Middle of the Road

If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle of the road solution...

That isn't what I say, that is what the big book says.  Yet we don't speak the truth for fear of being controversial.  Bill Wilson didn't want the book to controversial to the public.  You can bet if someone had walked into those early meetings spouting out the garbage that is said around a lot of the tables today, there would have been some controversy.

Bill Wilson and the first 100, also wrote in the big book in several locations that we must carry this message.  That our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.  That we must find God now.  That God is everything or He is nothing. That we are to ask the newcomer if he is ready to quit for good and is willing to go to any length. That we should be introduced to him as people who have recovered.

I have actually heard in a meeting that we have the AA traditions but we have our Texas traditions too.  What a bunch of BS.  You want to bring that kind of crap into an AA meeting.  Just keep coming back, it will get better.  No, it won't.  Work the steps and it will get better, get connected to the Creator, it will get better, help a drunk it will get a lot better.

Sit on our butt and ignore the newcomer and then when they die next week, we say they just didn't want it bad enough.  Maybe we just didn't want to be bothered to tell them the truth.  Maybe it was going to be too controversial.  Maybe we were scared of hurting their feelings.  and then maybe we were just wrapped up in the selfishness that is this disease talking about our damn Texas traditions with our old buddies and we just let them walk away and die...

Maybe we are so busy trying to win our little ego wars and prove who is right that we don't have time to take the new guy by the hand and lead them through the steps.  It's a lot easier to stand in the crowd with our cohorts and slam the new guys that are trying to work this deal than it is to get in the trench. 

You know what I have noticed, the middle of the road guys, really seem to enjoy pontification.  They are always trying to convince everyone else that they are right. Taking shots whenever the little new guys are reaching out to other people. Oh, you shouldn't listen to him he has only been sober for a few weeks.

I'm done with that don't come walking up to me after the meeting trying to explain to me that the new comers just need to be quiet and listen for the first 3 months, that we will always be recovering that each of us works his program his way.  I am done with debating this crap. 

I'll be the one with the new guy in the back room explaining that he can get connected to a Power who will change his life forever. That this is a program of action.  That he can recover from this crap and be given the Power to help others!!!

Is that to radical for you? Then perhaps you should find another fellowship cause this is AA buddy. And it don't change just because you haven't taken a drink for a few years...`