means to me. [01:03:48.250 – 01:03:55.700] "Damn little to laugh about that I could see." So he's ready to hear about step two.

[01:03:55.700 – 01:03:57.240] He's open. [01:03:57.240 – 01:03:59.620] So let's talk about it. [01:03:59.620 – 01:04:04.780] "The two friends spoke of their spiritual experiences." They shifted gears. [01:04:04.780 – 01:04:10.220] You know, it would make a great bumper sticker, I think. [01:04:10.220 – 01:04:17.620] "Damn little to laugh about that I could see." Anyway, I'm just acidic like that. [01:04:17.620 – 01:04:24.960] Anyway, uh, "The two friends spoke of their spiritual experiences," and so now the spiritual solution discussion starts. [01:04:24.960 – 01:04:30.220] See, this is telling in a short version what chapter seven explains in 28 steps.

[01:04:30.220 – 01:04:30.880] I counted them. [01:04:30.880 – 01:04:31.770] I'm a geek like that. [01:04:31.770 – 01:04:34.640] 28 steps on how to do a 12-step call. [01:04:34.640 – 01:04:37.740] This, this is a nice summary, so I love this page. [01:04:37.740 – 01:04:44.420] "The two friends spoke of their spiritual experience and told him about the course of action they carried out. [01:04:44.420 – 01:04:46.880] He interrupted, 'I used to be S. for the church…'" [01:04:48.700 – 01:04:51.540] Um, oh, my note here, it has to hurt.

[01:04:51.540 – 01:04:57.799] Nobody sa- nobody ever says it feels, the bottom feels like landing on a soft pillow. [01:04:57.799 – 01:04:59.440] I've never heard that. [01:04:59.440 – 01:05:03.060] "But that won't fix it." I'm on 158 now. [01:05:03.060 – 01:05:13.560] "I've prayed to God on hangover mornings and sworn that I'd never touch another drop, but by 9:00 I'd be boiled as an owl." See, at [01:05:13.560 – 01:05:18.500] that moment they stopped, and they let him think about it. [01:05:18.500 – 01:05:25.360] They planted the seed that, that it is a spiritual experience that he's going to need. [01:05:25.360 – 01:05:30.980] A power greater than alcohol, is a nice way of putting it in a summary, I think.

[01:05:30.980 – 01:05:31.300] Right? [01:05:31.300 – 01:05:38.620] First they showed how alcohol was a power greater than himself, and it was kicking his butt, or he wouldn't be in this hospital. [01:05:38.620 – 01:05:46.320] And then they planted the seed that maybe spirituality is a power greater than it, and then they stopped. [01:05:46.320 – 01:05:47.680] How do I know? [01:05:47.680 – 01:05:48.620] Next paragraph. [01:05:48.620 – 01:05:56.020] "Next day found the pros- prospect more receptive." So they let him think about it at that moment. [01:05:56.020 – 01:06:06.300] So he had been thinking it over, and hope had entered his system because he said, "Maybe

[01:06:06.300 – 01:06:16.780] you're right." He said, "God ought to be able to do anything." Then he added, "He sure didn't do much for me when I was trying to fight this booze racket alone." [01:06:16.780 – 01:06:26.780] On the th- and then they stopped again because it says, "On the third [01:06:26.780 – 01:06:34.140] day, the lawyer gave his life to the care and direction of his creator." You see, this is an inside job. [01:06:34.140 – 01:06:36.880] We can't 12-step too fast. [01:06:36.880 – 01:06:38.460] We give them the information. [01:06:38.460 – 01:06:47.740] When we give them that really hardcore thing, they need time to, to, to digest it, and we have to, we have to pace ourselves as sponsors, right? [01:06:47.740 – 01:06:51.800] And that's what this is explaining, and it shows exactly how they did it, and it worked.

[01:06:51.800 – 01:07:01.140] "On the third day, the lawyer gave his life to the care and direction of s- of his creator." Day three, step three. [01:07:01.140 – 01:07:05.840] "And said he was perfectly willing to do anything necessary. [01:07:05.840 – 01:07:14.780] His wife came scarcely daring to be hopeful, though she thought she saw something different about her husband already. [01:07:14.780 – 01:07:24.799] He had begun to have a spiritual experience." And appendix two defines spiritual experience as a personality [01:07:24.800 – 01:07:28.060] change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism. [01:07:28.060 – 01:07:29.160] So what's it really saying? [01:07:29.160 – 01:07:32.020] His wife noticed his personality's already changing.

[01:07:32.020 – 01:07:34.500] He may not have, but his wife did. [01:07:34.500 – 01:07:44.780] "That afternoon, he put on his clothes." This was July 4th, 1935, and Akron, [01:07:44.780 – 01:07:47.920] uh, intergroup considers that the day of their founding. [01:07:47.920 – 01:07:53.120] "That afternoon, he put on his clothes and walked from the hospital a free man. [01:07:53.120 – 01:07:57.180] He entered a political campaign." He did run for office. [01:07:57.180 – 01:07:58.160] Uh, how did he do? [01:07:58.160 – 01:08:02.680] He ran one time for city councilman, and he didn't win.

[01:08:02.680 – 01:08:04.500] But he did it anyway. [01:08:04.500 – 01:08:09.900] Making speeches, and he didn't drink over it either if, when he lost. [01:08:09.900 – 01:08:14.760] "Frequenting men's gatherings, places of all sorts, often staying up all night. [01:08:14.760 – 01:08:21.120] He lost the race by only a narrow margin, but he had found God, and in finding God, had found himself. [01:08:21.120 – 01:08:23.720] That was in June 1935. [01:08:23.720 – 01:08:26.350] He never drank again." Which is wrong. [01:08:26.350 – 01:08:29.660] He got out of the hospital on July 4th, but whatever.

[01:08:29.660 – 01:08:32.820] "He too has become a respected and useful member of his community. [01:08:32.820 – 01:08:42.860] He has helped other men recover, and is a power in the church from which he was long absent." So you see, there were three alcoholics in that town who now felt they had to give to others that [01:08:42.860 – 01:08:43.580] they had found… [01:08:43.580 – 01:08:45.180] what they had found, or be sunk. [01:08:45.180 – 01:08:49.720] You know, I have this little thing came to me in a meditation once. [01:08:49.720 – 01:08:55.820] I was thinking about the Dead S., you know, in the Mediterranean, how nothing can live in it because it's so salty. [01:08:55.820 – 01:09:01.600] And I did some research, and I'm like, "Well, why is it dead?" It's because it has an inlet.

[01:09:01.600 – 01:09:04.420] Water can flow in, but there's no outlet. [01:09:04.420 – 01:09:12.980] So since water can't flow through it, it evaporates and leaves the salt behind, and everything dies. [01:09:12.980 – 01:09:14.960] Stagnation kills. [01:09:14.960 – 01:09:20.000] That's why we have to constantly learn and constantly give away. [01:09:20.000 – 01:09:22.660] I believe that it is a great metaphor for recovery. [01:09:22.660 – 01:09:27.580] "He came through an acquaintance who had heard the good news. [01:09:27.580 – 01:09:30.260] He proved to be a devil may care young fellow.

[01:09:30.260 – 01:09:33.840] His name was Ernie G.." Ernie G.. [01:09:33.840 – 01:09:36.520] He was 30 years old, AA number four. [01:09:36.520 – 01:09:38.560] He eventually married Dr. [01:09:38.560 – 01:09:39.620] Bob's daughter. [01:09:39.620 – 01:09:40.500] Dr. [01:09:40.500 – 01:09:42.000] Bob hated his guts. [01:09:42.000 – 01:09:44.080] Absolutely hated this guy.

[01:09:44.080 – 01:09:46.020] He was super annoying. [01:09:46.020 – 01:09:53.280] No time to talk about him, but he, he, he really was a piece of work, but he stayed sober, and he married Dr. [01:09:53.280 – 01:09:55.300] Bob's daughters against his wishes. [01:09:55.300 – 01:09:59.200] And his story in the book, The Seven Month S.. [01:09:59.200 – 01:10:01.780] It was in the first edition. [01:10:01.780 – 01:10:04.400] All right. [01:10:04.400 – 01:10:09.860] "They were deeply religious people, much shocked by their son's refusal to have anything to do with the church.

[01:10:09.860 – 01:10:11.969] He suffered horribly from his sprees, but-" [01:10:12.100 – 01:10:13.860] It seemed as if nothing could be done for him. [01:10:13.860 – 01:10:20.940] He consented, however, to go to the hospital where he occupied the very room recently vacated by the lawyer. [01:10:20.940 – 01:10:25.280] He had three visitors, Bill W., Dr. [01:10:25.280 – 01:10:26.960] Bob, Bill D.. [01:10:26.960 – 01:10:32.640] After a bit, he said, "The way you fellows put this spiritual stuff makes sense. [01:10:32.640 – 01:10:33.900] I'm ready to do business.

