OCTOBER 1
LEST WE BECOME COMPLACENT
It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe.ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 85
When I am in pain it is easy to stay close to the friends I have found in the program. Relief from that pain is provided in the solutions contained in A.A.’s Twelve Steps. But when I am feeling good and things are going well, I can become complacent. To put it simply, I become lazy and turn into the problem instead of the solution. I need to get into action, to take stock: where am I and where am I going? A daily inventory will tell me what I must change to regain spiritual balance. Admitting what I find within myself, to God and to another human being, keeps me honest and humble.
Tradition 10
Short Form
“Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.”
Long Form
“No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues — particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever.”
TRADITION SUMMARY
Outside Issues Can Tear Us Apart
What is an outside issue? An outside issue is anything outside of my relationship with God through sobriety.
The tenth tradition is rather clear as it applies to A.A. We have prospered by having no opinion on outside matters and not being drawn into controversy. For instance, A.A. has avoided the outside issues that tore apart the Washingtonians. A.A. has never become crusaders or taken stands on important but outside issues, “particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion”. (See the long form of this tradition)
Bill Wilson differentiates the responsibilities of the A.A. member and the A.A. group in this tradition by saying on p. 177 of the “12 & 12” that the tenth tradition does not “mean that the members of Alcoholics Anonymous, now restored as citizens of the world, are going to back away from their individual responsibilities to act as they see the right upon issues of our time. But when it comes to A.A. as a whole, that’s quite a different matter. In this respect, we do not enter into public controversy because we know that our society will perish if it does.”
Step-Tradition Parallel
The relationship of the tenth tradition to the tenth step is this: I can be at peace and avoid outside issues by taking my inventory and not yours. I avoid controversy by taking stands with the attitude of a peacemaker. The tenth concept of service takes the process one step further and specifies what kind of inventory I should be writing about: The responsibilities for which God has given me authority.
The tenth step poses the question, “How can I survive successfully in the world by taking my own inventory and promptly admitting it when I am wrong?” The tenth tradition supplies the answer; “I survive by being a peacemaker with you because I am at peace with myself through my own inventories.”
From an idea by George T.
October Birthdays… IF They Make It!
October 15th… Mike B. celebrates 19 years
October 16th… Kevin O. celebrates 5 years
October 19th… Mike F. celebrates 14 years
October 19th… Ed D. celebrates 40 years
October 20th… Mike M. celebrates 7 years
October 22nd… Jeff S. celebrates 3 years
October 23rd… Scott Y. celebrates 7 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.
“Mouse’s Corner”
A.A. member Dave Mc. curates a few selected readings from a variety of A.A. related publications each month.
“Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”
Groucho Marx
“If I fail to stress the spiritual feature of A.A.’s program, I am being dishonest. The newcomer should not be given a false impression of sobriety. I am sober only through the grace of my Higher Power, and that makes it possible for me to share with others.
Daily Reflection
Contributed by Dave Mc.
The Inventory Story
I was contemplating this column this week and what struck me was the word “inventory”.
I always think that the founding fathers, Bill, Dr. Bob, Clarence, Mike T. have reasons and meanings behind the words they choose for the guides to successful sobriety.
So let’s look at “inventory”.
Why does one have an inventory? To me, at first glance, it must be to sell something. Since it’s a moral inventory could I deduce that this is an accounting of an inventory of selling ourselves? Selling ourselves to others AND ourselves?
When I take a moral inventory of the past I can be hard on myself.
When I look at past inventory, I see a lot of dead stock. This past weekend I spent some time with my middle kid. She is no kid anymore so you’d think …
I was sharing with her some bad behavior on my part. She had a part in it. The function of this malcontent on my part was television remote controls. When she lived in my house, the remote controls in the family room worked in her room. Naturally, I would have a fit about missing remote controls. Of course she would lie about not having them. Why not? I lied about my drinking back then. She would let me rant for enough time, close to cardiac arrest, and then magically produce one, saying the missing remote was in my bathroom or some other odd place.
We only semi laugh about it, now that she is an adult. Truth is, I get embarrassed by that story.
Today, The Book or the Elders speak of taking a Daily Inventory every day, like flossing or checking emails. Eh… I don’t floss every day. That little plastic case and that back of picks with flossers on one end are on my desk, and if I see them I use them. Ya know, more than a couple times a week but not every day. And Email! I get so many junk email, I don’t check that everyday. Today while waiting for a plane I finally went through a good lot of them unsubscribing and marking as spam. I prioritize Sutter Health and the Ex. The rest of them text me. Practice not perfection.
That is the the point I suppose. Taking inventory. Moving and in some cases, throwing out old and bad stock. Trying to improve products or selections and even adding new things to make us more sellable. Attractive.
It takes time. Sometimes years., We must keep working at it.
Contributed by John M.
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!
Norm B. used to say…
“if you want a feeling of accomplishment… go accomplish something!”
First Wednesday… October 1st
Come join a review of Step 10 on October 1st 8th (First Second Wednesday). “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.”
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!
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 “Inventory”, 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 – August 2025