June 2006 Victor Valley Newsletter Page 2

The Miracle That Saved Us

I’ve heard it said that the word “miracle” is the most overworked word in the Alcoholics Anonymous vocabulary. Maybe so. But it is probably with good cause. If you were to cast about for two of “A.A.’s heroes,” Dr. Bob and Bill W. probably wouldn’t make anyone’s list.

In fact, Bill Wilson’s idea that one alcoholic might be able to get another alcoholic sober simply by talking things over with him nearly ended up on the scrap heap in 1935 when Bill told wife Lois that he was through with his “one drunk talking to another” project.

“None of these drunks got sober,” Wilson is quoted as saying to Lois.
She looked him in the eye and responded with a line that changed history for every alcoholic.

“You did,” she said.

You should call that the first of an avalanche of miracles that paved the way for Alcoholics Anonymous to begin.

A second miracle occurred in Akron in May of 1935. His dream of a successful business venture shattered, the still sober Wilson wandered the halls of Akron’s Mayflower Hotel, contemplating a drink before his return to New York. He spotted a list of area churches along with the names and phone [numbers] of the pastors. He recalled he had promised his friends in New York that he’d try to make contact with the Oxford Group in Akron before leaving town. Even that effort appeared doomed since he couldn’t find anyone on the list willing to talk to him about alcoholics in Akron. On his last call, however, a minister told him of a woman active in the Oxford Group who spoke of a physician who was having difficulty staying sober.

Bill’s Mother’s Day talk with Henrietta Seiberling struck gold. Or so it seemed. She said she had just the person for Bill and for him to stay at the phone while she called the doctor to set up a meeting. When she called back, she told Wilson that the doctor was out – passed out on his kitchen floor. But the doctor’s wife, Anne Smith, said she could have the physician at the Seiberling estate the next day. Here comes another miracle.

The next day, the Smiths arrived for the meeting and Dr. Bob is supposed to have told his wife that he would be willing to talk “with this guy from New York for 15 minutes but that’s all. I don’t need any of his religious crap.”

Here’s the third miracle. Smith and Wilson talked for nearly five hours on that Monday afternoon, and when they were done, Smith was a convert. “He knows how I feel,” Smith told his wife.

Smith asked Wilson if he’d stay in Akron for a few days; and although the doctor had another drunk in him in early June, he came out of the fog of alcohol addiction and by June 10, had covered the Four Absolutes of the Oxford Group and stood tall as the first person to start an A.A. group. And the miracles just keep on coming.
Arthur P., Long Beach via, “Harbor Light,” Long Beach CA

COMPLACENCY
Quiet satisfaction; Contentment; Self-satisfaction; Smugness. Or, as yours truly sees it:
1. Seeing something that needs to be done;
2. Knowing something needs to be done;
3. And still refusing to help fix the problem.
Betty B., Editor

OUR MOVE

Some of you may want to know why Central Office is moving after 15 years in one location. That’s right 15 years! In fact I have been your Central Office Manager for a little over 15 years. What a great journey it has been. The reason for the move is simply the new suite (107) is quiet. It has its own restroom and its own entrance. If you have been to the office lately you will have noticed that there is a lot of foot traffic just to get to our front door. The move was proposed to the Intergroup Board of Directors and they agreed to change locations. Our Landlord is honoring our current lease so there will be no increase in rent.

So come by your Central Office and check it out. Have a cup of coffee on Mondays and visit with our volunteers Angie and Julie. On Tuesdays you can share a cup with Elaine and Mike. Wednesdays, Sheldon and Gregg. Visit with John and Pam on Thursdays and on Fridays, Edie and Nick. See you soon!
In sobriety, Craig B., Central Office Manager.

One Day at a Time
We are taught to differentiate between our wants (which are never satisfied) and our needs (which are always provided for). We cast off the burdens of the past and the anxieties of the future as we begin to live in the present, one day at a time. We are granted “the serenity to accept the things we cannot change,” – and thus lose our quickness to anger and our sensitivity to criticism.
via, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 560

After purchasing a brand new Corvette, a middle-aged playboy stopped off at his favorite watering hole to show off his new convertible. After many hours of showing off the car and being toasted with drinks, he looked at his watch and realized it was nearly 2:00 a.m., and the bar would be closing. He finished off his last drink and staggered out to the parking lot.

Getting into his new Vette, he put down the top to enjoy the warm summer air as he headed home. Taking off down the freeway, he floored it to 80 m.p.h., enjoying the wind blowing through his hair.

“Amazing,” he thought as he flew down the road pushing the pedal to the metal even more. Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw the highway patrol behind him, blue lights flashing and siren blaring.

“I can get away from him – no problem,” thought the inebriated playboy nut case as he floored to 100 m.p.h., then 110, then 120. Suddenly he thought, “What on earth am I doing? I’m too old for this nonsense!” He pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the Trooper to catch up with him.

Pulling in behind him, the Trooper slowly walked up to the driver’s side of the Corvette, looked at his watch and said, “Sir, my shift ends in 30 minutes. Today is Friday and I have two days off. If you can give me a good reason why you were speeding, one I’ve never heard before, I’ll let you go.”

The man, looking very seriously at the Trooper said, “Occificer, ten years ago my wife ran off with a Trooper. When I saw the flashing lights behind me, I thought you were bringing her back to me.”

“I know the feeling. Have a good night, Sir,” said the Trooper as we walked back to his patrol car and drove off.

