The program of Alcoholics Anonymous is described in many ways, as a simple program, an honest program, a Twelve Step program, or a recovery program. I believe that it is also a kind program. In God’s universe, no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. In AA...
It is said that when a storm approaches, bison walk directly into it. At first, this seems to go against every instinct for survival. Yet it is often the fastest way through the storm. By facing the direction from which the weather is coming, the bison allows the...
In the chapter “Into Action” AA tells us that the recovery of family life is going to be slow. Page 83 says “There is a long period of reconstruction ahead.” The suggestion is that we ask our Creator every morning to show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness,...
I was at Hazelden in 2012, and held the position of Director of Spiritual Guidance, one of several clinical directors in Center City, Minnesota. Hazelden was approached with a generous grant for research into the value of a new drug, Suboxone, for the treatment of...
When I served as the Public Affairs Officer for the Camp Ripley Training Center in central Minnesota, we occasionally dealt with what the DNR calls “nuisance bears.” It is a common term for bears that wander into places where they are not expected, such as...
I have had a misunderstanding about Bill Wilson’s “White Light” experience in Towns Hospital in 1934. I got my impression of that evening from watching a movie with an actor portraying Bill W’s experience. In the movie, there is a supernatural experience, complete...
In the recording business, the spin of a vinyl record is measured by RPMs. This stood for Revolutions Per Minute. This abbreviation is also a helpful mnemonic device to remember four important tools in one’s recovery tool kit: Readings, Prayers, Meetings, and...
For many decades, alcohol treatment programs focused on our drinking problems and the consequences of our actions while drunk. Then they offered instruction in the AA and NA programs of recovery. Most people got well and stayed sober over time. A few simply took this...
Introduction Recovery from addiction is a journey that often feels daunting and isolating. One of the most powerful antidotes to this isolation is sponsorship—a unique support system that fosters connection, and accountability. Sponsorship is not just a tool in...
My last drunk happened about as far from home as you can get. It was a wild two-day blackout bender in Sri Lanka. Yes, Sri Lanka. When I finally emerged from it, I had that familiar feeling many people with a drinking problem know well — the sense that things had gone...
