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"Someone who knew what he was talking about once said that pain was the
touchstone of all spiritual progress …we know that the pains of drinking had to
come before sobriety, and emotional turmoil before serenity." (Reprinted from
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 93-94, with permission of A.A. World
Services, Inc.)
"When I am hurt or upset, I have to continually look for the cause in me, and
then I have to admit and correct my mistakes. It isn't easy, but as long as I
know I am progressing spiritually, I know that I can mark my effort up as a job
well done. I have found that pain is a friend; it lets me know something is
wrong with my emotions, just as a physical pain lets me know there is something
wrong with my body. When I take the appropriate action through the twelve steps,
the pain gradually goes away." (Reprinted from Daily Reflections, p. 284, with
permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.)
"Our very first problem is to accept our present circumstances as they are,
ourselves as we are, and those about us as they are. This is to adopt a
realistic humility without which no genuine advance can even begin…This is an
exercise in acceptance that we can profitably practice every day of our
lives…Provided we strenuously avoid turning these realistic surveys of the facts
of life into unrealistic alibis for apathy or defeatism, they can be the sure
foundation upon which increased emotional health and therefore spiritual
progress can be built." (Copyright 03/1962, A.A. Grapevine, Inc. Reprinted with
permission.)
"When on the roller coaster of emotional turmoil, I remember that growth is
often painful. My evolution in the A.A. program has taught me that I must
experience the inner change, however painful, that eventually guides me from
selfishness to selflessness. If I am to have serenity, I must STEP my way past
emotional turmoil and its subsequent hangover, and be grateful for continuing
spiritual progress." (Reprinted from Daily Reflections, p. 285, with permission
of A.A. World Services, Inc.)
"Another helpful step is to steadfastly affirm the understanding that pain
can bring. Indeed pain is one of our greatest teachers. Though I still find it
difficult to accept today's pain and anxiety with any great degree of serenity -
as those more advanced in the spiritual life seem able to do - I can, if I try
hard, give thanks for present pain nevertheless. I find the willingness to do
this by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering - lessons which
have led to the blessings I now enjoy. I can remember, if I insist, how the
agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led
me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom. To those who never have given these
potent exercises in acceptance a real workout, I recommend them highly the next
time the heat is on." (Reprinted from The Language of the Heart, p. 272, with
permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.)
In our continuing series on the Twelve Concepts:
As I thought about Concept VIII, various Traditions and other Concepts
continued to come to my mind. Then I realized that considering the Concepts in
light of the Traditions might lead to a better or more interesting discussion of
the Concepts.
Concept VIII states, "the trustees are the principle planners and
administrators of overall policy and finance. They have custodial oversight of
the separately incorporated and constantly active services, exercising this
through their ability to elect all the directors of these entities." (Reprinted
from The A.A. Service Manual and Twelve Concepts of World Service, The Twelve
Concepts - Short Form, unnumbered page, with permission of A.A. World Services,
Inc.)
Tradition II declares that the ultimate authority and the voice of that
authority resides in and is spoken through the collective conscience of the A.A.
groups. By virtue of this authority (Tradition II & Concept I), any significant
policy, position or overall service direction would be initiated and implemented
by this authority. Also, the financial resources must be directed to this end
(Tradition VII).
However, A.A. groups (no matter how well-organized or well-intentioned) are
not equipped to implement and/or manage A.A.'s world service affairs. Therefore
the collective conscience of the fellowship is spoken through the General
Service Conference (Concept II-Delegated Authority) guiding the Board of
Trustees in world service matters of the entire fellowship. This idea is
consistent with the spirit of Traditions VI and IX. These principles establish
the idea that an A.A. Group ought never go into business or engage in any effort
where problems of money, property or prestige may divert it from its primary
purpose.
Therefore, working through the General Service structure, A.A. Groups have
established "service boards or committees directly responsible to those they
serve" --Tradition IX (Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p.
172, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.)
These boards and committees have been established to implement the various
services called for by the General Service Conference: Services such as
developing and publishing a uniform literature code including videos and psa's,
codifying group experience throughout the U.S.A. and Canada, assisting in
establishing and carrying the A.A. message to foreign countries, and more.
This principle brings us to consider the idea expressed by Concept VI, which
states, "The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active
responsibility in most world service matters should be exercised by the trustee
members of the General Service Conference acting as the General Service Board".
(Reprinted from The A.A. Service Manual and Twelve Concepts of World Service,
The Twelve Concepts - Short Form, unnumbered page, with permission of A.A. World
Services, Inc.)
It is at this juncture that Concept VIII begins to find its place.
Once the Conference has expressed the collective conscience of the
fellowship, the resulting Conference Advisory Action becomes the active
responsibility and the chief initiative of the General Service Board. Theirs is
the responsibility of taking great care in planning, organizing, developing and
executing these matters of overall policy, administration and finance. These
matters require such careful consideration that the trustees and their related
committees must devote themselves almost entirely to this effort. These may
include but are not limited to: Overseeing the development of new literature and
updating existing literature as needed, reviewing and updating practice and
policy that it might reflect current circumstances (yet remain consistent with
our principles) and considering group relations and effectiveness. fellowship,
the resulting Conference Advisory Action becomes the active responsibility and
the chief initiative of the General Service Board. Theirs is the responsibility
of taking great care in planning, organizing, developing and executing these
matters of overall policy, administration and finance. These matters require
such careful consideration that the trustees and their related committees must
devote themselves almost entirely to this effort. These may include but are not
limited to: Overseeing the development of new literature and updating existing
literature as needed, reviewing and updating practice and policy that it might
reflect current circumstances (yet remain consistent with our principles) and
considering group relations and effectiveness.