[01:10:33.900 – 01:10:38.740] I guess the old folks were right after all." So one more was added to the fellowship. [01:10:38.740 – 01:10:45.040] All this time our friend of the hotel lobby, Bill, incident remained in that town. [01:10:45.040 – 01:10:46.480] He was there three months. [01:10:46.480 – 01:10:53.700] He now returned home, leaving behind his first acquaintance, the lawyer, and the devil-may-care chap, Ernie. [01:10:53.700 – 01:10:56.060] The lawyer was Bill D., of course. [01:10:56.060 – 01:10:59.600] These men had found something brand new in life. [01:10:59.600 – 01:11:05.260] Though they knew they must help other alcoholics if they would remain sober, their motive became secondary.

[01:11:05.260 – 01:11:09.680] It was transcended by the happiness they found in giving themselves for others. [01:11:09.680 – 01:11:20.560] They shared their homes, their slender resources, remember it was still the Depression, and gladly devoted their spare hours, this must be forever non-professional, [01:11:20.560 – 01:11:21.740] to fellow sufferers. [01:11:21.740 – 01:11:28.400] They were willing day, by day or night to place a new man in the hospital and visit him afterward. [01:11:28.400 – 01:11:30.160] In fact, you could call Dr. [01:11:30.160 – 01:11:34.260] Bob's phone number in his house during that time. [01:11:34.260 – 01:11:41.920] His phone number was Akron E. UN2436.

[01:11:41.920 – 01:11:44.970] You could call that number back in the day and the phone in Dr. [01:11:44.970 – 01:11:46.660] Bob's living room would ring. [01:11:46.660 – 01:11:49.560] It was available 24 hours a day. [01:11:49.560 – 01:11:50.560] They grew in numbers. [01:11:50.560 – 01:11:58.560] They experienced a few distressing failures, but in those cases they made an effort to bring the man's family into a spiritual way of living. [01:11:58.560 – 01:12:01.040] So it wasn't just for the alcoholic. [01:12:01.040 – 01:12:07.920] They really did try to help everybody back in those days, thus relieving much worry and suffering.

[01:12:07.920 – 01:12:15.740] A year and six months later, these three had succeeded with seven more, and here they are. [01:12:15.740 – 01:12:24.040] In A. it was Ernie G., sobriety date of, uh, September 1935. [01:12:24.040 – 01:12:25.940] His story was the seven-month slip. [01:12:25.940 – 01:12:29.300] Phil S., also 9/35. [01:12:29.300 – 01:12:34.150] He was the first AA court case, which I don't have time to explain, but that's who he was. [01:12:34.150 – 01:12:43.580] Tom L., uh, uh, he, uh, originally got sober in November of '35 or maybe December of '37. [01:12:43.580 – 01:12:46.489] We're not sure, and he wasn't telling.

[01:12:46.489 – 01:12:48.760] But his story was my wife and I. [01:12:48.760 – 01:12:54.230] Uh, Walter B., B-R-A-Y, February of '36. [01:12:54.230 – 01:12:56.040] His story was the backslider. [01:12:56.040 – 01:13:01.080] Paul S., April 1936, truth freed me. [01:13:01.080 – 01:13:07.960] And Joe Doppler, April of 1936, the, uh, the European drinker. [01:13:07.960 – 01:13:10.680] And, uh, yeah. [01:13:10.680 – 01:13:16.740] And in New York there was Fitz M., uh, October 1935, our southern friend.

[01:13:16.740 – 01:13:20.760] Hank P., the, uh, November of '35. [01:13:20.760 – 01:13:22.230] His story, the unbeliever. [01:13:22.230 – 01:13:31.080] And William Ruttle, um, it was either November of '35 or January of '37. [01:13:31.080 – 01:13:34.060] His story was a businessman's recovery. [01:13:34.060 – 01:13:37.980] And Myron Williams, April of 1936. [01:13:37.980 – 01:13:39.620] His story was hindsight. [01:13:39.620 – 01:13:49.960] Seeing much of each other, scarce an evening passed that someone's home did not shelter a little gathering of men and women happy in their release and constantly

[01:13:49.960 – 01:13:52.820] thinking how they might present their discovery to some newcomer. [01:13:52.820 – 01:14:03.300] In addition to these casual get-togethers, it became customary to set apart one night a week for a meeting to be attended by anyone or everyone interested [01:14:03.300 – 01:14:05.020] in a spiritual way of life. [01:14:05.020 – 01:14:13.859] Aside from fellowship and sociability, the prime object was to provide a place and time where new people might bring their problems. [01:14:13.859 – 01:14:19.720] It's so that someone with experience can get with them and one-on-one after the meeting. [01:14:19.720 – 01:14:20.980] Same thing as today. [01:14:20.980 – 01:14:25.180] And, uh, those with time must provide that place.

[01:14:25.180 – 01:14:26.460] I mean, we're responsible. [01:14:26.460 – 01:14:29.899] Outsiders became interested. [01:14:29.899 – 01:14:33.280] One man and his wife, these were Oxford Group members, T. [01:14:33.280 – 01:14:34.860] Henry and Clarice W.. [01:14:34.860 – 01:14:39.380] They lived at 876 Palisades D. in Akron, Ohio. [01:14:39.380 – 01:14:47.180] And from late 1935 to December of 1939, the meetings were at their house because it had quickly outgrown Dr. [01:14:47.180 – 01:14:48.040] Bob's house.

[01:14:48.040 – 01:14:52.660] If you've ever been to 835 Ardmore A. in Akron, it's a small house. [01:14:52.660 – 01:14:57.900] It's so small that they now own the house next door, which is now becoming a museum. [01:14:57.900 – 01:14:59.000] Pretty cool. [01:14:59.000 – 01:15:00.580] Pretty cool. [01:15:00.580 – 01:15:01.700] All right. [01:15:01.700 – 01:15:06.180] The couple has since become so fascinated that they dedicated their home to the work. [01:15:06.180 – 01:15:16.400] Many a distracted wife has visited this house to find loving and understanding companionship among women who knew her problem, to hear from the lips of the husbands what had happened to them,

[01:15:16.400 – 01:15:22.140] to be advised how her own wayward mate might be hospitalized and approached when next he stumbled. [01:15:22.140 – 01:15:29.000] Many a man, yet dazed from his hospital experience, has stepped over the threshold of that home into freedom. [01:15:29.000 – 01:15:33.180] Many an alcoholic who entered there came away with an answer. [01:15:33.180 – 01:15:35.969] He succumbed to that gay crowd inside. [01:15:36.090 – 01:15:36.360] pride. [01:15:36.360 – 01:15:40.880] Now the gay crowd is sober in the home. [01:15:40.880 – 01:15:48.140] They were in the bar before, and now they're sober and they're happy in the home.

[01:15:48.140 – 01:15:52.780] I love the imagery of how we go from there to here. [01:15:52.780 – 01:15:54.140] It's so beautiful. [01:15:54.140 – 01:16:00.100] "Who laughed at their own misfortunes and understood his. [01:16:00.100 – 01:16:10.220] Impressed by those who visited him at the hospital, he capitulated entirely when later, in an upper room of this house," they called it the prayer room. [01:16:10.220 – 01:16:20.540] It was like an initiation kinda sorta, where they just did a formal third, what was now known as a third step, and a few other things, but no time to explain [01:16:20.540 – 01:16:21.260] that right now. [01:16:21.260 – 01:16:28.640] Who la- uh, "He heard the story of some man whose experience closely tallied with his own.

[01:16:28.640 – 01:16:38.740] The expression on the faces of the women, that indefinable something in the eyes of the men, the stimulating and electric atmosphere of the place conspired to let him know that here [01:16:38.740 – 01:16:40.080] was haven at last. [01:16:40.080 – 01:16:50.260] The very practical approach to his problems, the absence of intolerance of any kind, the informality, the genuine democracy, the uncanny [01:16:50.260 – 01:16:53.500] understanding which these people had were irresistible. [01:16:53.500 – 01:17:04.380] He and his wife would ha- leave elated by the thought of what they could now do for some stricken acquaintance and his family." See, they were now selfless [01:17:04.380 – 01:17:05.800] instead of selfish. [01:17:05.800 – 01:17:08.320] A personality change.

[01:17:08.320 – 01:17:11.480] No willpower can turn someone selfless. [01:17:11.480 – 01:17:13.940] It could turn me into a manipulator. [01:17:13.940 – 01:17:19.580] I can pretend to be selfless to get something I want, but that's all I'm capable of untreated. [01:17:19.580 – 01:17:26.250] There's definitely something bigger going on here, and that's what they were proving and, and re- and relishing in, and celebrating. [01:17:26.250 – 01:17:33.479] And these last few pages are really good stuff, and we are, we are doing good. [01:17:33.479 – 01:17:34.420] I can do this. [01:17:34.420 – 01:17:42.020] And now you're gonna see a lot of capital letters, capitalized words, 'cause now we're talking about the spirit.

[01:17:42.020 – 01:17:44.970] "They knew they had a host of new friends. [01:17:44.970 – 01:17:47.540] It seemed they had known these strangers always. [01:17:47.540 – 01:17:51.920] They had seen miracles, and one was to come to them. [01:17:51.920 – 01:18:01.960] They had envisioned the," capital G, "great," capital R, "reality, their loving and all-powerful creator," in caps. [01:18:01.960 – 01:18:08.400] Now, this house, remember, uh, well, this house will hard- never mind. [01:18:08.400 – 01:18:13.820] "This house will hardly accommodate its weekly visitors, for they number 60 or 80 as a rule. [01:18:13.820 – 01:18:17.900] Alcoholics are being attracted from far and near.

