"others" in the Big Book

Never was I to pray for myself, except as my requests bore on my usefulness to others.

They in turn might work with others.

Particularly was it imperative to work with others as he had worked with me.

spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead.

more useful to others.

Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.

But we saw that it really worked in others, and we had come to believe in the hopelessness and futility of life as we had been living it.

To others, the word “God’’ brought up a particular idea of Him with which someone had tried to impress them during childhood.

Others came near putting Galileo to death for his astronomical heresies.

When we saw others solve their problems by a simple reliance upon the Spirit of the Universe, we had to stop doubting the power of God.

When others showed us that “God-sufAlco_9781893007161_6p_01_r6.qxd 8/13/07 10:55 AM Page 53

Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 10.

To conclude that others were wrong was as far as most of us ever got.

In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill.

Putting out of our minds the wrongs others had done, we resolutely looked for our own mistakes.

We realize that some people are as fanatical about sex as others are loose.

If we are not sorry, and our conduct continues to harm others, we are quite sure to drink.

If sex is very troublesome, we throw ourselves the harder into helping others.

The rule is we must be hard on ourself, but always considerate of others.

Therefore, we are not to be the hasty and foolish martyr who would needlessly sacrifice others to save himself from the alcoholic pit.

If we have obtained permission, have consulted with others, asked God to help and the drastic step is indicated we must not shrink.

The alcoholic is like a tornado roaring his way through the lives of others.

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

Love and tolerance of others is our code.

Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life?

But we must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness to others.

We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped.

You can secure their confi­ dence when others fail.

To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends—this is an experience you must not miss.

You should be described to him as one of a fellowship who, as part of their own recovery, try to help others and who will be glad to talk to him if he cares to see you.

He often says that if he had continued to work on them, he might have deprived many others, who have since recovered, of their chance.

Helping others is the foundation stone of your recovery.

We have seen others slip when the family came back too soon.

Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful.

But for every man who drinks others are involved— the wife who trembles in fear of the next debauch; the mother and father who see their son wasting away.

sense of responsibility for others.

Though it is entirely separate from Alcoholics Anonymous, it uses the general principles of the A.A. program as a guide for husbands, wives, relatives, friends, and others close to alcoholics.

We find the more one member of the family demands that the others concede to him, the more resentful they become.

Suppose we tell you some of the obstacles a family will meet; suppose we suggest how they may be avoided—even converted to good use for others.

Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worth while to us now.

Cling to the thought that, in God’s hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have—the key to life and happiness for others.

Everyone knows about the others’ alcoholic troubles.

A man may criticize or laugh at himself and it will affect others favorably, but criticism or ridicule coming from another often produces the contrary effect.

As each member of a resentful family begins to see his shortcomings and admits them to the others, he lays a basis for helpful discussion.

As non-denominational people, we cannot make up others’ minds for them.

But those of us who have tried to shoulder the entire burden and trouble of others find we are soon overcome by them.

We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others.

The others must be convinced of his new status beyond the shadow of a doubt.

In some cases it will, and in others it may not.

Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life.

In the chapter “Working With Others” you gathered an idea of how we approach and aid others to health.

So, you see, there were three alcoholics in that town, who now felt they had to give to others what they had found, or be sunk.

After several failures to find others, a fourth turned up.

It was transcended by the happiness they found in giving themselves for others.

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.

Arrangements were also made with the chief psychiatrist of a large public hospital to select still others from the stream of misery which flows through that institution.

selves, and have discovered the joy of helping others to face life again, there will be no stopping until everyone in that town has had his opportunity to recover— if he can and will.

See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others.