Page 4 - AA NEWS MAY 2020

MEETINGS IN MOTION MEETINGS IN MOTION
4 44
Coordinating Council Attendance Coordinating Council Attendance
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS: PENDING NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS: PENDING
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS! ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS!
DUE TO FACILITY CLOSURE , THE APRIL
DUE TO FACILITY CLOSURE , THE APRIL COORDINATING COUNCIL MEETING WAS CANCELLED.
COORDINATING COUNCIL MEETING WAS CANCELLED. We are communicating via our website aasandiego.org and from
We are communicating via our website aasandiego.org and from our email list.
our email list.
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Step Three, page 40-41
Step Three, page 40-41
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him."
care of God as we understood Him."
"It is when we try to make our will conform with God's that
"It is when we try to make our will conform with God's that we begin to use it rightly. To all of us, this was a most
we begin to use it rightly. To all of us, this was a most wonderful revelation. Our whole trouble had been the misuse
wonderful revelation. Our whole trouble had been the misuse of willpower. We had tried to bombard our problems with it
of willpower. We had tried to bombard our problems with it instead of attempting to bring it into agreement with God's
instead of attempting to bring it into agreement with God's intention for us. To make this increasingly possible is the
intention for us. To make this increasingly possible is the purpose of A.A.'s Twelve Steps, and Step Three opens the
purpose of A.A.'s Twelve Steps, and Step Three opens the door. Once we have come into agreement with these ideas, it is
door. Once we have come into agreement with these ideas, it is really easy to begin the practice of Step Three. In all times of
really easy to begin the practice of Step Three. In all times of emotional disturbance or indecision, we can pause, ask for
emotional disturbance or indecision, we can pause, ask for quiet, and in the stillness simply say: 'God grant me the
quiet, and in the stillness simply say: 'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to
serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Thy will, not mine, be done.'"
Thy will, not mine, be done.'" Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
The Jack Alexander Article About A.A., P-12, pg. 25 The Jack Alexander Article About A.A., P-12, pg. 25
"Sarah Martin was a product of the Scott Fitzgerald era. Born of "Sarah Martin was a product of the Scott Fitzgerald era. Born of
wealthy parents in a Western city, she went to Eastern boarding
wealthy parents in a Western city, she went to Eastern boarding schools and "finished" in France. After making her debut, she married.
schools and "finished" in France. After making her debut, she married. Sarah spent her nights drinking and dancing until daylight. She was
Sarah spent her nights drinking and dancing until daylight. She was known as a girl who could carry a lot of liquor. Her husband had a
known as a girl who could carry a lot of liquor. Her husband had a weak stomach, and she became disgusted with him. They were quickly
weak stomach, and she became disgusted with him. They were quickly divorced. After her father's fortune had been erased in 1929, Sarah got
divorced. After her father's fortune had been erased in 1929, Sarah got a job in New York and supported herself. In 1932, seeking adventure,
a job in New York and supported herself. In 1932, seeking adventure, she went to Paris to live and set up a business of her own, which was
she went to Paris to live and set up a business of her own, which was successful. She continued to drink heavily and stayed drunk longer
successful. She continued to drink heavily and stayed drunk longer than usual. After a spree in 1933, she was informed that she had tried
than usual. After a spree in 1933, she was informed that she had tried to throw herself out a window. During another bout, she did jump or
to throw herself out a window. During another bout, she did jump or fall - she doesn't remember which - out of a first-floor window. She
fall - she doesn't remember which - out of a first-floor window. She landed face first on the sidewalk and was laid up for six months of
landed face first on the sidewalk and was laid up for six months of bonesetting, dental work, and plastic surgery.
bonesetting, dental work, and plastic surgery.
In 1936, Sarah Martin decided that if she changed her environment by
In 1936, Sarah Martin decided that if she changed her environment by returning to the United States, she would be able to drink normally.
returning to the United States, she would be able to drink normally. This childish faith in geographical change is a classic delusion which
This childish faith in geographical change is a classic delusion which all alcoholics get at one time or another. She was drunk all the way
all alcoholics get at one time or another. She was drunk all the way home on the boat. New York frightened her and she drank to escape it.
home on the boat. New York frightened her and she drank to escape it. Her money ran out and she borrowed from friends. When her friends
Her money ran out and she borrowed from friends. When her friends cut her, she hung around Third Avenue bars, cadging drinks from
cut her, she hung around Third Avenue bars, cadging drinks from strangers. Up to this point, she had diagnosed trouble as a nervous
strangers. Up to this point, she had diagnosed trouble as a nervous breakdown. Not until she had committed herself to several sanitariums
breakdown. Not until she had committed herself to several sanitariums did she realize, through reading, that she was an alcoholic. On advice
did she realize, through reading, that she was an alcoholic. On advice of a staff doctor, she got in touch with an Alcoholics Anonymous
of a staff doctor, she got in touch with an Alcoholics Anonymous group. Today, she has another good job and spends many of her nights
group. Today, she has another good job and spends many of her nights sitting on hysterical women drinkers to prevent them from diving out
sitting on hysterical women drinkers to prevent them from diving out of windows."
of windows."
