The more you type, the more precise the results. They shared their homes, their slender resources, and gladly devoted their spare hours to fellow-sufferers. We usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems. More than that we cannot do; we have no right to go further. Instead, we looked at the human defects of these people, and sometimes used their shortcomings as a basis of wholesale condemnation. If, on the contrary, you are sure he is doing his utmost, you may wish to give him another chance. 6. At once, we commence to outgrow fear. It poured over and through him with the certainty and majesty of a great tide at flood. After all, your family is reunited, alcohol is no longer a problem and you and your husband are working together toward an undreamed-of future. Paul Yaffe True 1 1/4 inch OEM Monkey Bars 12 inch Chrome for 2015-Present Road Glide Be the first to review this product $358. We dont struggle. He soon indicated he was anxious to see us. An alcoholic of this temperament may be quick to use this chapter as a club over your head. He has a positive genius for getting tight at exactly the wrong moment, particularly when some important decision must be made or engagement kept. And we, who have imposed on the best of employers, can scarcely blame them if they have been short with us. Your man may be trusted. Far from it. Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties with assurance, for after all God gave us brains to use. The insane idea won out. Under only slightly different conditions, the same thing is taking place in many eastern cities. there exists strong sentiment against any radical changes being made in it. In this frame of mind, I went about my business and for a time all was well. The experiment of quitting for a period of time will be helpful, but we think we can render an even greater service to alcoholic sufferers and perhaps to the medical fraternity. You may spoil a later opportunity. Some people tell us so. He gets stirred up about their troubles, but not at all about yours. We do not want to be the arbiter of anyones sex conduct. Referencing these four preceding chapters Answer (1 of 3): That would be a fairly short book. What they say will apply to nearly everyone bound by ties of blood or affection to an alcoholic. Be determined that your husbands drinking is not going to spoil your relations with your children or your friends. This man has a charming wife and family. This may lead to lonely evenings for you. We realize that some people are as fanatical about sex as others are loose. He had lived there but a few weeks when he found that the place probably contained more alcoholics per square mile than any city in the country. We have believed them when no one else could or would. Many of us, former patients, go there to help. Perhaps it is going to be that way with you. Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God. He enjoys himself for a few years in spite of friendly warnings. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition. The First A.A. Pamphlet 8; Big Book 18; A.A. Prayers 10; Big Book Stories Edition 1 29; Big Book Stories Edition 2 40; The Big Book Concordance 27; The Original Manuscript Of AA. Then we have a certain type of hard drinker. If we belong to a religious denomination which requires a definite morning devotion, we attend to that also. Nonsense. There are many helpful books also. Bitterly discouraged, he found himself in a strange place, discredited and almost broke. Among us, these are rare occurrences. We must be willing to make amends where we have done harm, provided that we do not bring about still more harm in so doing. You can see that he really does love you with his better self. We all know that the first 164 pages of the big book are the meat and potatoes this books first 164 is only 90 pages! Notice that the word fear is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. You mayreproduce materials of the Big Book Bunch, provided: a) that sources of 164 and More - Big Book and 12&12 Concordance - Kindle edition by LLC, Recovery Press. Assume on the other hand that father has, at the outset, a stirring spiritual experience. Let the doctor, if he will, tell him he has something in the way of a solution. Was it our self-esteem, our security, our ambitions, our personal, or sex relations, which had been interfered with? We are growing in numbers and power. God either is, or He isnt. If we keep on the way we are going there is little doubt that much good will result, but the surface of the problem would hardly be scratched. Show any longshoreman a Sunday supplement describing a proposal to explore the moon by means of a rocket and he will say I bet they do it maybe not so long either. Is not our age characterized by the ease with which we discard old ideas for new, by the complete readiness with which we throw away the theory or gadget which does not work for something new which does? Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity. Most editors wouldnt recommend going over 80,000, as it will inspire bad taste among readers. God comes to most men gradually, but His impact on me was sudden and profound. But my friend sat before me, and he made the point- blank declaration that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. We must, or it kills us! As the whisky rose to my head I told myself I would manage better next time, but I might as well get good and drunk then. We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed. Get in Touch. They flatly declare that since they have come to believe in a Power greater than themselves, to take a certain attitude toward that Power, and to do certain simple things, there has been a revolutionary change in their way of living and thinking. Big Book Google Books The Big Book is well over 400 pages long and contains numerous chapters. The 164 and More Book, eBook, and Web Site are all CONCORDANCES which display passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and the A.A. Grapevine (A.A. Preamble only). All this time our friend of the hotel lobby incident remained in that town. Offer him friendship and fellowship. Still another difficulty is that you may become jealous of the attention he bestows on other people, especially alcoholics. At least, so the chemist said. We were reborn. There is a good bit of travel between East and West and we foresee a great increase in this helpful interchange. Would I have it? Nevertheless, he was drunk in a short time. These 164 pages are in the Public