[01:18:17.900 – 01:18:20.700] Archie T., founder of AA in Detroit. [01:18:20.700 – 01:18:23.120] Earl T., founder of AA in Chicago. [01:18:23.120 – 01:18:31.850] Sylvia K., keys to the kingdom, co-founder of AA in Chicago." They give Marty M. credit for being the longest woman in, uh, woman in sobriety. [01:18:31.850 – 01:18:32.680] That's not true. [01:18:32.680 – 01:18:35.900] She relapsed multiple times, and it's documented. [01:18:35.900 – 01:18:38.300] Uh, they hid that fact, actually. [01:18:38.300 – 01:18:43.540] Sylvia K. is the earliest long-term, and she deserves all the credit.

[01:18:43.540 – 01:18:44.880] All the credit. [01:18:44.880 – 01:18:46.640] And she wrote a beautiful story too. [01:18:46.640 – 01:18:51.680] "From surrounding T., families drive long distances to be present. [01:18:51.680 – 01:19:01.760] A community 30 miles away," Cleveland, Ohio, "has 15 fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous." Some of them were Ed A, Paul S, Lloyd [01:19:01.760 – 01:19:04.020] T, Bill J, and others. [01:19:04.020 – 01:19:06.960] Charlie J, Clarence S., of course. [01:19:06.960 – 01:19:09.740] Uh, almost all of them sponsored by Dr.

[01:19:09.740 – 01:19:10.300] Bob. [01:19:10.300 – 01:19:16.230] "A community 30 miles away has 15 fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous. [01:19:16.230 – 01:19:26.400] Being a large place, we think that someday its fellowship," capital F, fellowship of the spirit, "will number many hundreds." And there's a footnote [01:19:26.400 – 01:19:28.810] written in 1939, right? [01:19:28.810 – 01:19:34.549] "But life among Alcoholics Anonymous is more than just attending gatherings and visiting hospitals. [01:19:34.549 – 01:19:44.580] Cleaning up old scrapes, helping to settle family differences, explaining the disinherited son to his irate parents, lending money and securing jobs for [01:19:44.580 – 01:19:46.600] each other when justified.

[01:19:46.600 – 01:19:48.520] These are everyday occurrences. [01:19:48.520 – 01:19:55.700] No one is too discredited or has sunk too low to be welcomed cordially if he means business. [01:19:55.700 – 01:20:05.099] Social distinctions, petty rivalries, and jealousies, these are laughed out of countenance." Everyone was welcome. [01:20:05.099 – 01:20:11.820] Being wrecked in the same vessel, being restored and united under one God. [01:20:11.820 – 01:20:15.380] It was still one Christian G. in Akron, yes. [01:20:15.380 – 01:20:25.400] Uh, but when they split from the Oxford, Oxford group, that changed, and that is no longer the [01:20:25.400 – 01:20:25.840] case.

[01:20:25.840 – 01:20:35.520] "With hearts and minds attuned to the welfare of others, the things which matter so much to some people no longer signify much to them. [01:20:35.520 – 01:20:39.020] How could they?" And there's one more thing I wanna say about that. [01:20:39.020 – 01:20:44.160] Yes, AA was rooted in Christianity in the beginning, but you know what? [01:20:44.160 – 01:20:54.300] If we're allowed as individuals to grow and change and not be douchebags anymore and not make those mistakes and to learn, and why can't [01:20:54.300 – 01:20:55.640] AA as a whole? [01:20:55.640 – 01:20:59.969] Why do we keep punishing AA for its roots or talking it down? [01:21:00.420 – 01:21:01.500] we are where we are.

[01:21:01.500 – 01:21:08.740] We are the most diverse working anarchy on planet Earth, and we should be celebrating that. [01:21:08.740 – 01:21:11.780] Right now, we're having an international convention. [01:21:11.780 – 01:21:16.620] I'm in the UK talking to you guys all over the world. [01:21:16.620 – 01:21:20.400] Now, come on, we should celebrate what we've got. [01:21:20.400 – 01:21:25.580] We're doing something that n- who else has been able to achieve what we've got? [01:21:25.580 – 01:21:27.440] And this is something to celebrate. [01:21:27.440 – 01:21:36.360] Now, let's get through these last few pages in the time I have left, because there's some hardcore stuff coming up in these last few pages.

[01:21:36.360 – 01:21:41.280] Under only slightly different conditions, the same thing is taking place in many Eastern cities. [01:21:41.280 – 01:21:46.170] Now, we talk about New York, Washington, D.C., New Jersey locales. [01:21:46.170 – 01:21:49.100] Two paragraphs is all they get. [01:21:49.100 – 01:21:58.780] In one of these, there's a well-known hospital for the treatment, and that's Charles T. Hospital, of alcoholic and drug alcoholism. [01:21:58.780 – 01:22:02.300] Six years ago, one of our number, Bill W., was a patient there. [01:22:02.300 – 01:22:09.080] Many of us have felt for the first time the presence and power of God, capital letters, within its walls. [01:22:09.080 – 01:22:11.820] We are greatly indebted to the doctor, Dr.

[01:22:11.820 – 01:22:20.680] William D. S., in attendance there, for he, although it might prejudice his own work, has told us of his belief in ours. [01:22:20.680 – 01:22:25.720] Every few days, this doctor suggests our approach to one of his patients. [01:22:25.720 – 01:22:28.060] Isn't that crazy? [01:22:28.060 – 01:22:32.120] A doctor saying a layperson can do more than he can. [01:22:32.120 – 01:22:33.480] Wow. [01:22:33.480 – 01:22:44.260] Understanding our work, he can do this with an eye to selecting those who are willing and able, meaning honest enough, to recover [01:22:44.260 – 01:22:46.420] on a spiritual basis.

[01:22:46.420 – 01:22:48.830] Many of us former patients go there to help. [01:22:48.830 – 01:22:58.840] Then in this Eastern city, New York, there are informal meetings, and the only time the word meetings appears in the first [01:22:58.840 – 01:23:01.140] half of the book, right there. [01:23:01.140 – 01:23:04.440] All right. [01:23:04.440 – 01:23:06.960] These are the same fast friendships. [01:23:06.960 – 01:23:11.000] There is the same helpfulness to one another as you find among our Western friends. [01:23:11.000 – 01:23:18.560] There's a good bit of travel between East and West, and we foresee a great increase in this helpful interchange.

[01:23:18.560 – 01:23:24.380] Someday, and again, the book assumes you're alone. [01:23:24.380 – 01:23:32.500] Someday we hope that every alcoholic who journeys will find a fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous at his destination. [01:23:32.500 – 01:23:36.260] To some extent, this is already true. [01:23:36.260 – 01:23:38.700] Some of us are salesmen and go about. [01:23:38.700 – 01:23:47.900] Little clusters of twos and threes and fives of us have sprung up in other communities through contact with our two larger centers, New York and Akron. [01:23:47.900 – 01:23:51.740] Those of us who travel drop in as often as we can. [01:23:51.740 – 01:24:02.000] This practice enables us to lend a hand at the same time avoiding certain alluring distractions of the road about which many, any traveling man can inform

[01:24:02.000 – 01:24:02.200] you. [01:24:02.200 – 01:24:03.020] Wink, wink. [01:24:03.020 – 01:24:10.240] Now, if this doesn't prove that the book was written for the loner in plain English, I don't know what to tell you. [01:24:10.240 – 01:24:18.900] Thus we grow, and so can you, though you be but one man with this book in your hand. [01:24:18.900 – 01:24:24.500] We believe and hope it contains all you will need to begin. [01:24:24.500 – 01:24:31.120] It's flat out saying, "We know you're alone, and this book is a sponsor." All you will need. [01:24:31.120 – 01:24:33.380] We know what you're thinking.

[01:24:33.380 – 01:24:37.600] You're saying to yourself, "I'm jittery and alone. [01:24:37.600 – 01:24:41.100] I couldn't do that." But you can. [01:24:41.100 – 01:24:47.380] You forget you have just now tapped a source of power much greater than yourself, this book. [01:24:47.380 – 01:24:55.320] To duplicate with such backing what we have accomplished is only a matter of willingness, patience, and labor. [01:24:55.320 – 01:25:00.490] We know of an AA member who was living in a large community. [01:25:00.490 – 01:25:02.800] Now we're talking about Hank P.. [01:25:02.800 – 01:25:04.880] He was from Montclair, New Jersey.

[01:25:04.880 – 01:25:07.280] Maybe, this is disputed. [01:25:07.280 – 01:25:10.060] We're not actually sure, but we think so. [01:25:10.060 – 01:25:18.909] Um, 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. [01:25:18.909 – 01:25:23.330] This was only a few days ago as of this writing, 1939. [01:25:23.330 – 01:25:25.580] The authorities were much concerned. [01:25:25.580 – 01:25:27.979] He got in touch with a prominent psychiatrist. [01:25:27.979 – 01:25:28.930] His name was Dr.

