Redmayne

On the basis of 'keeping it simple' my recovery, after 30 years of drinking, was built on the simple premise.

That , I know what I know and I do what I do...

Easier said than done, initially to me and I'm sure many others...

'I know what I know' found in a full knowledge of 'The Doctors Opinion' and the first 164 pages, of the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' greatly assisted by a set of 10 cd's recording a talk given at a 'Big Book Study' weekend by Charlie and Joe. These, I think are now available through the A A Service Office, although I'll stand corrected on that, as my copies were 'burned' on to blank cd's, and handed to me by a guy, Brian. To whom I'll be forever grateful...

'I do what I do', having at last, gained a full knowledge and understanding of my disease/illness.Recognizing and accepting, that without my permission. I was a 'real alcoholic', as described in Chapter 3 of the aforesaid book. I then followed this up by taking great note of the first line in Chapter 5, ' Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path...,.' and the rest of the suggested 12 Step program. Putting them into practice as and when the time and opportunity arose. Whilst at the same time welcoming the suggestion made on p.275, in the personal story,'The Keys to the Kingdom' that,' A.A. is not a plan for recovery that can be finished and done with'....etc.

I've always felt that the book,'Alcoholics Anonymous' is one book, in it's content and advice, that's never lied to me, which is a credit to the first 100 people who wrote it, allowing for the fact. That for me, it needed fuller insight and knowledge of what they and those who wrote in the Personal Stories, where trying to communicate..to me and millions of others.

Grasp that, and the rest all falls into place.

Leaving me to know what I know, and do what I do...along with many others in recovery, I'm sure ...