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Pass It One, Chapter 17, page 290
Pass It One, Chapter 17, page 290
"On the home journey east, the Wilsons were also able to bear
"On the home journey east, the Wilsons were also able to bear witness to the A.A. tradition (as yet only a custom) of
witness to the A.A. tradition (as yet only a custom) of autonomy, as practiced by local groups. In Little Rock,
autonomy, as practiced by local groups. In Little Rock, Arkansas, for instance, the group leader ensured his anonymity
Arkansas, for instance, the group leader ensured his anonymity by speaking to the 1,200-person meeting from behind a closed
by speaking to the 1,200-person meeting from behind a closed curtain. In New Orleans, at a dinner for 60 members, the A.A.
curtain. In New Orleans, at a dinner for 60 members, the A.A. chairman arrived 'slightly squiffed,' as Lois delicately termed
chairman arrived 'slightly squiffed,' as Lois delicately termed it..'"
it..'"
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Tradition Four, page 146
Tradition Four, page 146
"Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting
"Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole."
other groups or A.A. as a whole."
"Autonomy is a ten-dollar word. But in relations to us, it means
"Autonomy is a ten-dollar word. But in relations to us, it means very simply that every A.A. group can manage its affairs exactly
very simply that every A.A. group can manage its affairs exactly as it pleases, except when A.A. as a whole is threatened. Come
as it pleases, except when A.A. as a whole is threatened. Come now the same question raised in Tradition One. Isn't such liberty
now the same question raised in Tradition One. Isn't such liberty foolishly dangerous?
foolishly dangerous?
Over the years, every conceivable deviation from our Twelve
Over the years, every conceivable deviation from our Twelve Steps and Traditions has been tried. That was sure to be, since we
Steps and Traditions has been tried. That was sure to be, since we are so largely a band of ego-driven individualists. Children of
are so largely a band of ego-driven individualists. Children of chaos, we have defiantly played with every brand of fire, only to
chaos, we have defiantly played with every brand of fire, only to emerge unharmed and, we think, wiser. These very deviations
emerge unharmed and, we think, wiser. These very deviations created a vast process of trial and error which, under the grace of
created a vast process of trial and error which, under the grace of God, has brought us to where we stand today."
God, has brought us to where we stand today." Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Big Book; Ch. 6 "Into Action", page 83
Big Book; Ch. 6 "Into Action", page 83
"The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it. Unless one's
"The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it. Unless one's family expresses a desire to live upon spiritual principles we think
family expresses a desire to live upon spiritual principles we think we ought not to urge them. We should not talk incessantly to them
we ought not to urge them. We should not talk incessantly to them about spiritual matters.
about spiritual matters.
They will change in time. Our behavior will convince them more
They will change in time. Our behavior will convince them more than our words. We must remember that ten or twenty years of
than our words. We must remember that ten or twenty years of drunkenness would make a skeptic out of anyone.
drunkenness would make a skeptic out of anyone.
There may be some wrongs we can never fully right. We don't worry
There may be some wrongs we can never fully right. We don't worry about them if we can honestly say to ourselves that we would right
about them if we can honestly say to ourselves that we would right them if we could."
them if we could."
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Group and Meeting Changes Group and Meeting Changes ** CANCELLED **
Free on Friday ** CANCELLED ** Free on Friday
La Mesa La Mesa
Church 5940 Kelton Ave Church 5940 Kelton Ave
Fr @ 6:00 pm Fr @ 6:00 pm
Faith & Hope Participation Faith & Hope Participation
South San Diego South San Diego
Recv Hm 4104 Delta St Recv Hm 4104 Delta St
Sa @ 6:30 pm Sa @ 6:30 pm
Tradition One Sunday Tradition One Sunday
South San Diego South San Diego
Recv Hm 4104 Delta St Recv Hm 4104 Delta St
Su @ 6:15 pm Su @ 6:15 pm