As Bill Sees It

[CarolD]

*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Maintenance and Growth

It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worthwhile. But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of harboring resentment is infinitely grave. For then we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die.
If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the sudden rage were not for us. Anger is the dubious luxury of normal men, but for us alcoholics it is poison.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 66
First Edition

[navysteve]

Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance,
pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said to ourselves, ”This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done.“ We avoid retaliation or argument. We wouldn’t treat sick people that way. If we do, we destroy our chance of being helpful. We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one.

A very important part of the 4th step. When doing this for the first time, resentments are sure to pop up. The sooner we get into the habit of turning towards our God for strength the better. The answer comes right after the prayer.

Kindly and tolerant view...

Resentment is the ”number one“ offender. It destroys
more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all
forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only
mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually
sick.

Back on page 64 is the only time the Big Book uses the word disease. I don't say that to start an argument whether or not alcoholism is a disease in the sense that cancer is. It killes people, so the disease idea works for me; if left untreated, I die.

The solution has to be spiritual for me. Intelect is good to a point. But when dealing with powerful emotions, I need to go to a higher power. But what is spirituality? I think it can be confusing for many. Spirituality, in a basic sense, is based on the idea that there exists something, be it a state of mind, a being, or a place, that is outside the experience of our five limited senses. Spirituality is the personal relationship of the individual to this state of mind, being or place and often emphasizes the notion of a path, that spirituality is a goal in achieving understanding, or an improved relationship with the sacred.

I did not use any concept like him, her,it,they...

Tappping into the positive energy is the important thing here for me. When working a new man through the steps who has an issue with God, I take a little time to define spirituality. I find the time to be very important. I know people who have them work the steps exactly to the letter as outlined in the book and the results can often be disastrous. As we can see on these threads, we get hung up on words. God, love, sex, democrat, republican...

Much to our relief, we discovered we did not need
to consider another’s conception of God. Our own
conception, however inadequate, was sufficient to
make the approach and to effect a contact with Him.

Oh, by the way, this quote from the Big Book makes the AA program a "take what you want" deal. The beauty of that for us who have had an awakening is that we realize that the realm of the spirit truly is all-inclusive.

When we help the new person re-direct their resentment at the word "God" we can be of maximum help and introduce more people to their creator.