An AA and his sponsee met for coffee at a waterfront café, part of a marina. The setting was appropriate; the sponsee was a mariner, a professional captain, knowledgeable in all things relating to ships and nautical stuff. They were talking about meditation and prayer. Near their table, a thick…

I was not in the Program long when a wise lady saved me. I was sober, with many thoughts and theories about God. God was this or was not that. God cared for us, but He was in a different dimension. God sometimes seemed good but not so good at…

It was our regular AA meeting, and the topic was ‘sex,’ always a hot topic at a closed mens’ meeting. One of the guys had an outstanding share. His opening puzzled us, “drinking, my alcoholism affected my sex life, and sober, my sex life affects my alcoholism.” He paused to…

The AA meeting last month was a game changer. The topic was Step Ten, and the meeting focused on spot inventories; people shared how they caught themselves and said “I’m sorry” right away. Then an AA sister re-framed the discussion. She said, “I have a terrible temper. I did Step…

Jenga is a child’s game of blocks and towers; alcoholics play an adult version of Jenga. The child’s game consists of wooden blocks; the child stacks them up in a tower, then the blocks are removed, one at a time. Eventually, the tower begins to totter. …

Plaques and signs are good reminders of important ‘notes to self,’ they were used in ancient times and are still used today. This Egyptian plaque might have been a ‘note to self’ for a prince or scribe, reminding him of the importance of a good wife to protect him from…

In my last blog post, I quoted an AA sister who provided two interpretations of our AA symbol, the triangle encompassed by a circle. In one meaning, the triangle’s three sides are Service, Unity, and Recovery, bounded by the circle of AA Fellowship in the good meaning. …

Our AA symbol, a triangle bounded by a circle, has a rich and deep history. At a recent meeting, we talked about the AA symbol and its meaning. …

One of the great metaphors used by Bill Wilson was God as a director, principal, or father. Directors stand off-stage and give the actors final instructions before stepping out in front of the audience. A principal appoints an agent; the agent then leaves and negotiates business for the principal. …