"trying" in the Big Book

In fact, I have been trying to produce some such emotional rearrangement within you.

Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way.

In trying to make these arrangements our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous.

Is he not really a self-seeker even when trying to be kind?

Neither could we reduce our self-centeredness much by wishing or trying on our own power.

We have been trying to get a new attitude, a new relationship with our Creator, and to discover the obstacles in our path.

Trying to avoid this humbling experience, they have turned to easier methods.

At the moment we are trying to put our lives in order.

can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do.

Telling them what we are trying to do, we make no bones about our drinking; they usually know it anyway, whether we think so or not.

We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.

If he does not want to stop drinking, don’t waste time trying to persuade him.

Be certain he will be welcomed by your family, and that he is not trying to impose upon you for money, connections, or shelter.

If your husband is trying to live on a spiritual basis, he will also be doing everything in his power to avoid disagreement or contention.

Is not each trying to arrange the family show to his liking?

Is he not unconsciously trying to see what he can take from the family life rather than give?

But the wise family will admire him for what he is trying to be, rather than for what he is trying to get.

One more suggestion: Whether the family has spiritual convictions or not, they may do well to examine the principles by which the alcoholic member is trying to live.

Your man has probably been trying to conceal a number of scrapes, perhaps pretty messy ones.

Sometimes we alcoholics have an idea that people are trying to pull us down.

If he is, and is still trying to recover, he will tell you about it even if it means the loss of his job.

that you are not suspicious nor are you trying to run his life so he will be shielded from temptation to drink.

They often jeopardize their own positions by trying to help serious drinkers who should have been fired long ago, or else given an opportunity to get well.

Then he added, “He sure didn’t do much for me when I was trying to fight this booze racket alone.”