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“Once upon a time, all AA meetings were held in homes. There weren’t any committees and nobody put up a cent. We hadn’t even a name and founders were unheard of. It was that simple.

“Yet we did enjoy one ‘service’ -- a valuable one, too. Wives baked cakes and brewed strong coffee for us alkies huddling together in the front parlors, still terrified that our new program might not work after all. Those wifely dispensations of good cheer smoothed the way and so lightened our burden of doubt.”

“I practice the Twelve Steps of AA every day to the best of my ability. As long as I do that, I will not need to drink, no matter what situation I am faced with.”

“I realized that I had not been the actual author of the Traditions. I had merely mirrored principles which had already been hammered out on thousands of anvils of AA group experience.”

“God never gives me more than I can handle, but sometimes he takes me right to the edge.”

“The great gratitude I’ve always felt made it possible to connect the miracles in my life and so many others’ with surrender to the Steps and the practice of their principles. One day, I simply heard myself talking about Step Three to a new ‘baby,’ and I knew I believed what I was saying.”

“The great gratitude I’ve always felt made it possible to connect the miracles in my life and so many others’ with surrender to the Steps and the practice of their principles. One day, I simply heard myself talking about Step Three to a new ‘baby,’ and I knew I believed what I was saying.”

“I’m learning the freedom that comes with facing my problems fearlessly and without resistance. They are not all resolved, but I’ve done my part. God will take it from there.”

“I’m learning the freedom that comes with facing my problems fearlessly and without resistance. They are not all resolved, but I’ve done my part. God will take it from there.”

“I’m learning the freedom that comes with facing my problems fearlessly and without resistance. They are not all resolved, but I’ve done my part. God will take it from there.”

“The parent who overstays his time can only hamper the growth of his offspring. This I must not do. My proper place will soon be along the sidelines, cheering you newer ones as you carry on.”

“Through the Twelve Steps I was shown how to sweep aside the primacy of concern with self, to discard the selfishness and arrogance that stood in the way. All these were obstacles to love, and as I began to learn to turn my life and will over to God as I understood him, the first faint glimmerings of humility began to appear.”

“From the very first time I stepped into this room and joined this circle of chairs, I felt a powerful spirit. Each time I return here I feel this spirit and the beginning of a wonderful feeling of peace.”

“I can say no to a lot of things I’m not interested in. All the people-pleasing activities I used to engage in, I can cut out now. That gives me time to do the truly helpful, gut-warming little things, just because they need doing and I truly care. I have time to work my program.”

“In early sobriety, I remember moaning to another member about how I didn’t have a relationship, I didn’t have a new car, and I didn’t have a flashy job. He replied: ‘It takes a steady hand to hold a full cup.’”

“As early as 1945, mediating and giving suggestions by mail for the solution of group problems had put a tremendous volume of work on Headquarters. With most of the metropolitan AA centers, correspondence files had grown six inches thick. Seemingly, every contestant in every group argument at every point of the compass wrote us in this period.”