[nandm]

Dee has a good point. I actually had a reply in my head after reading your post but after reading Dee's reply it has affected mine.

Bob have you ever read the book "A New Pair Of Glasses" by Chuck C.? It really puts a perspective on recovery that it seems you may not be seeing. Many times we see what we look for in life. Have you ever had a similiar experience to this; wanting a certain color or type of vehicle and not ever seeing one on the road until after purchasing it. Then they seem to be everywhere? This is an example of how our minds look for what we want to see rather than what is actually there.

When I find I am having a slump, or down cycle in my recovery; I look inward rather than outward. In doing this I am able to spend my time and energy in a productive manner of finding the problem and a solution. If I am looking outward then I wind up wasting my time and energy on worrying about what others are doing or not doing which is something I can not change.

I have not run across what you are seeing. Yes, I have run across unhappy people in AA just as in every day life. I don't think that percentage wise this is any higher in AA.

The power and tools to change my life and have peace, serenity, and happiness is at my fingertips. When I am working the program, applying the steps and principles to EVERY aspect of my life I find I have peace, serenity, and happiness inside regardless of what is going on around me. The steps get to the point that when I apply them to every problem or challenge I am faced with in life they have become something that I do not have to consciously think about applying. I just do it, by applying the steps I find solutions. By finding solutions to these problems or challenges I find peace and happiness.