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“If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent unhealthy demand. Let us, with God’s help, continually surrender these hobbling liabilities.”

“Sometimes we register surprise, shock, and anger when people find fault with AA. We are apt to be disturbed to such an extent that we cannot benefit from constructive criticism. This sort of resentment makes no friends and achieves no constructive purpose. Certainly, this is an area in which we can improve.”

“You never know until you go out to meet it what any given day is going to be, but the way you go to meet it surely makes a difference.”

“I have had to face my past, one episode at a time, and become willing to look at the truth. I could feel the pain and fear, like trolls under the bridge, waiting to jump out and challenge my self-esteem.”

“’Absolute humility would consist of a state of complete freedom from myself, freedom from all the claims that my defects of character now lay so heavily upon me. Perfect humility would be a full willingness, in all times and places, to find and to do the will of God.’”

“Some days I feel almost normal, almost sane.”

“I believe anyone can be helped if they have an honest desire to stop drinking. I’m living proof.”

“I could do something about changing my own thoughts, but nothing about changing the people around me.”

“I do not need to make amends on my hands and knees; I need to walk tall, without false pride. When I go in humility and sincerely ask people to forgive me, this will remove the burden from my shoulders.”

“Habits are like cork or lead -- they tend to keep you up or hold you down.”

“Alcoholism is relieved of its power when honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness combine within me to change my question from ‘Why?’ to ‘How?’ Then, I can get into the stream of life and out of my own way.”

“I am feeling much better now, and I thank God for AA and my good friends. I have learned how to accept their help.”

“When I’m willing to pay the price for top-shelf sobriety, ‘action’ is still the magic word.”

“We who live in the haven of AA cling together with an intensity of purpose which the outside world seldom comprehends. The anarchy of the individual melts away. Self-love subsides and democracy becomes a reality. We begin to know true freedom of the spirit.”

“Alcoholics Anonymous has given me something of real value that I can share with others.”