Pg 44 “If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, needed power wasn’t there. Our human resources, as marshaled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.”

Pg 15 “I soon found that when all other measures failed, work with another alcoholic would save the day. Many times I have gone to an old hospital in despair. On talking to a man there, I would be amazingly lifted up and set on my feet. It is a design for living that works in rough going.”

Pg 66 “This was our course: We realized that the people who wronged us were perhaps spiritually sick. Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help 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. They will be done.”

Pg 62 “Selfishness--self-centerdness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.”

Pg 87 “What used to be the hunch or occasional inspiration gradually becomes a working part of the mind. Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for this assumption in all sorts of absurd actions and ideas. Nevertheless, we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it.”

Pg 44 “To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a spiritual basis are not always easy alternatives to face.”

Pg 132 “We have been speaking to you of serious, sometimes tragic things. We have been dealing with alcohol in its worst aspect. But we are not a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn’t want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life. We try not to indulge in cynicism over the state of the nations, nor do we carry the world’s troubles on our shoulders. When we see a man sinking into the mire that is alcoholism, we give him first aide and place what we...

Pg 87 “As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day “Thy will be done.” We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit...

Pg 34 “Whether such a person can quit upon a nonspiritual basis depends upon the extent to which he has already lost the power to choose whether he will drink or not.”

Pg XXVIII “Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the normal one. They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks-drinks which they see others taking with impunity.”

Pg 33 “To be gravely affected, one does not necessarily have to drink a long time nor take the quantities some of us have. This is particularly true of women. Potential female alcoholics often turn into the real thing and are gone beyond recall in a few years. Certain drinkers, who would be greatly insulted if called alcoholics, are astonished at their inability to stop.”

Page 124 “Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes like seem so worth while now. Cling to the thought that, in God’s hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have- the key to life and happiness for other. With it you can avert death and misery for them

Special format: Spiritual experience 

Pg 125 “Another principle we observe carefully is that we do not relate intimate experiences of another person unless we are sure he would approve. We find it better, when possible, to stick to our own stories. A man may criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule coming from another often produces the contrary effect. Members of a family should watch such matters carefully, for one careless, inconsiderate remark has been known to raise the...

Pg 57 “ Circumstances made him willing to believe.”

Pg 25 “there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.”

Step 10. 

PG 25 “If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle of the road solution.”

“Perhaps there is a better way--we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We must trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.”    

A Way Out welcomes four of our favorites to share their thoughts and experiences on step 3.  Alex V. Erik S. Tess E. Penn S.  thank you all!

Page 25

Teresa speaks on the 11th step

“The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the fist drink.“

”As soon as I regained my ability to think. I went carefully over that evening in Washington. Not only had I been caught off guard, I had made no fight whatever against the first drink.....“