"matter" in the Big Book

In a matter of fact way he told how two men had appeared in court, persuading the judge to suspend his commitment.

It was only a matter of being willing to believe in a Power greater than myself.

This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it—this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish.

I felt I had every right to be self-confident, that it would be only a matter of exercising my will power and keeping on guard.

I had no trouble refusing drinks, and began to wonder if I had not been making too hard work of a simple matter.

But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried.

In meditation, we ask God what we should do about each specific matter.

It should not matter, however, if someone does throw us out of his office.

We must lose our fear of creditors no matter how far we have to go, for we are liable to drink if we are afraid to face them.

Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal consequences may be.

To his wife, he remarked, “Don’t see anything the matter here, Ma.

No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.

This is not an overnight matter.

We shouldn’t be shy on this matter of prayer.

It would be easy to be vague about this matter.

Don’t raise such issues, no matter what your own convictions are.

It is not the matter of giving that is in question, but when and how to give.

Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances!

An alcoholic who cannot meet them, still has an alcoholic mind; there is something the matter with his spiritual status.

Try not to condemn your alcoholic husband no matter what he says or does.

You may be unable to do so, no matter how hard you try.

Frequently, you have felt obliged to tell your husband’s employer and his friends that he was sick, when as a matter of fact he was tight.

Next time you and he have a heated discussion, no matter what the subject, it should be the privilege of either to smile and say, “This is getting serious.

We think each family which has been relieved owes something to those who have not, and when the occasion requires, each member of it should be only too willing to bring former mistakes, no matter how grievous, out of their hiding places.

As soon as his sobriety begins to be taken as a matter of course, the family may look at their strange new dad with apprehension, then with irritation.

She sees she was wrong to make a burning issue out of such a matter when his more serious ailments were being rapidly cured.

He has just returned from a threemonths leave of absence, has taken a cure, looks fine, and to clinch the matter, the board of directors told him this was his last chance.”

But these scrapes can generally be charged, no matter how bad, to the abnormal action of alcohol on his mind.

He wants to quit drinking and you want to help him, even if it be only a matter of good business.

Whether you mention this book is a matter for your discretion.

The matter of physical treatment should, of course, be referred to your own doctor.

While on the subject of confidence, can you adopt the attitude that so far as you are concerned this will be a strictly personal matter, that his alcoholic derelictions, the treatment about to be undertaken, will never be discussed without his consent?

To return to the subject matter of this book: It contains full suggestions by which the employee may

Being wrecked in the same vessel, being restored and united under one God, with hearts and minds attuned to the welfare of others, the things which matter so much to some people no longer signify much to them.

To duplicate, with such backing, what we have accomplished is only a matter of willingness, patience and labor.