[01:25:28.930 – 01:25:29.720] H.. [01:25:29.720 – 01:25:34.140] He was the chief psychiatrist for the entire state of New Jersey. [01:25:34.140 – 01:25:35.880] That's prominent. [01:25:35.880 – 01:25:46.400] He got in touch with a prominent psychiatrist who had undertaken certain responsibilities for the mental health of the community. [01:25:46.400 – 01:25:52.859] The doctor proved to be able and exceedingly anxious to adopt any workable method of handling the situation. [01:25:52.859 – 01:25:55.400] Um, agreeing with… [01:25:55.400 – 01:25:56.800] There was, um…

[01:25:56.800 – 01:26:01.580] This comes from the, uh, the, uh, the printer's copy, okay? [01:26:01.580 – 01:26:03.560] This was a line that was removed. [01:26:03.560 – 01:26:05.120] I don't know why. [01:26:05.120 – 01:26:08.740] Agreeing with menty, with many c- I'm sorry. [01:26:08.740 – 01:26:11.740] Agreeing with many competent physicians… [01:26:11.740 – 01:26:13.740] I'm sorry. [01:26:13.740 – 01:26:22.600] Agreeing with many competent and informed physicians, he said he could do little or nothing for the average alcoholic.

[01:26:22.600 – 01:26:23.830] So he rea- [01:26:24.068 – 01:26:24.748] Confirmed what Dr. [01:26:24.748 – 01:26:25.748] S. said. [01:26:25.748 – 01:26:27.668] They took that line out. [01:26:27.668 – 01:26:28.288] I don't know why. [01:26:28.288 – 01:26:31.588] So he inquired what did our friend have on the ball? [01:26:31.588 – 01:26:41.728] Our friend proceeded to tell him, and with such good effect that the doctor agreed to a test among his patients and certain other alcoholics from a clinic which

[01:26:41.728 – 01:26:42.938] he attends. [01:26:42.938 – 01:26:47.468] Arrangements were also made with the chief psychiatrist of a large public hospital. [01:26:47.468 – 01:26:48.488] His name was Dr. [01:26:48.488 – 01:26:49.508] Russell E. [01:26:49.508 – 01:27:00.888] Blaisdell, B-L-A-I-S-D-E-L-L, from Rockland S. Hospital in Rockland C. near Orangeburg, New York, to [01:27:00.888 – 01:27:05.737] select still others from the stream of misery which flows through that institution. [01:27:05.737 – 01:27:09.208] So our fellow worker will soon have friends galore.

[01:27:09.208 – 01:27:12.688] Our sponsees become our fellowship. [01:27:12.688 – 01:27:13.708] Why? [01:27:13.708 – 01:27:18.628] Because they have our program, so they're more likely to stay sober if we are. [01:27:18.628 – 01:27:20.608] That is true for me. [01:27:20.608 – 01:27:22.848] It, it just is. [01:27:22.848 – 01:27:25.548] The people who tend to stay in my life are the ones I work with. [01:27:25.548 – 01:27:29.908] I don't know why that is, uh, but that- it's just the way it is.

[01:27:29.908 – 01:27:33.718] Not completely true, but it leans in that direction. [01:27:33.718 – 01:27:35.828] So I got one more page. [01:27:35.828 – 01:27:36.588] Are we good, David? [01:27:36.588 – 01:27:37.248] Can I get through? [01:27:37.248 – 01:27:38.628] Thank you, my friend. [01:27:38.628 – 01:27:41.748] So our fellow worker will soon have friends galore. [01:27:41.748 – 01:27:44.168] Some of them may sink and perhaps never get up.

[01:27:44.168 – 01:27:51.548] But if our experience is a criterion, more than half of those approached will become fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous. [01:27:51.548 – 01:28:01.748] When a few men in this city have found themselves and have discovered the joy of helping others to face life again, there will be no stopping until everyone [01:28:01.748 – 01:28:07.188] in that town has had his opportunity to recover if he can and will. [01:28:07.188 – 01:28:09.268] Wow. [01:28:09.268 – 01:28:19.168] And after all that, still you may say, but I will not have the benefit of contact with you who write this book. [01:28:19.168 – 01:28:21.228] See, it assumes you're alone. [01:28:21.228 – 01:28:31.288] It is so important to know this because if you just keep this in the back of your mind, I challenge you, please, go back and read the 164

[01:28:31.288 – 01:28:36.388] pages with that in your mind, that it's talking to the loner, and it's a whole new… [01:28:36.388 – 01:28:37.668] It's a completely different book. [01:28:37.668 – 01:28:38.988] It's crazy. [01:28:38.988 – 01:28:44.168] It, it's really, really awesome, and it makes a lot more sense. [01:28:44.168 – 01:28:51.748] Still you may say, "But I will not have the benefit of contact with you who write this book." We cannot be sure. [01:28:51.748 – 01:28:58.848] God will determine that, so you must remember that your real reliance is always upon Him. [01:28:58.848 – 01:29:04.368] He will show you how to create the fellowship you crave.

[01:29:04.368 – 01:29:06.108] And how do we do that? [01:29:06.108 – 01:29:07.628] Step 12. [01:29:07.628 – 01:29:12.308] Our book is meant to be suggestive only. [01:29:12.308 – 01:29:15.308] We realize we know only a little. [01:29:15.308 – 01:29:21.108] God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. [01:29:21.108 – 01:29:28.288] Ask H. in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. [01:29:28.288 – 01:29:31.378] How can I 12 step somebody today?

[01:29:31.378 – 01:29:36.608] The answers will come if your own house is in order. [01:29:36.608 – 01:29:39.128] If I stay on my 10 and 11. [01:29:39.128 – 01:29:43.547] But obviously you cannot transmit something you haven't got. [01:29:43.547 – 01:29:44.228] Why? [01:29:44.228 – 01:29:48.348] Because no one's gonna trust you if they know that you're full of crap. [01:29:48.348 – 01:29:55.368] If you can't look them in the eye and tell them their secrets, they know you're full of it, and they're not gonna trust you. [01:29:55.368 – 01:29:57.048] 'Cause we're smart.

[01:29:57.048 – 01:30:00.528] We know when someone's BS-ing us because we BS. [01:30:00.528 – 01:30:06.628] It's easy for us to spot BS 'cause we're full of it, too. [01:30:06.628 – 01:30:07.788] So that doesn't work. [01:30:07.788 – 01:30:10.228] You have to have it to transmit it. [01:30:10.228 – 01:30:20.748] See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you [01:30:20.748 – 01:30:21.908] and countless others. [01:30:21.908 – 01:30:26.908] This is the great fact for us who wrote the book.

[01:30:26.908 – 01:30:34.768] Aba- And then it tells you exactly how to get this deal in one freaking paragraph. [01:30:34.768 – 01:30:41.168] Abandon yourself to God as you understand God, steps one, two, and three. [01:30:41.168 – 01:30:47.428] Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows, four, five, eight, and nine. [01:30:47.428 – 01:30:50.768] Clear away the wreckage of your past. [01:30:50.768 – 01:30:53.448] That's steps six, seven, and nine again. [01:30:53.448 – 01:30:58.968] Give freely of what you find, steps 10, and 11, and 12. [01:30:58.968 – 01:31:02.708] Can't do 12 unless 10 and 11 are solid 'cause they won't believe you.

[01:31:02.708 – 01:31:04.388] They'll know you're full of it, right? [01:31:04.388 – 01:31:09.348] Gotta have our side of the street clean, and then we can carry a message of depth and weight. [01:31:09.348 – 01:31:11.068] It's so simple. [01:31:11.068 – 01:31:12.127] I almost missed it. [01:31:12.127 – 01:31:15.308] Give freely of what you find. [01:31:15.308 – 01:31:16.288] Join us. [01:31:16.288 – 01:31:22.508] We have to do these things to join what is mentioned in the next line.

[01:31:22.508 – 01:31:32.688] When you join us, we shall be with you in the capital F Fellowship of the capital S Spirit. [01:31:32.688 – 01:31:36.388] There are two fellowships in Alcoholics Anonymous. [01:31:36.388 – 01:31:46.708] There's the revolving door fellowship of pain and misery, and then there's the fellowship of the spirit that is guaranteed to us if we simply [01:31:46.708 – 01:31:47.838] do the 12 steps of alcohol- [01:31:48.058 – 01:31:51.028] all it's anonymous, and try to pay this forward. [01:31:51.028 – 01:31:58.868] What makes AA work and what A Vision F. You is explaining here is that what makes it different is that you don't pay us. [01:31:58.868 – 01:32:01.368] We don't have a profit motive.