June 2006 Page 1 \| Page 2 \| Events \| Reports \| Humor
The Miracle That Saved Us I’ve heard it said that the word “miracle” is the most overworked word in the Alcoholics Anonymous vocabulary. Maybe so. But it is probably with good cause. If you were to cast about for two of “A.A.’s heroes,” Dr. Bob and Bill W. probably wouldn’t make anyone’s list. In fact, Bill Wilson’s idea that one alcoholic might be able to get another alcoholic sober simply by talking things over with him nearly ended up on the scrap heap in 1935 when Bill told wife Lois that he was through with his “one drunk talking to another” project. “None of these drunks got sober,” Wilson is quoted as saying to Lois. She looked him in the eye and responded with a line that changed history for every alcoholic. “You did,” she said. You should call that the first of an avalanche of miracles that paved the way for Alcoholics Anonymous to begin. A second miracle occurred in Akron in May of 1935. His dream of a successful business venture shattered, the still sober Wilson wandered the halls of Akron’s Mayflower Hotel, contemplating a drink before his return to New York. He spotted a list of area churches along with the names and phone [numbers] of the pastors. He recalled he had promised his friends in New York that he’d try to make contact with the Oxford Group in Akron before leaving town. Even that effort appeared doomed since he couldn’t find anyone on the list willing to talk to him about alcoholics in Akron. On his last call, however, a minister told him of a woman active in the Oxford Group who spoke of a physician who was having difficulty staying sober. Bill’s Mother’s Day talk with Henrietta Seiberling struck gold. Or so it seemed. She said she had just the person for Bill and for him to stay at the phone while she called the doctor to set up a meeting. When she called back, she told Wilson that the doctor was out – passed out on his kitchen floor. But the doctor’s wife, Anne Smith, said she could have the physician at the Seiberling estate the next day. Here comes another miracle. The next day, the Smiths arrived for the meeting and Dr. Bob is supposed to have told his wife that he would be willing to talk “with this guy from New York for 15 minutes but that’s all. I don’t need any of his religious crap.” Here’s the third miracle. Smith and Wilson talked for nearly five hours on that Monday afternoon, and when they were done, Smith was a convert. “He knows how I feel,” Smith told his wife. Smith asked Wilson if he’d stay in Akron for a few days; and although the doctor had another drunk in him in early June, he came out of the fog of alcohol addiction and by June 10, had covered the Four Absolutes of the Oxford Group and stood tall as the first person to start an A.A. group. And the miracles just keep on coming. Arthur P., Long Beach via, “Harbor Light,” Long Beach CA COMPLACENCY Quiet satisfaction; Contentment; Self-satisfaction; Smugness. Or, as yours truly sees it: 1. Seeing something that needs to be done; 2. Knowing something needs to be done; 3. And still refusing to help fix the problem. Betty B., Editor OUR MOVE Some of you may want to know why Central Office is moving after 15 years in one location. That’s right 15 years! In fact I have been your Central Office Manager for a little over 15 years. What a great journey it has been. The reason for the move is simply the new suite (107) is quiet. It has its own restroom and its own entrance. If you have been to the office lately you will have noticed that there is a lot of foot traffic just to get to our front door. The move was proposed to the Intergroup Board of Directors and they agreed to change locations. Our Landlord is honoring our current lease so there will be no increase in rent. So come by your Central Office and check it out. Have a cup of coffee on Mondays and visit with our volunteers Angie and Julie. On Tuesdays you can share a cup with Elaine and Mike. Wednesdays, Sheldon and Gregg. Visit with John and Pam on Thursdays and on Fridays, Edie and Nick. See you soon! In sobriety, Craig B., Central Office Manager. One Day at a Time We are taught to differentiate between our wants (which are never satisfied) and our needs (which are always provided for). We cast off the burdens of the past and the anxieties of the future as we begin to live in the present, one day at a time. We are granted “the serenity to accept the things we cannot change,” – and thus lose our quickness to anger and our sensitivity to criticism. via, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 560 After purchasing a brand new Corvette, a middle-aged playboy stopped off at his favorite watering hole to show off his new convertible. After many hours of showing off the car and being toasted with drinks, he looked at his watch and realized it was nearly 2:00 a.m., and the bar would be closing. He finished off his last drink and staggered out to the parking lot. Getting into his new Vette, he put down the top to enjoy the warm summer air as he headed home. Taking off down the freeway, he floored it to 80 m.p.h., enjoying the wind blowing through his hair. “Amazing,” he thought as he flew down the road pushing the pedal to the metal even more. Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw the highway patrol behind him, blue lights flashing and siren blaring. “I can get away from him – no problem,” thought the inebriated playboy nut case as he floored to 100 m.p.h., then 110, then 120. Suddenly he thought, “What on earth am I doing? I’m too old for this nonsense!” He pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the Trooper to catch up with him. Pulling in behind him, the Trooper slowly walked up to the driver’s side of the Corvette, looked at his watch and said, “Sir, my shift ends in 30 minutes. Today is Friday and I have two days off. If you can give me a good reason why you were speeding, one I’ve never heard before, I’ll let you go.” The man, looking very seriously at the Trooper said, “Occificer, ten years ago my wife ran off with a Trooper. When I saw the flashing lights behind me, I thought you were bringing her back to me.” “I know the feeling. Have a good night, Sir,” said the Trooper as we walked back to his patrol car and drove off.
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