AUGUST 1
LIVING IT
The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 83
When new in the program, I couldn’t comprehend living the spiritual aspect of the program, but now that I’m sober, I can’t comprehend living without it. Spirituality was what I had been seeking. God, as I understand Him, has given me answers to the whys that kept me drinking for twenty years. By living a spiritual life, by asking God for help, I have learned to love, care for and feel compassion for all my fellow men, and to feel joy in a world where, before, I felt only fear.“Mouse’s Corner”
A.A. member Dave Mc. curates a few selected readings from a variety of A.A. related publications each month.
We work to improve our circumstances, creating and re-creating a life that matches our vision for ourselves. Often the change we seek is in our ideas and attitudes. We learn to see the world more clearly. We are so grateful for the recovery we can see in ourselves and the people around us. Great rewards are always waiting for us, if we are willing to make the effort.
Living Clean, page 116
As the doubter tries the process of prayer, he should begin to add up the results. If he persists, he will almost surely find more serenity, more tolerance, less fear, and less anger. He will acquire a quiet courage, the kind that isn’t tension-ridden. He can look at “failure” and “success” for what these really are. Problems and calamity will begin to mean his instruction, instead of his destruction. He will feel freer and saner.
As Bill Sees It, page 164
Contributed by Dave Mc.
CHANCE REUNIONS
This is one of those stories. You never know when you’re gonna run into the opportunity of doing a partial eighth step.
A few years back, the guy that took me down to the rehab center started bugging me to go out with him and a few others I knew from way back in the day for lunch. I was hesitant. I just don’t want to hear what everybody did the weekend before. How so and so had the margaritas going or some other guy got into his wine cellar. War stories and gossip bore me these days.
Eventually, I agreed to meet him, just him, for lunch. It went okay, kind of. Well enough.
Over time some other people joined the lunch. People I had known since high school, a few before that. 1st grade type stuff. WE don’t talk about him much but the one common link with all of us is we were all friends of another guy that took his own life. Funny how things work out.
This one gentleman, and I mean that in all terms was a kid I met in 2nd or 3rd grade. Mike. He was just a good guy, especially to me always. And I totally took him for granted.
This was a guy that picked me up to take me to high school for about 2 years. We played weekly Strato-matic games for probably five or so. We smoked a small forest of pot together over the years. Cross pollinated a few of the same girls. Probably put a Markstein Budweiser Distributor kid or two through college.
Then one day, I just stopped seeing him. I don’t remember why. I started dating someone and she moved in. (kiss of death), I got married. I had kids, and after that I saw a lot less people. It was a blur now, but I spent 12 years going up and down the State to volleyball tournaments. Not sober either.
Anyway, a few months ago, I ran into the guy at one of these lunches. I said I was sorry I just disappeared on him. He was his usual gracious self about it. No big deal. Then it turns out he goes up once a week to see this other buddy of ours who had a stroke and is now paralyzed down half his body. Every week! So, he’s picking me up to take me.
It turns out he is 14 years sober. He is not one of us, but he is drug and alcohol abstinent. I believe he is very much into meditation and has the pony tailed hair to prove it. Whatever works.
I cannot make much amends to my friend. I didn’t steal anything but time and friendship. So, you never know. You may ditch some guy someday and think you have irrevocably ruined a good friendship. Then the next thing you know, you’re texting each other about the Giants trades at the deadline.
Contributed by John M.
First Wednesday… August 6th
Come join a review of Step 8 on August 6th (First Wednesday). “Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.”
John reviews the step corresponding to the number of that month on each first Wednesday. It’s a rewarding meeting with John outlining the step of the month, how he was challenged by it and how we tackle it ourselves, with and without success! Look for his monthly contribution in this edition!
August Birthdays… IF They Make It!
August 6th… Steve B. celebrates 19 years
August 9th… Mike D. celebrates 8 years
August 9th… Ryan F. celebrates 9 years
August 12th… Jeff E. celebrates 40 years
August 25th… Craig G. celebrates 10 years
August 27th… Rudy R. celebrates 22 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.
Funny Pages
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!
Tradition 08
Short Form
“Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.”
