Big Book Quote for 7/7/13
 

"PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics."

Working With Others

It's the one thing that will get me out of my self, but who wants to go and donate their time to help someone?

I commend all that tirelessly continue to go to AA meetings to help alcoholics recover.

But I get a lot more out of it than the newcomer. I never used to believe it until I started to do Step 12 after completing the first 11. I realized I had a message to carry.

It is a selfish program, though. Here is my payoff:

"No satisfaction has been deeper and no joy greater than in a Twelfth Step job well done. To watch the eyes of men and women open with wonder as they move from darkness into light; to see their lives quickly fill with new purpose and meaning; and above all to watch them awaken to the presence of a loving God in their lives - these things are the substance of what we receive as we carry AA's message."

:tyou too, Veritas.

3rd. Edition stuff........

Love to you UncleMeat. :)

Someday, I hope I will recover and be helpful to others. I'm still caught in the grips.

Please keep me in your prayers.

getting rid of selfish, self-centeredness through working the steps is what made be be able to want to help others.

it isn't a donation. it is a duty.

You betcha !!!!!!!

This act of working with other alcoholics helps me like nothing else can. I will easily skip a meeting if given the choice between either meeting someone in need or a sponsee or going to a treatment center than go to a meeting. When I am feeling a bit down or getting wrapped up in something, talking to a newcomer or listening to someone else rejuvenates me. I can't explain it always, but I bounce back faster. I find a new energy. I feel useful and content, feeling that I am doing the Creator's will, and helping someone along the line. And I do it because it's something that I owe the Universe, but also because I like to do it. And helping others was something I never liked doing.

I am only sober 8 months now, too new to sponsor people in the custom of my home groups and my sponsors opinion. But for about 7 weeks I've been chairing a meeting in women's prison. It has been a very humbling experience. It has strengthened my resolve to work my program and stay sober. It has been rewarding to have a lady come back the next week and tell me she keeps thinking about something I said, can I tell her more about that? I can carry the message, and in doing so my program gets stronger.

Interesting quote. May I ask where it came from? sounds like a paraphrase of page 89:

"Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends - this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives."

Hi B,

First paragraph on Page 110 of 12 Steps and Twelve Traditions,
Chapter 12.

Yes it is similar. I believe Bill W. changed it slightly when he wrote the 12X12
years later. I like both versions............