[01:32:01.368 – 01:32:06.488] We get it from people who thought our life was worth saving for free. [01:32:06.488 – 01:32:13.288] We are asked only to give it away for free, and ask you to do the same. [01:32:13.288 – 01:32:19.128] So my sponsor's holding this hand, I'm holding my sponsee's hands. [01:32:19.128 – 01:32:19.768] Guess what? [01:32:19.768 – 01:32:26.428] My hands are full and I no longer have a free hand to pick up a drink. [01:32:26.428 – 01:32:28.868] That is Alcoholics Anonymous. [01:32:28.868 – 01:32:38.908] So it says here, "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

[01:32:38.908 – 01:32:43.488] happy destiny." Road happy destiny in all capitals. [01:32:43.488 – 01:32:50.588] "May G. bless you and keep you until then." And then I have a few little notes and I'll close. [01:32:50.588 – 01:32:55.988] I say there is a difference between the fellowship of the Spirit and the spirit of the fellowship sometimes. [01:32:55.988 – 01:32:57.068] Wink, wink. [01:32:57.068 – 01:32:58.968] Right? [01:32:58.968 – 01:33:08.348] Bill turned 43 years old on November 26, 1938 while this was being written, chapter 11. [01:33:08.348 – 01:33:18.498] And, uh, Akron actually sent him telegrams and New York gave him happy birthday notes and stuff, and it was the only time in his entire life they ever

[01:33:18.498 – 01:33:21.168] did that for him, while he was writing this chapter. [01:33:21.168 – 01:33:22.308] Just another bit of trivia. [01:33:22.308 – 01:33:32.348] It just so happens that while he was writing This Vision For You, he got these cards from the, the New York contingent and, um, and it's the only time [01:33:32.348 – 01:33:37.048] that they ever, according to GSO archives, that anyone has ever done that for him. [01:33:37.048 – 01:33:39.728] And, uh, yeah. [01:33:39.728 – 01:33:44.948] And I think my last note here is I've got some trivia here. [01:33:44.948 – 01:33:49.128] I've got in Akron, oh, I already talked about car or certain tomatoes.

[01:33:49.128 – 01:33:53.248] And, uh, we all know what trudge means, but it doesn't actually mean that. [01:33:53.248 – 01:33:56.167] But it never happened again. [01:33:56.167 – 01:34:04.468] So in closing, I hope that I was able to show you that there… [01:34:04.468 – 01:34:06.918] Context matters. [01:34:06.918 – 01:34:10.528] It's not just about reading the black. [01:34:10.528 – 01:34:14.928] It sometimes is about reading between the lines. [01:34:14.928 – 01:34:16.288] What was in their head?

[01:34:16.288 – 01:34:18.968] What did they mean when they wrote it? [01:34:18.968 – 01:34:22.488] And as an archivist and historian, that's what I'm after. [01:34:22.488 – 01:34:30.088] There's plenty of data out there, but if you don't understand the context of that data, what good is it? [01:34:30.088 – 01:34:40.148] If you can't relate the data to the humanity, to the spirit, to the purpose, to the motives, to the reasons that we all do [01:34:40.148 – 01:34:40.728] what we do. [01:34:40.728 – 01:34:46.208] So there's the human factor as archivists and historians we must never forget. [01:34:46.208 – 01:34:54.148] And I believe that this chapter sets the stage, and I believe my personal is why, you know, and, and, and, and I could fix it.

[01:34:54.148 – 01:34:59.668] I take my sponsees through this first because it sets the stage for the rest of the book. [01:34:59.668 – 01:35:07.368] Now, when they go back and read the doctor's opinion in all the different chapters and why it explains the fifth step the way it does, reading it to other people. [01:35:07.368 – 01:35:08.088] Why? [01:35:08.088 – 01:35:09.828] Well, because it assumes you're alone. [01:35:09.828 – 01:35:12.808] Why does it over explain step four? [01:35:12.808 – 01:35:14.448] Because it assumes you're alone. [01:35:14.448 – 01:35:16.608] So it over explains everything.

[01:35:16.608 – 01:35:24.028] But when a sponsor's involved, we can streamline this stuff and become much more efficient, and it's just a beautiful, beautiful deal. [01:35:24.028 – 01:35:30.868] So if we keep that in mind, I think we can be more powerful 12-steppers. [01:35:30.868 – 01:35:41.058] I also think we can get a deeper understanding of our beautiful big book before we decide to trash it, burn it, and maybe write something that has a different context that isn't [01:35:41.058 – 01:35:44.568] what the founders meant, 'cause this is magic. [01:35:44.568 – 01:35:51.038] It's the only thing that's existed for 86 years on alcoholizm that still works today. [01:35:51.038 – 01:35:55.188] Everything else is fly by night and comes and goes and you can't prove otherwise. [01:35:55.188 – 01:36:01.028] And if you can, and I'm wrong, 'cause I'm willing to be wrong, please come on AA History L..

[01:36:01.028 – 01:36:02.368] Be nice to me, please. [01:36:02.368 – 01:36:03.408] Don't, don't yell at me. [01:36:03.408 – 01:36:05.487] But you can tell me how I'm wrong. [01:36:05.487 – 01:36:13.268] If you've got information that I shared today that it conflicts with this, please come to AAHL and share it, because that's what we're after. [01:36:13.268 – 01:36:17.918] So I wanna thank you all for sharing the day after my, uh, 30 years. [01:36:17.918 – 01:36:19.928] I wanna thank you, David, for having me. [01:36:19.928 – 01:36:22.268] I hope that you got something out of this.

[01:36:22.268 – 01:36:23.828] God bless all of you. [01:36:23.828 – 01:36:25.708] Thank you very much for letting me share. [01:36:25.708 – 01:36:27.428] Thank you, Tom, for all that you do. [01:36:27.428 – 01:36:31.568] Please unmute and acknowledge Tom's fantastic service this evening. [01:36:31.568 – 01:36:32.308] Thank you, Tom. [01:36:32.308 – 01:36:33.428] Thank you. [01:36:33.428 – 01:36:34.828] Thank you, Tom.

[01:36:34.828 – 01:36:35.488] Thank you, Tom. [01:36:35.488 – 01:36:36.118] Awesome. [01:36:36.118 – 01:36:37.248] I really enjoyed that. [01:36:37.248 – 01:36:37.658] Well done. [01:36:37.658 – 01:36:39.138] Many blessings, Tom. [01:36:39.138 – 01:36:40.058] Many blessings. [01:36:40.058 – 01:36:41.468] I thoroughly enjoyed that.

[01:36:41.468 – 01:36:42.748] God bless you, Tom. [01:36:42.748 – 01:36:43.788] Thank you, my brother. [01:36:43.788 – 01:36:45.708] Amazing as usual. [01:36:45.708 – 01:36:46.148] Beautiful, Tom. [01:36:46.148 – 01:36:47.408] Thank you so much. [01:36:47.408 – 01:36:50.148] Well, it's a pleasure. [01:36:50.148 – 01:36:51.528] It was beautiful.

[01:36:51.528 – 01:36:52.208] It was beautiful. [01:36:52.208 – 01:36:52.838] Thank you very much. [01:36:52.838 – 01:36:53.288] Tom, can we… [01:36:53.288 – 01:36:54.447] Sorry, Bert, go ahead. [01:36:54.447 – 01:36:56.468] No, I was just saying thank you, man. [01:36:56.468 – 01:36:57.268] It was beautiful. [01:36:57.268 – 01:36:58.408] Thanks, Bert.

[01:36:58.408 – 01:37:01.848] We, we're gonna have 15 minutes of soft Q&A if that's all right with everyone. [01:37:01.848 – 01:37:02.328] We just can… [01:37:02.328 – 01:37:04.108] Tom, hey- I've got all day. [01:37:04.108 – 01:37:07.848] Whatever you need, I'm, I'm here to- We'll try and do a discussion m- it'll just be a Q&A. [01:37:07.848 – 01:37:10.888] If you wanna get more into discussion with Tom, as he said, you can send him an email. [01:37:10.888 – 01:37:11.898] I put his link in the chat [01:37:12.098 – 01:37:14.548] chat, or you can get onto AA History L..

[01:37:14.548 – 01:37:16.248] I'll put the link for that in the chat as well. [01:37:16.248 – 01:37:18.098] So S., I want- Yeah, if, if I may say- Yeah … [01:37:18.098 – 01:37:18.508] oh, I'm sorry. [01:37:18.508 – 01:37:19.358] Not to interrupt, David. [01:37:19.358 – 01:37:19.398] No, go ahead. [01:37:19.398 – 01:37:29.548] But if I may say, I prefer also, i- you know, even what we talk about today, if you would put it in AA History L., we got 29,000 people that could benefit from this conversation. [01:37:29.548 – 01:37:36.067] I mean, we can all be of service here by going over there and posting, uh, anything you happen to know about this topic, okay?

[01:37:36.067 – 01:37:36.638] All right. [01:37:36.638 – 01:37:38.208] Let's all work together on this. [01:37:38.208 – 01:37:39.008] Brilliant. [01:37:39.008 – 01:37:39.808] Thank you, Tom. [01:37:39.808 – 01:37:42.108] So we'll just go straight over to Stuart and we crack on. [01:37:42.108 – 01:37:43.848] We got Joel, I believe, Stuart. [01:37:43.848 – 01:37:45.528] Yeah.

[01:37:45.528 – 01:37:46.548] Hello again, everybody. [01:37:46.548 – 01:37:47.518] Stuart, alcoholic. [01:37:47.518 – 01:37:54.808] If you'd like to come in and ask a question, be part of the meeting, then please raise your hand in the participant section and I'll call on you. [01:37:54.808 – 01:37:56.568] And we're gonna start off with Joel M. [01:37:56.568 – 01:37:57.248] in Miami. [01:37:57.248 – 01:37:58.428] Good evening, Joel. [01:37:58.428 – 01:38:00.668] Good evening.

