43395

As a recovering alcoholic it is important for me to remember that I am powerless over people, places and institutions, their actions and behaviour, whether they drink or not is not my problem. The 12 steps are by definition a selfish programme relating to my recovery, I like the idea that was once put to me, that after Bill.W. had been sober for a lengthy period and spent his time talking to plenty of drunks in an effort to get them sober and failed in his attempts to do so he complained of this fact to his wife,Lois.

It was she then who pointed out that in following this course of action, Bill Wilson had himself maintained his sobriety. Perhaps then, it was Lois Wilson who founded AA?

Taking5

Great story. There is another story in Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers where one of the founding members in the late 30s complained to Dr. Bob about his 17 sponsees (long before they actually used that term). He complained that he had them beds, food, coal for the winter, in some cases jobs and "not one damn one of them stayed sober".

Dr. Bob's response: "You did".