It Works!!

[Patsyd1]

Page 160 in the Big Book

A VISION FOR YOU

Many a man, yet dazed from his hospital experience,
has stepped over the threshold of that home into freedom.
Many an alcoholic who entered there came away
with an answer. He succumbed to that gay crowd
inside, who laughed at their own misfortunes and
understood his. Impressed by those who visited him at
the hospital, he capitulated entirely when, later, in an
upper room of this house, he heard the story of some
man whose experience closely tallied with his own. The
expression on the faces of the women, that indefinable
something in the eyes of the men, the stimulating and
electric atmosphere of the place, conspired to let him
know that here was haven at last.

[Patsyd1]

Page 15 Big Book

We commenced to make many fast friends and a fellowship
has grown up among us of which it is a wonderful
thing to feel a part. The joy of living we really have, even
under pressure and difficulty.

[Patsyd1]

Page 16 in the Big Book

There is, however, a vast amount of fun about it all. I
suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness
and levity. But just underneath there is deadly
earnestness. Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in
and through us, or we perish.
Most of us feel we need look no further for Utopia. We
have it with us right here and now. Each day my friend's
simple talk in our kitchen multiplies itself in a widening
circle of peace on earth and good will to men.

[Patsyd1]

Page 17 in the Big Book

We are average Americans. All sections of this country
and many of its occupations are represented, as well as
many political, economic, social, and religious backgrounds.
We are people who normally would not mix.
But there exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and
an understanding which is indescribably wonderful. We
are like the passengers of a great liner the moment after
rescue from shipwreck when camaraderie, joyousness and
democracy pervade the vessel from steerage to Captain's
table. Unlike the feelings of the ship's passengers, however,
our joy in escape from disaster does not subside as
we go our individual ways.

[Patsyd1]

Page 132 in the Big Book

We have been speaking to you of serious, sometimes
tragic things. We have been dealing with alcohol in its
worst aspect. But we aren't a glum lot. If newcomers
could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't
want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life.

[PHANTOM VISITOR]

Why did he think he had found safe haven, you might ask? From reading this as a stand-alone one would think it to be the Fellowship. But, read page 159, which precedes this quote: "The way you fellows put this spiritual stuff makes sense. I'm ready to do business. I guess the old folks were right after all." So one more was added to the Fellowship."

Aha! It was the "spiritual stuff"!

Context, context, context.

I don't have the inclination to cross reference every one of these. Suffice it to say that they are out of context.

Context: the part or parts of a written or spoken passage preceding or following a particular word or group of words and so intimately associated with them as to throw light upon their meaning

It's the program, not the Fellowship? that produces sobriety, which then produces these reactions. Quoted in context, I'm sure anyone would agree. (But probably won't!)

[Patsyd1]

All my posts were moved here, from the "Topic Discussion Area" where I posted them in the thread "We Enjoy Life"

The title of "Its Works!!" was added by someone else to create a new thread of their choice, by moving my posts HERE, instead of where I originally posted them.

There was a reason for my choice of those pages, and there was a reason for my choice to post them in the thread? "We Enjoy Life".

I am an adult, I knew exactly where I posting and why.?

There was absolutely no reason to move my posts from where I chose to put them or for anyone to create a thread of their choice, with my posts...... and then to entitled the thread the way they chose to.

If my choice was to create a thread and post them here, then I would have done that.

What were you thinking to be able to justify the actions that were taken?

[PHANTOM VISITOR]

I made comments where I found them. This is an open forum; I don't need to justify my actions to you.

[PHANTOM VISITOR]

I just re-read this (I'm a glutton for punishment!) and I think I missed part of it. The implication that I moved your out-of-context quotes from one forum to another is incorrect. If you've got a beef with someone moving your thread - you're accusing the wrong person. I don't have the authority to do such, nor the protocol permissions.

Additionally, I stand by my earlier statement: I don't need to justify my thinking to you.

.

[Carol87]

Sorry for the confusion here.? :-[? Those comments are directed to me.? ?Since the posts are all quotes from the Big Book, I moved them from "We Enjoy Life" to a new thread here.? ?The subject of the first post only was changed to avoid confusion by having two threads with the same title.

[Patsyd1]

The implication that I moved your out-of-context quotes from one forum to another is incorrect. If you've got a beef with someone moving your thread - you're accusing the wrong person. I don't have the authority to do such, nor the protocol permissions.

