BEST QUOTES FROM AA BIG BOOK

“We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.85

“We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.133

“We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.30

“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.59

“Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power—that One is God. May you find Him now!” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.58

“The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.25

“Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.85

“Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.64

“The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.43

“Remembering that we have decided to go to any lengths to find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal consequences may be.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.79

“We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do for months or years, he reacts much like other men.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.22

“Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends—this is an experience you must not miss.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.89

“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

“Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.58

“Selfishness—self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.62

“We alcoholics are undisciplined. So we let God discipline us in the simple way we have just outlined.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.88 CHRISTMAS QUOTES REMEMBERING LOVED ONES

“Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.20

“We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given to us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.85

“Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.85

“When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is, or He isn’t.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.53

“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. (b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. (c) That God could and would if He were sought.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.60

“Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal consequences may be.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.79

“More sobriety — we cried— More sobriety — and we meant it.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.83

“When we sincerely took such a position, all sorts of remarkable things followed. We had a new Employer. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.63

“It is not the matter of giving that is in question, but when and how to give. That often makes the difference between failure and success.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.97

“Sobriety — freedom from alcohol — through the teaching and practice of the Twelve Steps, is the sole purpose of an AA group.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.162

“At no time have we comprehensively surveyed the destruction alcohol has caused. But scant indeed is the attention paid to the other ills of the world where alcohol has been a prime mover.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.111

“Further on, clear-cut directions are given showing how we recovered.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.29

“Cling to the thought that, in God’s hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have—the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death and misery for them.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.124

“If these thoughts occur, they are hazy and readily supplanted with the old threadbare idea that this time we shall handle ourselves like other people. There is a complete failure of the kind of defense that keeps one from putting his hand on a hot stove.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, p.35