As Bill Sees It for 1/24/2013

[newby1961]

*~*~*~*~*^AsBill SeesIt^*~*~*~*~*

Alike When the Chips Are Down
In the beginning, it was four whole years before A.A. brought permanent sobriety to even one alcoholic woman. Like the "high bottoms," the women said they were different; A.A. couldn't be for them. But as the communication was perfected, mostly by the women themselves, the picture changed.
This process of identification and transmission has gone on and on. The Skid-Rower said he was different. Even more loudly, the socialite (or Park Avenue stumblebum) said the same - so did the artists and the professional people, the rich, the poor, the religious, the agnostic, the Indians and the Eskimos, the veterans, and the prisoners.
But nowadays all of these, and legions more, soberly talk about how very much alike all of us alcoholics are when we admit that the chips are finally down.

GRAPEVINE, OCTOBER 1959

[Fernaceman]

All different shapes, sizes, and walks of life.

[paul99]

Whether Park Avenue or park bench, we are similar in more ways than we sometimes care to admit. At first I used to focus on the differences between me and those I saw and heard in the meetings, but it wasn't long before I started to hear the similarities and I could truly identify. I no longer have the prejudices that I did before, and look beyond the surface. We all have the common problem and work in the common solution...regardless of the external.

[stepping]

we've come a long way and have so many more strides to take