[01:38:00.668 – 01:38:02.628] I'm an alcoholic and my problem is Joel. [01:38:02.628 – 01:38:03.068] Thank… [01:38:03.068 – 01:38:05.328] What a- What a… [01:38:05.328 – 01:38:07.048] I, I'm, I… [01:38:07.048 – 01:38:07.358] All right. [01:38:07.358 – 01:38:07.948] Yeah. [01:38:07.948 – 01:38:09.388] One…

[01:38:09.388 – 01:38:10.268] T- Tom, that's… [01:38:10.268 – 01:38:11.228] I don't know what to say. [01:38:11.228 – 01:38:11.688] Wonderful. [01:38:11.688 – 01:38:14.768] But, uh, let me just offer a suggestion. [01:38:14.768 – 01:38:18.688] You, you made a comment about that one line about the doctors- Right … [01:38:18.688 – 01:38:26.368] who then make a statement about, you know, the real cure is with the, in effect, with the common man, and why was that line left out on page 163? [01:38:26.368 – 01:38:36.448] I would suggest that that was a very smart move, and, uh, someone, you know, realized we don't need to go and insult the whole medical profession by rubbing

[01:38:36.448 – 01:38:38.028] it in that we've got the cure. [01:38:38.028 – 01:38:39.688] You know, and we're laymen. [01:38:39.688 – 01:38:39.978] You know, that's a good point. [01:38:39.978 – 01:38:42.068] And you guys spent your whole life doing that. [01:38:42.068 – 01:38:43.568] So that, that's how it struck me. [01:38:43.568 – 01:38:44.868] You know what? [01:38:44.868 – 01:38:46.128] That's a really good point.

[01:38:46.128 – 01:38:47.188] Thank you very much. [01:38:47.188 – 01:38:47.828] Noted. [01:38:47.828 – 01:38:50.568] Okay, that's great. [01:38:50.568 – 01:38:51.068] Thank you. [01:38:51.068 – 01:38:52.788] We're gonna go to Hugh H. [01:38:52.788 – 01:38:53.088] now. [01:38:53.088 – 01:38:53.968] Hello, Hugh.

[01:38:53.968 – 01:38:57.248] Hello. [01:38:57.248 – 01:38:58.248] I'm an alcoholic. [01:38:58.248 – 01:38:59.768] My name is Hugh. [01:38:59.768 – 01:39:01.968] Uh, thank you very much, Tom. [01:39:01.968 – 01:39:11.988] I, I just wanted to note that I've always been a little bit disappointed that they took out of the third edition, out of the fourth edition the story that was in the [01:39:11.988 – 01:39:17.748] third edition about the guy in India who got sober by himself writing letters. [01:39:17.748 – 01:39:18.628] Yep.

[01:39:18.628 – 01:39:20.748] That's it. [01:39:20.748 – 01:39:23.308] I, I agree with you. [01:39:23.308 – 01:39:29.668] There's a, a few stories I, I, I don't quite understand why they took them out, but you know, that's very subjective. [01:39:29.668 – 01:39:31.327] But I, I'm with you on that. [01:39:31.327 – 01:39:32.308] It's a tragedy. [01:39:32.308 – 01:39:33.468] It's a beautiful story. [01:39:33.468 – 01:39:35.568] Great.

[01:39:35.568 – 01:39:36.368] Thank you. [01:39:36.368 – 01:39:38.308] We're gonna go to Chip now. [01:39:38.308 – 01:39:39.088] Hello, Chip. [01:39:39.088 – 01:39:39.748] Good evening. [01:39:39.748 – 01:39:44.928] Good evening. [01:39:44.928 – 01:39:51.748] Um, I find, um, the fact that Bill's story is first and this one is the… [01:39:51.748 – 01:39:55.348] First off, happy birthday to Tom.

[01:39:55.348 – 01:39:55.998] Thank you, man. [01:39:55.998 – 01:39:57.688] For the big, for the big triple X. [01:39:57.688 – 01:40:07.868] But the, um, the main point is, like, my question, the main point of my question is, h- i- in exploiting strengths, you know, that's, that's something that [01:40:07.868 – 01:40:08.308] I've learned. [01:40:08.308 – 01:40:09.688] Tom's my sponsor. [01:40:09.688 – 01:40:10.998] He's, he saved my life. [01:40:10.998 – 01:40:15.838] The program, spirituality, the whole deal, like, it all started with this chapter.

[01:40:15.838 – 01:40:25.928] So every time I hear this or a version of it or I talk about it, this is, like, the most formative piece [01:40:25.928 – 01:40:26.728] of my history. [01:40:26.728 – 01:40:30.148] That this is where it began after years and years of people trying to share it. [01:40:30.148 – 01:40:31.408] So my point is… [01:40:31.408 – 01:40:41.608] Sorry, I could go on for hours about this, but in exploiting a strength, okay, you know, like, that's something very unusual [01:40:41.608 – 01:40:44.047] that I've learned from Tom, is to embrace… [01:40:44.047 – 01:40:45.488] It, it's like you take…

[01:40:45.488 – 01:40:53.888] Bill has taken, Bob has taken everything in their lives, and they've come full circle with it to the point where they've turned them into strengths so that people can't… [01:40:53.888 – 01:41:00.948] When you're sober for a considerable period of time, you don't look like someone else in society. [01:41:00.948 – 01:41:02.408] You might look a little different. [01:41:02.408 – 01:41:12.428] You might, they might come off a different way, but you're genuine, you're honest, you're caring, you're the most sincere, or you have the ability to be, I believe, with this program, if your heart's in the right place. [01:41:12.428 – 01:41:16.548] So what were they demonstrating by putting this at the end? [01:41:16.548 – 01:41:24.388] What was the, what was the point of, "We're 100 men and women in the beginning," and, you know, Bob… [01:41:24.388 – 01:41:30.177] And this is, like, a, just a, a, a conundrum for me to understand why.

[01:41:30.177 – 01:41:35.758] It's not enough for me to say Bill was egotistical and that's why his was there and Bob w- It's just not enough. [01:41:35.758 – 01:41:40.288] These were like pure spirits to me, and it's just this changed my life. [01:41:40.288 – 01:41:50.408] So this is, this is important to me to, to, to ask this question in this forum this way, that in exploiting strengths as alcoholics through our recovery [01:41:50.408 – 01:42:00.468] and demonstrating and being an example, and maybe sometimes those things come off as, um, not as altruistic, more egotistical, but they're more demonstrations [01:42:00.468 – 01:42:07.108] of our character and sobriety because they're gifts that we know how to embrace at this point rather than let, let them crush us. [01:42:07.108 – 01:42:12.808] So that's kind of what I'm seeing here with this, but I'm just so confused about the order. [01:42:12.808 – 01:42:14.828] Yeah.

[01:42:14.828 – 01:42:16.988] I mean, I, I, I, I agree with you there. [01:42:16.988 – 01:42:18.568] Um, uh, there's… [01:42:18.568 – 01:42:20.708] That Hank's Ideas, uh, in… [01:42:20.708 – 01:42:24.168] which that document again is available on AAHL. [01:42:24.168 – 01:42:27.188] But, um, he had a lot of really interesting ideas. [01:42:27.188 – 01:42:35.918] He wanted to do a Q&A chapter, uh, a medical chapter, something, you know, a, you know, kinda two employers, but aimed at doctors, uh- [01:42:36.228 – 01:42:40.108] A, a sales promotion possibilities chapter he wanted.

[01:42:40.108 – 01:42:43.848] I mean, there's all kinds of really weird stuff, the ideas that they had. [01:42:43.848 – 01:42:45.688] And, and, and, and a vision… [01:42:45.688 – 01:42:52.988] What it became a vision for you, the history chapter was actually the first idea was meant to be the opening chapter of the book. [01:42:52.988 – 01:43:03.288] And I've, you know, Bill, uh, explores in Writing the Big Book, uh, he explores like the whole idea of how Bill's story became chapter one and stuff. [01:43:03.288 – 01:43:04.518] But you know what? [01:43:04.518 – 01:43:06.028] We really don't know. [01:43:06.028 – 01:43:08.968] We weren't in the room w- that day when they had that conversation.

[01:43:08.968 – 01:43:10.508] I don't know of anyone, uh… [01:43:10.508 – 01:43:11.868] I, I don't know everything. [01:43:11.868 – 01:43:14.688] There m- that data might be out there, so I'm putting it out there. [01:43:14.688 – 01:43:19.788] If you know, please let us know, uh, why, why they made that decision. [01:43:19.788 – 01:43:20.608] We don't really… [01:43:20.608 – 01:43:23.828] I don't know anybody that knows why that is. [01:43:23.828 – 01:43:25.168] It is a strange thing.

[01:43:25.168 – 01:43:25.348] Yeah. [01:43:25.348 – 01:43:26.548] Why put that at the end? [01:43:26.548 – 01:43:27.508] I don't know. [01:43:27.508 – 01:43:31.288] Thank you. [01:43:31.288 – 01:43:32.808] Um, we don't have any other hands. [01:43:32.808 – 01:43:38.428] If you would like to come in and ask a question, then please raise your hand in the participant section and I'll call on you. [01:43:38.428 – 01:43:42.028] My wife has a question.