These efforts requiring full attention from the Board cannot be compromised
by the demand of day-to-day management details of the General Service Office,
A.A.W.S. its publishing arm, or the A.A. Grapevine. Therefore the Board's
obligation here is exercised through "Custodial Oversight". This responsibility
must be delegated (Concept III) by the establishment of two corporate boards:
A.A.W.S. Inc. and the A.A. Grapevine, Inc., each having its own charter,
directors, staff, and capital, while being given the autonomy to manage its own
affairs. The assurance of effective leadership at these corporate entities is
guaranteed by the Board's ability to elect all directors of these entities. This
corporate set-up leaves the General Board free to effectively manage the larger
issues of overall service of the fellowship.
In Service,
George J, Literature Chair
How did you get involved in service?
I started out washing ashtrays and didn't realize at the time it was service.
Someone asked me to help so I stayed. Then it was on to coffee pots and cleaning
the room. I was not capable of much else at the beginning.
Since then I have had a variety of service duties, from alternate GSR to my
current position as Area 26 Newsletter chair. I have enjoyed all of my service
work even though I never felt I was ready to serve in the jobs I was given.
Why is service important to you and your sobriety?
Service work has been instrumental in my spiritual growth. When a situation
comes up in service work that I am unsure of, it forces me to study the steps,
traditions and especially the Concepts in order to come to an informed decision.
I always have questions, and that leads me to use the tools offered to all of
us. Lately I have been studying the Concepts in order to come to a better
understanding of our current service structure, and to improve my ability to
carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous. all of us. Lately I have been
studying the Concepts in order to come to a better understanding of our current
service structure, and to improve my ability to carry the message of Alcoholics
Anonymous.
What is the function of your committee?
We carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous and help share the experience,
strength and hope of Area 26 members with our readers through the written word.
On the front of every issue the following statement appears: Kentuckiana News is
the Voice of Kentuckiana.
Editor's Note: At the last Area 26 meeting,
the following letter and article were submitted for publication in the
newsletter. As it was explained to me, Tommie D. inherited Al S.'s writings and
passed this article along for our use. After checking with the Grapevine to
ensure there were no issues, it is reprinted here.
This letter was attached to Al's article.
I got this from Tommie D. She was at the Music City Roundup and she told us
about Al S., who was the third editor of the Grapevine. Tommie was at the 1965
General Service Conference where the "I am Responsible" pledge was dedicated.
Tommie is 82 and still going around sharing her experience, strength and hope.
The one thing she said that Bill W. used to tell her was that when you share
in a meeting you are not sharing for someone else to hear but for your head to
hear it, too. --Brad P., District 26
We A.A.s are funny about money. And I guess John D. Rockefeller Jr. started
it. At any rate, ever since Bill W. first told how John D. said, "money might
spoil what you've got", we've been inclined to overwork the corporate poverty
syndrome. As a result, there have always been those among us who are constantly
telling the rest of us that we are a unique society. We don't need money.
Ha! The hell we don't. That's not what Mr. Rockefeller was saying to us at
all. What he said was that outside money - gifts - the easy money - could indeed
spoil the spiritual nature of "what we've got". He was telling us to look to
ourselves, not to outsiders, for the means to sustain our way of life. Any other
way and we'd be sort of a charity, right? And all any A.A. has to do is think
about these alternatives for a few minutes to see the wisdom of Mr.
Rockefeller's advice. advice.
So let's not kid ourselves. We do need money. Not a great deal, just enough
to maintain our modest needs, and to extend the hand of A.A. to anyone who needs
the kind of help we found here.
All this came about when I read that plaintive little note at the bottom of
the Treasurer's Report in last months' issue of TODAY. It said, "Treasurer
reports she has had to withdraw $800 from the reserve fund for running expenses
of Intergroup. For the past 12 months expenses have far exceeded (group)
contributions."
Why is it, do you suppose, that the 40 groups in this county cannot, or will
not, support their very own service facility, Intergroup? At least, not without
prodding. It surely can't be the amount of money involved. Actually, Intergroups
operate on about what you'd expect to pay one bright office boy in today's
business world. Divided among 40 groups, that's petty cash. For any A.A. group
that can't send $5 or $10 (or more) per month to Intergroup isn't really much of
a group is it?
So it would seem that here in one of the richest counties in the whole
U.S.A. we've got ourselves once again hung up on that old "A.A. doesn't need
money" fallacy. It's a hang-up Bill W. had to fight for years on a national
scale. In those early days he practically took a tin cup and went out to beg
enough money to run our General Service office. It was hand-to-mouth for a long
time before he and GSO were able to build up a "prudent reserve" so necessary
for any service which must depend upon voluntary contributions. Bill was
constantly looking for ways to overcome this idealistic barrier to the everyday
needs of an expanding worldwide fellowship. In 1964 this reporter was doing some
preliminary work on the upcoming 1965 International Convention in Toronto. Its
theme, you may recall, was RESPONSIBILITY. And Bill asked if there wasn't some
way we could personalize that theme; some way of making the individual A.A.
member understand his relation to, and his responsibility for, the vital A.A.
services that had to be performed beyond the scope of the local group. That's
how the "I Am Responsible" pledge came to be written. And maybe this is a good
time to recall it:
I AM RESPONSIBLE When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand
of A.A. always to be there. And for that I am responsible.*
Intergroup is our "hand of A.A." and we are responsible. So finally, in the
immortal words of that old purveyor of bootleg booze, Al Capone, "get it up!"
--Soberly, Al S.
(*Copyright 1965 A.A. Grapevine, Inc. Reprinted with permission.)
- Q: How many drunks does it take to change a light bulb?
-
A: Twenty-one: One to hold the bulb and twenty to drink until the
room spins!
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