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“The power in these rooms is greater than the sum total of those of us present.”

“If you want to be happy, go to a meeting. If you want to be twice as happy, go to two meetings.”

“Now that my spiritual eyes have begun to open, the world is much fuller.”

“The temptations of riches could sometimes be worse than the pains of poverty.”

“I use notes to remind me to seek my Higher Power ... On my desk, in front of my computer is the note: ‘Good morning, this is God, I will be handling all your worries and concerns for today. I will not need your help!’”

“Consider the problem of the fast-growing overseas centers just now emerging from their pioneering time -- how they have slowly gained the confidence of medicine, religion, and the press; how they have finally grown into unity through an ever better application of our Twelve Traditions; how they have tried to make good their desperate lack of language translations; and how they have well begun to cross all barriers of race, creed, or social condition.”

“Recovery is something like the restoration of a very old painting, covered over by layers and layers of darkening, distorted varnish ... Not all of the underlying pattern can be revealed at one time. What is uncovered, bit by bit and layer by slow, careful layer, are the things which are necessary and appropriate for me to know about myself right now.”

“I am a student of life just trying to learn how the universe works. The most powerful lesson I have learned is that it all happens inside me. My perception of any situation is in my control -- I have a choice about which way my mind will react.”

“Drinking is no longer a problem, but my thinking sure is. Writing a gratitude list puts the brakes on negative thoughts, turns me back toward the light, and helps me to see the beauty in everyday life.”

“In the meetings I attend, newcomers sometimes ask me how I’ve been able to stay sober so long. My answer is always the same: every morning, the first thing I do is say three magic words -- God, help me.”

“The welcome I received in AA was real. Neither my youth, my race, my newness, nor my foreignness concerned them. All they appeared to see was that I finally admitted my powerlessness over alcohol. That was enough for them.”

“Our Traditions are set down on paper. But they were written first in our hearts. For each of us knows, instinctively I think, that AA is not ours to do with as we please. We are but caretakers to preserve the spiritual quality of our Fellowship; keep it whole for those who will come after us and have need of what has so generously been given to us.”

“The core of our AA procedure is one alcoholic talking to another, whether that be sitting on a curbstone, in a home, or at a meeting. It’s the message, not the place; it’s the talk, not the alms.”

“Sobriety in AA is the first thing in my life that has really worked.”

“Instead of debating why so many old-timers are leaving, maybe our time would be better spent in taking more responsibility and letting the old-timers know how much AA wants and needs them ... creating and maintaining environments and meetings that are attractive to their recovery.”