Additionally, I stand by my earlier statement: I don't need to justify my thinking to you.

Willard, nowhere did I mention your name, nowhere were you accused of anything by me.

I have no idea why you would feel the need to justify your thinking to me. Again, I never mentioned you, your name or even alluded to you or your name when I posted.

[Patsyd1]

Thank you for your reply Carol. I understand where you might think that my posts belong in the Big Book forum. I posted those quotes in the "We Enjoy Life" thread, because the Big Book has many pages with regards to having fun, enjoying ones life, and we are not a glum lot.

Thank you (((((((((Carol)))))))))

[PHANTOM VISITOR]

Your "thinking justification" comment showed up in my "Show new replies to your post" box.

When replies show up there, I assume they are directed to me. Therefore my reply.

[Patsyd1]

Oh yes Willard, thats because its ALL about YOU! LOL

Have a nice day Willard

[PHANTOM VISITOR]

Thanks Patsy - I'm glad you finally see it my way. Now, if only everyone else understood who's running the show, think how smoothly the play would run!

[vegyman]

You too, huh? Patsy. I got tired of Carol moving my posts , so I quit posting here.

Paul

[Carol87]

Page 16 in the Big Book

There is, however, a vast amount of fun about it all. I
suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness
and levity. But just underneath there is deadly
earnestness. Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in
and through us, or we perish.

Most of us feel we need look no further for Utopia. We
have it with us right here and now. Each day my friend's
simple talk in our kitchen multiplies itself in a widening
circle of peace on earth and good will to men.


The paragraph just before these says:

An alcoholic in his cups is an unlovely creature.? Our struggles with them are variously strenuous, comic, and tragic.? One poor chap committed suicide in my home.? He could not, or would not, see our way of life.? (Bill?s Story, Page 16, BB)

Oh Yes, absolutely, we insist on having fun ?even though that was pretty foreign thinking to me when I arrived in the rooms of recovery.? I was SO SERIOUS when I got here; every thing, and I mean every thing, was either black or white; I wasn't able to see humor in anything, and NO WAY could I laugh at myself!? ? I posted somewhere else that one of the things that attracted me at my first AA meeting the laughter -- and that same laughter is very healing for me today.?? I depend on it ... it helps me lighten up and enjoy life.? ? ?However, personally, I don?t want to lose site of why I'm here and what can happen if I don?t look at my illness with deadly earnestness and more importantly, remember the importance of ?Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us, or we perish.?? ?

JMHO ?

[colourbubbles]

I really enjoyed what you said Carol87. Laughter is very healing for me also. You also reminded in of my first meeting. When i got to the door i could hear laughter and thought i was in the wrong place, what possibly could these people have to laugh at!! Now i am one of those people. A long time member of my group send me a message once saying "Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in ones own sunshine... You start to grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself..." I am busy getting ready for my first AA Convention, in Cork (Ireland). I can't think of a better way to enjoy my sobriety with a very dear friend. Thanks to this fellowship i know what it is to be a friend today, and thanks to my GOD have have many of them today. I wish everyone a happy and sober weekend!!!

[Carol87]

I thought of this at my morning meeting ... the room was full with 80+ people and simply erupted in uproarious laughter when someone was sharing. That same laughter was later referred to by someone getting a two-year chip when he commented how we all laughed at a comment that anyone outside recovery could never understand ... and how that same laughter kept him coming back.

[samf]

Thought, also, about laughter and identification...
Sometimes I end up laughing because I identify so much!
I had another person in my home who wasn't an alcoholic or addict?
This doesn't always happen...this is the only time, for me, but for whatever reason I put on a Mickey Bush speaker tape...one of the older ones...and I was laughing so hard...and I'd look over, and this poor soul looked liked they were just enduring the tape. So I would explain what was so funny. And they would look at me and just smile a little smile.
I realzied that it wasn't funny to that person...I guess it was, to me, becuase I could identify.

Sam

[WolfM]

Dear Sam,
I can so relate. My sponsor and I were watching a Ree Lasker (he is a Hazelden Alumni) tape and it was HILARIOUS! There was a woman watching it with us whose husband was in the fellowship and she was on the periphery. She thought we were nuts and did not see the humor. At least until she hit bottom. Now she sees the humor.
Wolf M

[samf]

;DWolf, big hug!
I just love knowing I am not the only one, too...feel kind of validated...always wonder about my perceptions...
THANK you!

Sam