JANUARY 16
HITTING BOTTOM
Why all this insistence that every A.A. must hit bottom first? The answer is that few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have hit bottom. For practicing A. A. ‘s remaining eleven Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking.TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 24
Hitting bottom opened my mind and I became willing to try something different. What I tried was A.A. My new life in the Fellowship was a little like learning how to ride a bike for the first time: A.A. became my training wheels and my supporting hand. It’s not that I wanted the help so much at the time; I simply did not want to hurt like that again. My desire to avoid hitting bottom again was more powerful than my desire to drink. In the beginning that was what kept me sober. But after a while I found myself working the Steps to the best of my ability. I soon realized that my attitudes and actions were changing—if ever so slightly. One Day at a Time, I became comfortable with myself, and others, and my hurting started to heal. Thank God for the training wheels and supporting hand that I choose to call Alcoholics Anonymous.July Birthdays… IF They Make It!
July 13th… Bob R. celebrates 10 years
July 13th… Dave R. celebrates 13 years
July 14th… Daniel O. celebrates 5 years
July 21st… Wally G. celebrates 24 years
July 28th… Dave M. celebrates 32 years
If your birthday has been missed…. fill out the birthday form.
We really want to celebrate your AA anniversary because your birthday made ours possible!
Thanks everybody and apologies to you if you were missed or incorrectly noted.
With Apologies
As you all well know, I usually do not give advice. I mean, it’s like the blind leading the
blind. Additionally, said advice was requested by a woman, whom I knew and once
dated even, and our previous conversations, were not pleasant. I can chalk some of it
up to her being drunk at the time.
My friend, I’ll call her Donna, liked to call me sometimes when she was three sheets to
the wind and try to fix me. Would have been tough sober.
Anyway, a few months ago, she was really giving me the business. Called me names,
told some real yarns about her life, yadda, yadda… the conversation concluded with me
telling her that I had known her a long time and she needed help. If it wasn’t drinking, it
was, she still needed to go get some counseling.
I guess she did. They told her what I was saying, quit drinking.
Now, with the diligence only known to women, she is pouring herself into this program.
It’s admirable, I mean it. However, its not a quick slog and at some point, she is probably going to find that out. Then, we will see what happens.
So, she is asking me about Step Seven. Hang on, I say, I gotta look that up. I was just
on a cruise to Alaska.
Oh, yeah… I say…picking up a couple Grapevines. Well, It says here, do not procrastinate. I think you have to understand its not all gonna be Higher Power. It takes some effort on your part. Donna did procrastinate a lot in getting into her first rooms and seeking help but .. she is going full bore. Let’s give her an A on that one.
Do not be impatient. Hmm, trouble… she’s a woman. They never get the difference. Guys can go climb in a cold hunting tank at 5 in the morning and wait for ducks. Don’t even get me started on patience and fishing. A woman might patiently wait for a sale at Nordstroms, but she will be the first in line the day of…. Guys definitely have an advantage. Men can start going to meetings, listen and learn. Women can do the same thing, of course, but why do they always want to critique at the
end. I dunno, C at best.
This last one, is not gonna fly. Do not talk too much. Donna is not the sultry screen star when a certain look can take up all the time until commercial. She, like the women in my family, have very few unexpressed thoughts. There is a lot that goes on in those first months of recovery. People, like me, may not want to hear all one’s interpretation of events and or anecdotes, at a Meeting. Especially, about other people.
I wrote all this down, and in rewrite I decided it wasn’t bad advice for us all. Even
though, we’re men.
Contributed by John M.
My First Meeting
Please be “of service.” If you’ve never contributed a “My First Meeting”, please help to keep this column going…we need you! What do you remember most of your first meeting? It can be one sentence; it can be up to two paragraphs. Could be funny, poignant or strictly “clinical”. Write what you want…you might have enjoy writing it!
“Mouse’s Corner”
A.A. member Dave Mc. curates a few selected readings from a variety of A.A. related publications each month.
Let’s remember that alcoholics are not only ones bedeviled by sick emotions. In many instances we are really dealing with fellow sufferers, people whose woes we have increased. If we are about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why shouldn’t we start out by forgiving them, one and all?
As Bill sees it page 152
“Courtesy, kindness, justice, and love are the keynotes by
which we may come into harmony with practically anybody.”
