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Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics.
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DEFINITION:
Practical: resulting from practice
This is not a theory. It works. The vast experience of AA members the world over proves it to be true. If you want to recover from alcoholism nothing you can do will be of more help than working with other alcoholics. Intensive work is what is called for, not mere causual association. Working through the steps with our sponsors, studying this program with our AA group and helping another alcoholic to recover are all examples of intensive work with other alcoholics.
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It works when other activites fail.
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If we are having a hard time staying sober and are wondering what it is we have to do, here is clear-cut direction. Explaining the theories and ideas that are the foundation of our new lives to a newcomer will do more than anything else to help us understand them for ourselves. We have to give it away to get it.
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This is our twelfth suggestion: Carry this message to other alcoholics!
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The message that this book carries to alcoholics is that there is a method by which we may recover (17:12-14). On their last visit Dr. Bob cautioned Bill W. to "Keep it simple." By this he meant that we should not dilute the message of this book with any other messages. Let us work the AA program and not be distracted by other influences. Let us study, practice, and master this program before we delve off into other issues.
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You can help when no one else can.
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We know why we were byond human aid. We were blinded from the truth by the illusion of self-sufficiency. We were blocked from God by our character defects. We were so selfish and self-centered that we could find justifications for our most bizarre behaviors. Now we have found a real solution to the problem God, can make us very effective at presenting it to alcoholics.
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You can secure their confidence when others fail.
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Our past becomes transformed by God into our greatest asset. It helps others to identify with us. We know what it is like to be in the seemingly hopeless state of mind and body that is alcoholism. We know what it is like to have our problems pile up on us to the point that we despair of a solution. We know what it is to be beyond human aid. We also know how to recover from this stae. This chapter is concerned with the study of how we may most effectively carry this message to those who suffer from alcoholism (89:6). Alcoholics are spiritually, mentally and physically ill. If we just dry out nothing changes with our spiritual and mental conditions. If we try to adjust mentally our physical and spiritual states take us back into insanity. We must attack the problem in all three planes.
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Life will take on new meaning.
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Replacing our slothful indifference to our spiritual responsibilities and the welfare of others with intensive work with other alcoholics brings meaning and purpose to our lives. Nothing we do will bring us more satisfaction and fulfillment than attempting to be of real service to others. Whether we are successful or not our attempt to repay this wonderful gift we have received fills our heart with gratefulness for the opportunity to be a part of God's great plan.
11-19
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Perhaps you are not acquainted with any drinkers who want to recover. You can easily find some by asking a few doctors, ministers, priests, and hospitals. They will be only too glad to assist you. Don't start out as an evangelist or reformer. Unfortunately a lot of prejudice exists. You will be handicapped if you arouse it. Ministers and doctors are competent and you can learn much from them is your wish, but it happens that because of your own drinking experience you can be uniquely useful to other alcoholics. So cooperate; never criticize. To be helpful is our only aim.
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We find few things are as rewarding as the study of how best to carry this message. The directions begin here. We should use our common sense. How would we have reacted to an evangelist or reformer? Probably we would have rejected everything they had to say as we would not have trusted their motives. We alcoholics are cynical and look very closely to find hidden motives. We should not attempt to justify our attempts to gain power or moral authority over others as trying to be helful. If we haveno other agenda than to be helpful we are certain to be much more successful as God will be able to work through us without us getting in the way.
Source:
The Annotated AA Handbook
Frank D.