Blisstree » Primary-Purpose

A “Great” Story?

Mark — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:07:06 +0000

Tell ya’ what – the very next time you hear a speaker announced as having a “great” story… invite their family, their parole officer, the families of the people they hurt, their employers and the folks they hurt at work. Invite their mental health counselors (if they have one), their Doctor and their attorney. Oh, and don’t forget the newspaper reporter who wrote the last piece about their actions in public places.

When all those folks are in attendance, poll them. Ask them how “great” this person’s story is on a scale of 1-10.

There used to be a drawing posted at the Patchogue group on L.I. at St. Joe’s. It said something like this: “Thank you God for we can laugh today, but, please God, don’t let us forget how much we cried.”

I’d add to not let us forget how many tears we caused others.

Post from: Blisstree

A “Great” Story?

Selling Newcomers Short

Mark — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 03:02:38 +0000

I don’t remember who it was, it may have been Matt M. He told me that the folks who had been here before us, who had put their blood, sweat, and tears into the collective experience of Alcoholics Anonymous, would someday move on and leave something to us – a legacy.

We were to be entrusted with this legacy in order that Alcoholics Anonymous continue to be available for all who suffer from alcoholism, for all who wish to recover, for all who, by God’s grace, were going to walk into our rooms.

That legacy was for us to pass this “thing” on the way we received it. Not to dilute it nor to change it where it didn’t need changing, to change it where it did need changing to improve it.

Many of us have received it differently from our sponsors and the elder statesmen but you and I know with certainty that the message of Alcoholics Anonymous has not changed. There is life after alcohol, there is hope. Life gets better sober.

Why then do we do things like selling newcomers short?

I know we all love to hear ourselves talk. Yet, to have the largest percentage of our meetings be discussion meetings that face the constant challenge of a topic? What has happened to simple speaker meetings? Where have the exchange meetings disappeared to? Why aren’t local groups in contact with each other to share speaking commitments?

Why does it seem that anniversary meetings are our speaker meetings? The newcomer isn’t being asked to speak at an anniversary meeting (perhaps rightfully so). However, since it was suggested to me that I speak before my first sober anniversary in order to relive my story and help another alcoholic, it is apparent that our newcomers aren’t getting the opportunity to do this for a variety of reasons.

One of those reasons is that today’s speakers need to have a “great” story! Lame. Yeah, I said – lame. Labeling an alcoholics’ story “great” is lame. Because every speakers’ story is “great!” No speakers’ story is “great.” Because we want folks to show up at our anniversary meeting so we promote this months’ speaker as having a great story! We are way too wrapped up in ourselves and then we wonder why folks are getting drunk.

Or – you have to be a member of the “good ole boys club.” Early on I discovered that cliques were disliked yet people in cliques stayed sober together. We’ve taken it, like so much else we do, to the extreme. Promoting fellow members to convention committees as having great stories, being wonderful speakers, someone you’ve simply got to hear! And only a small group of individuals wind up speaking while the newcomer who hasn’t spoken languishes in obscurity, never getting a chance to follow through on an old and wise suggestion.

Yet we’ll swear we’re fulfilling the Primary Purpose.

This is not an improvement. This is not fulfilling our legacy!

Post from: Blisstree

Selling Newcomers Short

The Fifth Tradition

Mark — Sat, 19 May 2007 13:36:48 +0000

“Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.”

A recent news article spoke of one of a few precise reasons I believe “they” derived this Tradition. The group the article talked about – in Washington, D.C., if indeed it is true, is no longer an A.A. group and ought to be treated that way (imho). But that’s not what this post is about…

From our 12&12: “The very life of our fellowship requires the preservation of this principle.”

“Alcoholics Anonymous can be likened to a group of physicians who might find a cure for cancer… In the radiance of such a miraculous discovery, any doctor would set his other ambitions aside, at whatever personal cost… Just as firmly bound by obligation are the members of Alcoholics Anonymous.”

From “The Language of The Heart” page 82, Bill says:

“Because it has now become plain enough that only a recovered alcoholic can do much for a sick alcoholic, a tremendous responsibility has descended upon us all, an obligation so great that it amounts to a sacred trust.”

As Johnny O. told us – if you go to an A.A. meeting and it doesn’t feel like an A.A. meeting – make it an A.A. meeting!

[Yeah, I know - Bill said "recovered", with a "d" and?]

Post from: Blisstree

The Fifth Tradition