Long Form
“Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional. We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire. But we may employ alcoholics where they are going to perform those services for which we might otherwise have to engage nonalcoholics. Such special services may be well recompensed. But our usual A.A. Twelfth Step work is never to be paid for.”
Tradition Summary
Paid Staff Help Make 12 Step Work Possible
The eighth tradition makes it clear that A.A. may employ professional secretaries and other professional staff members. Their job is not to DO Twelve Step work; but to make Twelve Step work possible. “Our Twelfth Step is never paid for, but those who labor in service for us are worthy of their hire.” (12×12, Page 171)
There is a difference between doing twelve step work for pay and working for a master’s degree as a counselor in the field of alcoholism and being of service in a hospital where more and more newcomers first find sobriety. Professional counselors do their counseling job and THEN go to A.A. meetings and carry the message “for free and for fun” just like the rest of us. Their job is not a substitute for working an A.A. program.
We must always remember that we cannot do the work of carrying the message to the still suffering alcoholic if we don’t have people in our various service centers assisting us in the logistics of US carrying out our primary purpose. We see that our few paid workers are performing only those service tasks that our volunteers cannot consistently handle. Primarily these folks are not doing Twelfth Step work. They are just making more and better Twelfth Step work possible.
We give freely what has been given freely to us.
Step-Tradition Parallel
The spiritual principle behind the eighth step is “willingness and love” to work the steps. The eighth tradition takes that idea one step further and teaches me that to have good relationships with other people, I must be “zealous” in carrying the message. Otherwise my message is suspect. In our meditation, let us examine the sate of our “zeal” in our relationships with God, A.A., mates and work. Let us begin with the state of our “zeal” in carrying the message to the sick and suffering alcoholic.
From an idea by George T.
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!
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.
NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DAY
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day on August 4 gives us an opportunity to dunk America’s #1 favorite cookie in a tall glass of ice cold milk, coffee, or tea! Whether yours are homemade or store bought, the only way to celebrate is to indulge in chocolate chip cookies.
#ChocolateChipCookieDay
Without chocolate chips, the cookie would still be number one. Or would it?
For that reason, we also recognize Ruth Graves Wakefield on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Thanks to her inventiveness and curiosity, chocolate chips and a cookie dough go together. And for this reason, we hover around ovens savoring the moment the timer dings.
How the Chocolate Chip Cookie Began
Imagine if Ruth Graves Wakefield hadn’t run out of baker’s chocolate for her cookie recipe that day in 1937. Because that’s what happened. The cookie recipe she was preparing called for baker’s chocolate and would have blended smoothly into the dough. However, she was out. And what if Mrs. Wakefield hadn’t considered using semi-sweet chocolate instead? She figured it would just melt into the dough and work much like the baker’s chocolate.
Or, what if someone had interrupted Ruth Graves Wakefield that day and caused the cookies to burn and ruin the experiment?
Well, none of that happened. Instead of interruptions or doubts, the baker added the chocolate to the dough. Moments later the mouthwatering aroma began to waft from Mrs. Wakefield’s oven. Perhaps the smell lured a child into the kitchen. Or maybe a guest at the Tollhouse Inn she and her husband owned. We may not know the finer details of the day the chocolate chip cookie came to be. However, we do know Ruth Graves Wakefield made it happen.
And if it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t know the ecstasy of warm chocolate chip cookie melting on our tongue. We know that feeling. When our eyes close in heavenly satisfaction and a perfect smile graces our face. No, if it weren’t for Ruth Graves Wakefield, entire generations would be denied the bliss that is a chocolate chip cookie.
We could even go so far as to say she is responsible for all those other nuggets of goodness. Those morsels of butterscotch, peanut butter, and white chocolate we enjoy in much the same way we enjoy our chocolate delights. Nothing, though, rates quite as high as the chocolate chip cookie Ruth Graves Wakefield brought to us in 1937. No, nothing.
Extra Special Thanks Dept:
Thanks to our General Secretary John M. for “Chance Reunions”, Dave Mc. for “Mouse’s Corner”, Tom W. for comics, 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 – July 2025