[01:43:42.028 – 01:43:44.128] With regards to ex-problem drinker, Tom. [01:43:44.128 – 01:43:45.238] You'll have to tell them. [01:43:45.238 – 01:43:47.048] Well, well, I've… [01:43:47.048 – 01:43:48.528] Joe and Charlie had come across this letter. [01:43:48.528 – 01:43:49.168] They used to have… [01:43:49.168 – 01:43:53.168] They took out ex, uh, alcoholic 'cause people might start thinking they're no longer alcoholic. [01:43:53.168 – 01:43:55.818] Is there, is that, is there some truth in that?

[01:43:55.818 – 01:43:58.028] Well, I mean, it's conjecture. [01:43:58.028 – 01:44:08.128] I mean, it could be the reason, but we don't have anything in their, that I know of, in their own, like, there's no Bill letter or anything like that that, that [01:44:08.128 – 01:44:12.048] I've ever found that explains it, why they did it, you know? [01:44:12.048 – 01:44:16.828] Although that, that sounds very plausible, sure. [01:44:16.828 – 01:44:18.178] But, but we just don't- Mm-hmm … [01:44:18.178 – 01:44:19.808] have the archive for that. [01:44:19.808 – 01:44:21.948] My wife says she has a question.

[01:44:21.948 – 01:44:22.188] Oh. [01:44:22.188 – 01:44:23.128] If that's okay. [01:44:23.128 – 01:44:24.608] She's right here. [01:44:24.608 – 01:44:35.868] In the beginning part of your s- um, presentation, you had stated that there was a certain amount of paragraphs that related to Akron's, um, [01:44:35.868 – 01:44:39.148] way of AA, and then only two paragraphs for New York. [01:44:39.148 – 01:44:44.007] And I may have heard you wrong, but did you just say that's because Akron didn't want anything to do with it? [01:44:44.007 – 01:44:44.628] That's right.

[01:44:44.628 – 01:44:50.508] Then why were there so many paragraphs on Akron when they didn't want anything to do with the Big Book? [01:44:50.508 – 01:44:53.308] Bill was trying to tell the whole story. [01:44:53.308 – 01:44:54.528] It was a history chapter. [01:44:54.528 – 01:45:04.547] And because Akron didn't wanna participate in other sections of the book, of the first 164, um, if he didn't do that, then they would have never been mentioned at all, [01:45:04.548 – 01:45:08.068] and it would've been just slanted towards New York 100%. [01:45:08.068 – 01:45:08.868] He, he… [01:45:08.868 – 01:45:09.948] It was an olive branch.

[01:45:09.948 – 01:45:18.288] He was trying to, trying to get Akron to care and involve is, uh, what we know from his own writings and letters. [01:45:18.288 – 01:45:22.928] And also, uh, Bill S. has a whole chapter on that too, so. [01:45:22.928 – 01:45:24.228] Well, I only listened to you. [01:45:24.228 – 01:45:25.048] I didn't read Bill's book. [01:45:25.048 – 01:45:27.368] Thank you. [01:45:27.368 – 01:45:28.188] Mm-hmm. [01:45:28.188 – 01:45:35.368] I mean, I can't, I can't s- I can't even tell you how amazing this book is.

[01:45:35.368 – 01:45:37.548] I mean, come on, this is awesome. [01:45:37.548 – 01:45:39.398] Writing the Big Book. [01:45:39.398 – 01:45:49.728] If you don't have a copy of this, this is probably, since Not G., I, I think this is probably one of the most important books to come out, uh, for AA history. [01:45:49.728 – 01:45:58.468] It's, it's so well-sourced, and there's just so much stuff that corrects so many of the false narratives that have been running around, but not in a combative way. [01:45:58.468 – 01:46:01.568] It's just beautiful the way he did this. [01:46:01.568 – 01:46:03.068] It's incredible. [01:46:03.068 – 01:46:04.528] Incredible, incredible book.

[01:46:04.528 – 01:46:07.168] Okay, we have one last question, I think. [01:46:07.168 – 01:46:10.608] Um, we're gonna go to Randy in Ontario in Canada. [01:46:10.608 – 01:46:10.797] Yes, please. [01:46:10.797 – 01:46:11.568] Hello, Randy. [01:46:11.568 – 01:46:11.968] Good evening. [01:46:11.968 – 01:46:13.508] Uh, hi there. [01:46:13.508 – 01:46:14.968] Randy, alcoholic.

[01:46:14.968 – 01:46:17.328] Uh, uh, happy birthday. [01:46:17.328 – 01:46:21.288] Thank you for the lovely presentation, your time, your knowledge. [01:46:21.288 – 01:46:31.508] Uh, the question, who paid, uh, Bill's, uh, hotel bill in, uh, Akron [01:46:31.508 – 01:46:32.368] at the Mayflower? [01:46:32.368 – 01:46:39.788] You know, that was a recent question on AA History L., and nobody actually had an answer to that. [01:46:39.788 – 01:46:48.448] We think maybe the company did, uh, that he was sent there to do the proxy fight, but we really don't have any documentation. [01:46:48.448 – 01:46:50.508] Jim W., do you know anything about this?

[01:46:50.508 – 01:46:55.648] Uh, no, I don't have a definitive answer. [01:46:55.648 – 01:46:59.148] I, I saw that, uh, on AA History L. too. [01:46:59.148 – 01:47:09.428] But, uh, as far as having any proof one way or the other, whether it was Henrietta or, uh, or the company or, [01:47:09.428 – 01:47:09.608] uh… [01:47:09.608 – 01:47:09.908] No. [01:47:09.908 – 01:47:12.328] No, I haven't any definitive answer. [01:47:12.328 – 01:47:13.248] Yeah.

[01:47:13.248 – 01:47:16.298] There's no receipts, and the records have been lost- Mm … [01:47:16.298 – 01:47:17.288] from those days, so. [01:47:17.288 – 01:47:18.708] Thank you very much. [01:47:18.708 – 01:47:19.728] You're welcome. [01:47:19.728 – 01:47:21.088] All right. [01:47:21.088 – 01:47:22.588] Thank you very much, everybody. [01:47:22.588 – 01:47:24.428] We're gonna hand the meeting back to David now.

[01:47:24.428 – 01:47:25.698] Brilliant. [01:47:25.698 – 01:47:26.448] Thank you, Tom. [01:47:26.448 – 01:47:27.828] Thank you, Stuart. [01:47:27.828 – 01:47:30.488] Um, just some flyers I just wanna go through. [01:47:30.488 – 01:47:33.528] H. Eby will have some, uh, meeting coming up tomorrow, uh, Sunday. [01:47:33.528 – 01:47:34.348] Is that right, Randy? [01:47:34.348 – 01:47:37.188] Sunday, s- February 13th, 5:00 PM.

[01:47:37.188 – 01:47:38.298] Yes. [01:47:38.298 – 01:47:38.948] Randy, go ahead. [01:47:38.948 – 01:47:39.758] Do you know much about it? [01:47:39.758 – 01:47:41.928] It's Chris R., Myers R., and Chris S.. [01:47:41.928 – 01:47:42.428] Is that right? [01:47:42.428 – 01:47:44.308] Yes, that is correct. [01:47:44.308 – 01:47:54.468] Um, H. completed the cycle, so he's invited, uh, uh, the Chris S., who he calls super sponsee- Well,

[01:47:54.468 – 01:47:56.658] I thought I was fine until I went to the bathroom … [01:47:56.658 – 01:47:59.937] and he'll share about what Zoom has done [01:48:00.188 – 01:48:03.408] Um, 4/88 Wow. [01:48:03.408 – 01:48:05.248] Sounds good. [01:48:05.248 – 01:48:06.428] And that's at, uh… [01:48:06.428 – 01:48:07.168] What's the time on that? [01:48:07.168 – 01:48:10.548] That's at 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Eastern T..

[01:48:10.548 – 01:48:11.528] Correct. [01:48:11.528 – 01:48:14.708] That would be 10:00, uh, PM in the UK. [01:48:14.708 – 01:48:15.888] Thank you, Randy. [01:48:15.888 – 01:48:17.848] Good to see you again, Randy. [01:48:17.848 – 01:48:18.568] Missed you. [01:48:18.568 – 01:48:22.548] Uh, Tom just mentioned about writing the big book. [01:48:22.548 – 01:48:32.628] We have, um, more than a, a Writing the Big Book reading z- uh, Zoom meeting every Thursday at 7:30 PM in the London, and that's 2:30 in New York.

[01:48:32.628 – 01:48:38.008] Uh, this week we're on chapter 10, the outline, and we're going into late June 1938. [01:48:38.008 – 01:48:41.408] So I'm looking forward to getting involved in that one. [01:48:41.408 – 01:48:44.988] Also, Eamon, did you wanna mention this one again? [01:48:44.988 – 01:48:48.468] Uh, this is for people in the UK, if you're there. [01:48:48.468 – 01:48:49.368] Is E. gone? [01:48:49.368 – 01:48:51.128] Maybe he's gone. [01:48:51.128 – 01:48:51.668] He was here.