12 Steps & 12 Traditions, pg. 93
Step Ten
Contributed by Dave Mc.
Tradition 07
Short Form
“Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.”
Long Form
“The A.A. groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their own members. We think that each group should soon achieve this ideal; that any public solicitation of funds using the name of Alcoholics Anonymous is highly dangerous, whether by groups, clubs, hospitals, or other outside agencies; that acceptance of large gifts from any source, or of contributions carrying any obligation whatever, is unwise. Then, too, we view with much concern those A.A. treasuries which continue, beyond prudent reserves, to accumulate funds for no stated A.A. purpose. Experience has often warned us that nothing can so surely destroy our spiritual heritage as futile disputes over property, money, and authority.”
Tradition Summary
Spirituality and Money DO Mix
Twelfth Step work is the lifeblood of Alcoholics Anonymous — carrying the message to the next suffering alcoholic. Without it, the Fellowship would wither and die. Yet, even at its simplest level this vital contact between one alcoholic and another involves an investment of time and money.
The paradox of A.A. is that financial independence and the support of our Fellowship by alcoholics and alcoholics alone not only enhances A.A.’s importance to each of us, but stimulates our engagement in our own recovery.
While the Fellowship has always faced problems of money, property, and prestige in one form or another, through the wisdom of the Seventh Tradition we have never been diverted from our primary purpose of carrying the message to the alcoholic who still suffers. This is our fundamental work, and to ensure that the hand of A.A. will always remain outstretched, money and spirituality must continue to mix. And for that, we are all responsible.
Download A.A. pamphlet, “Where Money & Spirituality Mix”
Step-Tradition Parallel
The seventh tradition is linked to the sixth tradition just as the seventh step is the natural outcome of working the sixth step. What do I do when I become entirely ready to give up my defects of character? I humbly ask God to remove my shortcomings. What do I do when I become entirely ready to give up pursuing outside contributions to my spirituality by not lending my name to related approaches or outside relationships? I avoid the problems of money, property, and prestige – carrying a message that will be believed because it is carried with a spirit of poverty and not greed.
I seek to be financially self—supporting, not wealthy. The seventh tradition, completed the seventh step this way: Father I humbly ask you to remove my major shortcomings, not placing you first in my life, but placing false Gods first, including money. Please teach me to be self-supporting in my relationship with you! “Fear” automatically results when I think I should handle any situation in life by myself. As soon as I place God first in my thinking and try to hear his voice through prayer and meditation, “fear” is removed.
From an idea by George T.
Funny Pages
Step 2 Men’s Group Believes…
“Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
We’d never presume that the 12 Steps are not clear. Nor would we imply that they need ‘improvement’. However…for purposes of assisting to keep the meeting pointed in an important direction each day, the “Step 2 Men’s Group Statement” is read as follows:
Step 2 Men’s Group is founded on the belief that spirituality is essential to our sobriety.
Our group is non-religious, but we do not oppose anyone’s religious beliefs. We believe that respect for others and their beliefs is essential to our spiritual development.
Accordingly we ask that avoid criticism of others or of their religion or lack of religion, their race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, physical appearance, trade or profession, length of sobriety, or personal beliefs.
Our goal is to further our spirituality, our sobriety and our personal development, not to confront or belittle others. Always remember to be kind to others.
Our Trusted Servants Continue to Be:
The current Step 2 Men’s Group meeting schedule is Monday, Wednesday & Friday at Tim’s (3809 J St), Tuesday & Thursday online, Saturday in the park is “Daily Reflections” and Sunday is our Rogue meeting in the park. Each gathering is one hour. Great job men!
- Monday: Tim C.
- Tuesday: Mark C.
- Wednesday: John M.
- Thursday: Sean F.
- Friday: Jon B.
- Saturday: Dave M.
- Sunday: Mark C.
Want to add your name to the “Back-up-Help-Substitute Secretary List”? Just contact Group GS, John M., Treasurer Mark W. or any of our other Secretaries and let them know!
Extra Special Thanks Dept:
Thanks to our General Secretary John M. for “With Apologies”, Dave Mc. for “Mouse’s Corner” and our Treasurer Mark W. for all your contributions. We’re still waiting for YOU gentle reader…Why don’t YOU contribute a short “something?” Any length, most any AA related topic. Reply now and it will get included next month!
Men’s Gazette – June 2024
Men’s Gazette – August 2024