Domain Alcoholics Anonymous Screen 6 of 703 (free of copyright) in the U.S.A. Memoir Novel 80,000 words The most common rule for a memoir is that it should not go more than 80,000 words. To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude. "Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. There was never financial security. But those of us who have tried to shoulder the entire burden and trouble of others find we are soon overcome by them. Many of us felt that we had plenty of character. Plenty of difficulties presented themselves. I began to be jittery in the morning. Is he not a victim of the delusion that he can wrest satisfaction and happiness out of this world if he only manages well? We, who have recovered from serious drinking, are miracles of mental health. We have no reason to doubt it. On one proposition, however, these men and women are strikingly agreed. Though his family be at fault in many respects, he should not be concerned about that. Opinions vary considerably as to why the alcoholic reacts differently from normal people. What has become of the common sense and will power that he still sometimes displays with respect to other matters? This hope, however, was destroyed by the doctors telling him that while his religious convictions were very good, in his case they did not spell the necessary vital spiritual experience. Here and there, once in a while, alcoholics have had what are called vital spiritual experiences. One man and his wife placed their large home at the disposal of this strangely assorted crowd. We intend the foregoing as a helpful suggestion only. We used to amuse ourselves by cynically dissecting spiritual beliefs and practices when we might have observed that many spiritually-minded persons of all races, colors, and creeds were demonstrating a degree of stability, happiness and usefulness which we should have sought ourselves. Why? Shortly afterward I came home drunk. Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language and from his own point of view the way he established his relationship with God. Why cant he? Why dont you drink like a gentleman or quit? That fellow cant handle his liquor. Why dont you try beer and wine? Lay off the hard stuff. His will power must be weak. He could stop if he wanted to. Shes such a sweet girl, I should think hed stop for her sake. The doctor told him that if he ever drank again it would kill him, but there he is all lit up again.. The Doctors Opinion. The word God, or a variant of Him, appears 281 times in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. He has lost control. Society was about to lock him up. But the day he comes out he races in front of a fire engine, which breaks his back. If you are an alcoholic who wants to get over it, you may already be asking-What do I have to do?. Still another experience: A womans voice came faintly over long distance from Virginia. We do not mean that you have to agree with your husband whenever there is an honest difference of opinion. We have prayed, we have begged, we have been patient. Father may have laid aside for years all normal activities- clubs, civic duties, sports. Are we now ready to let God remove from us all the things which we have admitted are objectionable? Even if you feel your organization has no alcoholic problem, it might pay to take another look down the line. Cleaning up old scrapes, helping to settle family differences, explaining the disinherited son to his irate parents, lending money and securing jobs for each other, when justified-these are everyday occurrences. It boils right down to this: No man should be fired just because he is alcoholic. At first engage in general conversation. They experienced a few distressing failures, but in those cases they made an effort to bring the mans family into a spiritual way of living, thus relieving much worry and suffering. The official Big Book from Alcoholic Anonymous. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. We found that it is fatal. Then we were severely criticized by our husbands parents for desertion. We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience. How heartbreaking was this discovery; how cruel to be told they understood our men as we did not! This is particularly true of women. The alcoholics past thus becomes the principal asset of the family and frequently it is almost the only one! Copyright 2005-2013 by Recovery Press. Nazar Paulista, Pedra Bela, Pedreira, Pinhalzinho, Piracaia, Serra Negra, Valinhos, Vrzea Paulista e Are the stones properly in place? Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. But you should feel under no obligation to keep him on, for your obligation has been well discharged already. Were not these things the tissue out of which our lives were constructed? Often you must carry the burden of avoiding them or keeping them under control. For example, consider the passage: "Common words are needed to keep the book to a reasonable size and an affordable cost. These are some of the questions which race through the mind of every woman who has an alcoholic husband. We have no right to save our own skin at another persons expense. If you do this thoroughly, few people will ask you to drink. Francisco Morato, Franco da Rocha, Indaiatuba, Itatiba, Itupeva, Jarinu, Joanpolis, Louveira, Morungaba, If he says yes, then his attention should be drawn to you as a person who has recovered. This is perhaps difficult-especially discussing our defects with another person. It may be just the jolt he needs. By the time I had completed the course, I knew the law was not for me. All went well for a time, but he failed to enlarge his spiritual life. As our work spreads and our numbers increase, we hope your employees may be put in personal contact with some of us. MOST OF us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. We had seen spiritual release, but liked to tell ourselves it wasnt true. These memories are a nightmare. Surrender means that you As you type, words are displayed which match your keystrokes. If there is any indication that he wants to stop, have a good talk with the person most interested in him-usually his wife. Besides, we have stopped fighting anybody or anything. These men had found something brand new in life. If he is alcoholic, he will understand you at once. 12 pt type - divide your word count by 350. 23. there exists strong sentiment against any radical changes being made in it. Tommy Teds Carp Syndicate, A contradiction! War fever ran high in the New England town to which we new, young officers All sections of this country and many of its occupations are represented. It is a design for living that works in rough going. Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly. If you are sure your man does not want to stop, he may as well be discharged, the sooner the better. I knew, and almost welcomed the idea. Doctors had pronounced him incurable. To spend too much time on any one situation is to deny some other alcoholic an opportunity to live and be happy. He should understand that emphatically. If that is so, this step may be postponed, only, however, if we hold ourselves in complete readiness to go through with it at the first opportunity. We placed them before us in black and white. There are times when it helps to know how many words per page you're writing. Cessation of drinking is but the first step away from a highly strained, abnormal condition. He added that occasionally in the night a vague craving arose which would be satisfied by candy. Even if he displays a certain amount of neglect and irresponsibility towards the family, it is well to let him go as far as he likes in helping other alcoholics. In trying to make these arrangements our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous. Second Edition of the Big Book. The following is a list ofapproximately 150 promises that I compiled from the first edition of the Big Book. Common words are needed to keep the book to a reasonable size and an affordable cost. The First 164 pages of The Big Book with lined pages opposite text for note taking. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. It should not matter, however, if someone does throw us out of his office. He admits he cannot drink like other people, but does not see why. We were grateful that Reason had brought us so far. His story is so interesting that some of it should be told now. We will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so. Note: You don't need a two-sided printer to print on both sides. In this book you will read the experience of a man who thought he was an atheist. But for the grace of God, there would have been thousands more convincing demonstrations. Use 164andMore.com to search the Big Book and the 12&12. The title page says it all. Some time passed, and confidence began to be replaced by cock-sureness. Our behavior will convince them more than our words. Being a large place, we think that some day its Fellowship will number many hundreds. 11. Before then, I had written lots of sweet promises, but my wife happily observed that this time I meant business. With a certain satisfaction I reflected there was enough gin concealed about the house to carry me through that night and the next day. There is an important exception to the foregoing. Some men have been so impaired by alcohol that they cannot stop. Is he not really a self-seeker even when trying to be kind? But if you are shaky, you had better work with another alcoholic instead! After a few years with an alcoholic, a wife gets worn out, resentful and uncommunicative. Had you offered yourselves as patients at this hospital, I would not have taken you, if I had been able to avoid it. God has either removed your husbands liquor problem or He has not. He often gets entirely out of hand when drinking. Those of us who live in large cities are overcome by the reflection that close by hundreds are dropping into oblivion every day. Bill Wilsons influence can be seen in many ways in the book, including the words and language used and also in the style that it was written. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Nevertheless, with a person we dislike, we take the bit in our teeth. We were now at Step Three. Friends who have reasoned with him after a spree which has brought him to the point of divorce or bankruptcy are mystified when he walks directly into a saloon. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); PHP with Housing for Health Professionals, Substance Abuse Treatment Programs for Professionals, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program in Florida, Addiction Treatment Programs for Professionals, Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Programs for Professionals, Depression Treatment Center for Professionals, Rehab 101: Self-Will Run Riot How Learning to Let Go of Control Can Help Us Recover, How a 12 Step Program Helps Recovery From Addiction, Rehab 101: The Importance of Practicing New Behaviors (and Attitudes) in Recovery, Rehab 101: Some Reflections on How the Principle of Humility Fits into Recovery. If the family persists in criticism, this fallacy may take a still greater hold on father. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. Our moments of triumph were short-lived. By the very act of critiquing Chapter 4, We Agnostics, I admittedly commit AA heresy. Did we unjustifiably arouse jealousy, suspicion or bitterness? Because it helped so many people recover, the Alcoholics Anonymous organization did not change it. Your husband will see at once that he must redouble his spiritual activities if he expects to survive. I dare to disagree with the words of Bill Wilson. Search out another alcoholic and try again. Think of what you can bring to it. Nazar Paulista, Pedra Bela, Pedreira, Pinhalzinho, Piracaia, Serra Negra, Valinhos, Vrzea Paulista e The big book, Alcoholics Anonymous, sometimes described as the A.A. bible, has three hundred references to the . Its water over the dam. He often possesses special abilities, skills, and aptitudes, and has a promising career ahead of him. I wondered whether I dared hide a full bottle of gin near the head of our bed. But you had better hang on to it. Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: (a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. Next morning I telephoned a friend in Montreal. The exercise of an option brought in more money, leaving us with a profit of several thousand dollars for that year. Let them remember that his drinking wrought all kinds of damage that may take long to repair. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. Our friend proceeded to tell him. Big Book Studies are a great source of information to help enhance your recovery from Alcoholism. He has by no means ruined everything. Whom had we hurt? That was a great physicians opinion. If a repetition is to be prevented, place the problem, along with everything else, in Gods hands. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. After they have seen tangible results, the family will perhaps want to go along. We want the wives of Alcoholics Anonymous to address the wives of men who drink too much. As a class, alcoholics are energetic people. The joy of living we really have, even under pressure and difficulty. While grateful that he drinks no more, they may not like the idea that God has accomplished the miracle where they failed. Our own recovery proves that! For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. While on the subject of confidence, can you adopt the attitude that so far as you are concerned this will be a strictly personal matter, that his alcoholic derelictions, the treatment about to be undertaken, will never be discussed without his consent? It does not contain the clear-cut directions! This may seem inconsistent, but we think it is not. If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. After doing that, he must decide for himself whether he wants to go on. We realize we know only a little. I placed myself unreservedly under His care and direction. They see its significance everywhere. We have commenced to see their terrible destructiveness. The entire family is, to some extent, ill. Let families realize, as they start their journey, that all will not be fair weather. What irony-I became an alcoholic myself! will add more attitude to your Bagger than a . Obviously. All sections of this country and many of its occupations are represented, as well as many political, economic, social, and religious backgrounds. He tried to regulate his drinking for a while, making several trips to the hospital meantime. We are sorry for what we have done and, God willing, it shall not be repeated. Give freely of what you find and join us. Affections have been uprooted. In a few years he became so violent when intoxicated that he had to be committed. They expect him to give them the nice times they used to have before he drank so much, and to show his contrition for what they suffered. I have never seen one single case recover, where that state of mind existed to the extent that it does in you. Our friend felt as though the gates of hell had closed on him with a clang. At this point, it might be well to explain alcoholism, the illness. Such a man would be crazy, wouldnt he? I became an unwelcome hanger-on at brokerage places. The following is a list ofapproximately 150 promises that I compiled from the first edition of the Big Book. Our liquor was but a symptom. We have begun to comprehend their futility and their fatality. Now, this house will hardly accommodate its weekly visitors, for they number sixty or eighty as a rule. If you propose such a procedure to him, it may be necessary to advance the cost of treatment, but we believe it should be made plain that any expense will later be deducted from his pay. So we were sore. Without saying so, they may cordially hate him for what he has done to them and to their mother. We know you will not want to miss it. Why We Created This Tool. As I drank, the old fierce determination to win came back. Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. This we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort. These are the realities for us. When they talked of a God personal to me, who was love, superhuman strength and direction, I became irritated and my mind snapped shut against such a theory. Thus, highlighting will ultimately not work at all.Copyright 2005-2013 by Recovery Press. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and More concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either 6-a. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. Though old buildings will eventually be replaced by finer ones, the new structures will take years to complete. Doubtless you are curious to discover how and why, in the face of expert opinion to the contrary, we have recovered from a hopeless condition of mind and body. What are the first 164 pages of alcoholics? They grew in numbers. The last few chapters of those pages, however, do become a bit more tedious to read (I think) because they have a certain datedness about them. To learn about how our 12-step friendly treatment program can support your recovery, please contact BoardPrep Recovery Center today at 866.796.4720. There are such unfortunates. If not members of religious bodies, we sometimes select and memorize a few set prayers which emphasize the principles we have been discussing. I had met my match. There are the same fast friendships, there is the same helpfulness to one another as you find among our western friends. So our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we have a legitimate reason for being there. He is remorseful after serious drinking bouts and tells you he wants to stop. After reading this book, a junior executive can go to such a man and say approximately this, Look here, Ed. When a discussion does arise, you might suggest he read this book or at least the chapter on alcoholism. We think of their needs and work for them. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection. With many individuals the methods which I employed are successful, but I have never been successful with an alcoholic of your description.. Unmindful of his welfare, I thought only of recapturing the spirit of other days. One day I went to Washington to present some accounting evidence to a government bureau. To us it is not far- fetched, for this kind of thinking has been characteristic of every single one of us. He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar to find his home ruined. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about God. Im sorry I got disturbed. Sometimes they demand that dad bring them back instantly! His religious education and training may be far superior to yours. Pg. Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly like people in a sinking ship. It is possible to dig up past misdeeds so they become a blight, a veritable plague. People of faith have a logical idea of what life is all about. It is the most natural thing in the world, once his liquor problem is solved, to feel that he will now measure up to that cherished vision. Often this is not so at all. He can go anywhere on this earth where other free men may go without disaster, provided he remains willing to maintain a certain simple attitude. After satisfying yourself that your man wants to recover and that he will go to any extreme to do so, you may suggest a definite course of action.
how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book
You can post first response comment.