[01:48:51.668 – 01:48:54.088] Might be past Eamon's bedtime. [01:48:54.088 – 01:48:57.707] Uh, next week we have Roland H.. [01:48:57.707 – 01:48:58.828] Uh, we're going… [01:48:58.828 – 01:49:02.358] Well, not, we don't, we don't have literally Roland H., but we have a presentation- … [01:49:02.358 – 01:49:06.268] by Jennifer Do- Donahue on Roland H. III. [01:49:06.268 – 01:49:16.507] And, uh, as you can see, this, "This Certain American B. Had A. and Good S. and High C.." We're gonna be, uh, looking into that, so we're looking forward to having Jennifer back with us, [01:49:16.508 – 01:49:16.918] uh, for that.

[01:49:16.918 – 01:49:23.148] And Jennifer is from Vermont as well, so this is, this is fantastic to have Jennifer doing these presentations. [01:49:23.148 – 01:49:27.358] And the following week we have, uh, I'm calling him the man himself, but, uh, Mr. [01:49:27.358 – 01:49:33.888] W. mightn't take to it, but Jim W. is gonna do a presentation for us on The Man, The Writer, The Seeker: Bill W.. [01:49:33.888 – 01:49:35.867] And it's gonna be part one. [01:49:35.867 – 01:49:42.508] Uh, and we don't know how many parts Jim is, uh, gonna do for us, but knowing Jimmy, we could do 50, 100. [01:49:42.508 – 01:49:47.388] Fantastic amount of, uh, Aladdin's cave amount of material he's got for us. [01:49:47.388 – 01:49:48.828] Wonderful to have him here.

[01:49:48.828 – 01:49:54.888] And Al wanted me to just mention these quickly, if you c- just give me a couple more minutes maybe, or a minute maybe. [01:49:54.888 – 01:50:03.368] And this is, uh, the A Comes of Age group, uh, write, uh, reading, the reading group, and they do read the A Comes of Age every Wednesday evening at 6:00 PM. [01:50:03.368 – 01:50:07.048] Um, I don't know what's on Recovery Speakers this week. [01:50:07.048 – 01:50:08.088] I didn't get the flyer for them. [01:50:08.088 – 01:50:14.908] Uh, Bill W., My F. 40 Years, every Sunday at 3:00 PM if you're interested in learning more about that. [01:50:14.908 – 01:50:19.728] And that's about it from me, except this one. [01:50:19.728 – 01:50:25.028] Chip of a Book history seminar, Saturday, February 26, '22.

[01:50:25.028 – 01:50:27.328] Uh, we've got Bill S., Writing a Big Book. [01:50:27.328 – 01:50:30.797] He's gonna be talking on chapters one and two with questions. [01:50:30.797 – 01:50:36.468] And then Drew H., the wonderful Drew from Atlanta, talking on The Big Book G. to Print. [01:50:36.468 – 01:50:40.748] And, and there, Tom, who's just done this presentation, is gonna do… [01:50:40.748 – 01:50:42.588] This is what, he's rehearsal tonight. [01:50:42.588 – 01:50:48.928] He's gonna be perform- It's gonna be the top drawer presentation on the twel- uh, on that as well. [01:50:48.928 – 01:50:50.808] Um, and- Well, it'll, it'll be a twist.

[01:50:50.808 – 01:50:52.288] It's not gonna be exactly the same. [01:50:52.288 – 01:50:52.758] Thank you, Tom. [01:50:52.758 – 01:50:53.748] But that's where it originates. [01:50:53.748 – 01:50:55.068] A vision for us. [01:50:55.068 – 01:50:59.868] Tom, I'm gonna go back to you shortly to close with a prayer of your choice, and also our basic take 10. [01:50:59.868 – 01:51:01.008] And now with S. J. [01:51:01.008 – 01:51:03.208] Aurura, Aurura.

[01:51:03.208 – 01:51:04.608] Amen. [01:51:04.608 – 01:51:06.368] Apologies if I got your name wrong there. [01:51:06.368 – 01:51:08.148] So thank you everyone for your attention. [01:51:08.148 – 01:51:13.448] And Tom, we're going back to you to close with a prayer or a reflection of your choice. [01:51:13.448 – 01:51:13.848] Thank you. [01:51:13.848 – 01:51:16.048] Thank you. [01:51:16.048 – 01:51:22.098] And again, I'm so grateful, so grateful for the moment and for the time that we've shared together.

[01:51:22.098 – 01:51:26.828] Thank you for listening to me and letting me be of service today. [01:51:26.828 – 01:51:33.688] After a moment of silence, um, you know, I normally say for the alcoholic who still suffers, but right now, don't you think the whole planet could use a prayer? [01:51:33.688 – 01:51:36.488] Let's just pray for the planet, okay? [01:51:36.488 – 01:51:44.288] Um, after a moment of silence, uh, if, if you wouldn't mind, uh, joining me in the, um, we version of the Serenity P.. [01:51:44.288 – 01:51:45.008] All right? [01:51:45.008 – 01:51:46.748] Here we go with the moment of silence. [01:51:46.748 – 01:51:47.928] Thank you.

[01:51:47.928 – 01:51:59.508] Thank [01:51:59.508 – 01:51:59.688] you. [01:51:59.688 – 01:52:09.708] God- God- God- Grant us the serenity- Grant us the serenity- To accept the things I cannot change- To accept the things I cannot change- Courage- Courage- To change the things I can- To change the things we [01:52:09.708 – 01:52:15.698] can- And wisdom- And wisdom- To know the difference To know the difference Great job, everyone. [01:52:15.698 – 01:52:16.128] Thank you. [01:52:16.128 – 01:52:16.888] Thank you. [01:52:16.888 – 01:52:18.047] Good night, everybody.

[01:52:18.047 – 01:52:18.638] Thank you, Tom. [01:52:18.638 – 01:52:19.168] Hey, Bert. [01:52:19.168 – 01:52:20.948] Happy birthday, Tom. [01:52:20.948 – 01:52:22.228] Happy birthday, Tom. [01:52:22.228 – 01:52:23.358] Cheers to you, Tom. [01:52:23.358 – 01:52:24.748] Happy birthday. [01:52:24.748 – 01:52:25.128] Congratulations.

[01:52:25.128 – 01:52:27.088] It feels weird, man. [01:52:27.088 – 01:52:28.928] It feels weird. [01:52:28.928 – 01:52:29.208] Thank you, Tom. [01:52:29.208 – 01:52:29.958] Good night, David. [01:52:29.958 – 01:52:31.928] Congratulations, Tom, over 30 years. [01:52:31.928 – 01:52:32.118] Woo-hoo. [01:52:32.118 – 01:52:33.108] Love you, Donna.

[01:52:33.108 – 01:52:33.708] Hi, sweetie. [01:52:33.708 – 01:52:34.768] Love you. [01:52:34.768 – 01:52:36.268] Thank you. [01:52:36.268 – 01:52:37.187] Good night. [01:52:37.187 – 01:52:38.618] Good night, Debbie. [01:52:38.618 – 01:52:39.108] Thanks so much, Tom. [01:52:39.108 – 01:52:39.668] We love you.

[01:52:39.668 – 01:52:40.458] Good night, all. [01:52:40.458 – 01:52:41.288] Love you, too, Donna. [01:52:41.288 – 01:52:43.358] Thanks, Tom. [01:52:43.358 – 01:52:43.998] Thank you. [01:52:43.998 – 01:52:44.718] That's amazing, Tom. [01:52:44.718 – 01:52:45.988] Good to see you, Janice. [01:52:45.988 – 01:52:47.428] Hey, S..

[01:52:47.428 – 01:52:47.978] Thank you. [01:52:47.978 – 01:52:48.408] Hey, brother. [01:52:48.408 – 01:52:48.928] How you doing? [01:52:48.928 – 01:52:50.288] Good, sir. [01:52:50.288 – 01:52:52.208] Thank you, Tom. [01:52:52.208 – 01:52:53.948] Thank you, Deborah. [01:52:53.948 – 01:52:55.568] Hey, David.

[01:52:55.568 – 01:53:00.298] Can you please give the password to the Jim W. pack? [01:53:00.298 – 01:53:02.627] It will be the… [01:53:02.627 – 01:53:02.947] Sorry. [01:53:02.947 – 01:53:04.868] It will be the same password as you had tonight. [01:53:04.868 – 01:53:06.188] Yeah, same code. [01:53:06.188 – 01:53:07.588] You grow- Okay, same one … [01:53:07.588 – 01:53:08.478] You grow in, yeah.

[01:53:08.478 – 01:53:09.448] Okay. [01:53:09.448 – 01:53:10.888] All caps. [01:53:10.888 – 01:53:11.138] Thank you. [01:53:11.138 – 01:53:11.139] All caps. [01:53:11.139 – 01:53:11.488] Thank you, Donna. [01:53:11.488 – 01:53:13.488] Hey, Jeremiah. [01:53:13.488 – 01:53:14.138] Thank you.

[01:53:14.138 – 01:53:14.278] Bye, David. [01:53:14.278 – 01:53:14.728] Nice to see you there. [01:53:14.728 – 01:53:15.148] And Roy. [01:53:15.148 – 01:53:15.968] Bye-bye. [01:53:15.968 – 01:53:18.568] Janice. [01:53:18.568 – 01:53:21.208] May I ask a question? [01:53:21.208 – 01:53:22.298] Of course.

[01:53:22.298 – 01:53:23.708] I'm gonna close, I'm gonna stop the recording