The 4th AA International Convention, 1965

S. who composed the "I am Responsible" pledge for the convention in Toronto.

Nell writes:"I will never forget -- nor will anyone who was there -- the moving ceremony of rededication on Saturday evening in the Maple Leaf Gardens auditorium.

The crowd of more than 10,000 rose and joined the conference delegates, trustees, and A.A. representatives from 21 countries up on the stage in repeating the declaration. They clasped hands and loudly pronounced in one tremendous, strong voice:"I am responsible..

When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible."My Declaration( adapted in brackets)I am willing to rise above my life’s struggle and figure out what else there might be. I will stop trying to “get perfect” and try instead to retrieve my lost self and lost body. I will have direction and be complete.I will seek a sponsor as soon as I feel a connection, but I’ll get started this week. I will come up with ideas for my plan of eating. I will recognize my fused identity: body and spirit. I will find reasons to love my present body and embrace actions that contribute to its health. I will stop negative thoughts. I will recreate my story and write another, acknowledging the old story’s myth and seeing it for its deception.I will gravitate toward my truest self and people who affirm that self. I will faithfully work the OA program, gleaning from it what I can and leaving what I cannot absorb, without bitterness. I will work on healing scars and use OA(AA,SA,GA,AA etc) as a healing process from the pain of my story. I will sacrifice much and will accept the grief I feel from those losses.

I will spend more time alone in a sacred space that enables me to know my emerging self and body. With vigilance, I will care for myself each time I ingest food and will make a serious change in my attitudes about food and feeding myself. I will hold myself in compassion and love myself despite, or because of, my powerlessnes.I will refrain from negative self-talk and replace that nasty voice with a kinder one. I will immerse myself in fellowship with OA members, as well as with other friends. I will involve them in this process, lean hard when I need to and remain an individual throughout. I will honor my voice and not judge myself harshly. By doing that, I will learn not to judge others.

I will respect my body, feeding it well and learning to understand the connection between my thinking and hunger. I will be aware of the emotions that go along with this endeavor and be honest with others and myself. I will not use the word “wrong.”I understand I will feel strong symptoms of withdrawal because of what I must give up. A great loneliness will try to sneak in, but I will endure through prayer, support, writing and self-love. I will find light and be light, trying to be enthusiastic about the new things I’m learning. I will honor my nervousness and have serenity around hunger and food. I will remember the energy it took to maintain such violent self-hatred and my choice to spend energy elsewhere. I will recognize that I must eat carefully and refuse to be reckless. I will learn when to fight and when not to, and how to be a whole person.

I will fill myself with other things when I’m no longer physically hungry and will accept my body in whatever form it takes. To be peaceful, I will retain my strong opinions in the pursuit of learning. I will learn to be comfortable in my body, both naked and clothed, and I will like me.

I will use the concepts I’ve gathered in therapy, reading and OA(AA SA GA etc) to learn self-love. I will let things go when I need to. I will always be safe. I will be able to do this. I will make room in my body for my large and voluptuous spirit and will align my body with that spirit. I will win over the darkness of my past and learn what it means to be healthy.

— K.B., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA

The Early History of Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the largest self-help organization in the world with meetings virtually everywhere on the planet. AA was founded by two men in the 1930s in Akron Ohio: Bill Wilson, a stockbroker and Dr. Bob Smith, a physician. Both men were alcoholics who discovered that by helping one another and by helping other alcoholics, sobriety could be achieved and maintained.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide affiliation of men and women from all walks of life who share their experiences, strengths, and aspirations with one other in the hope that they may solve their mutual problems and assist others in their quest to recover from alcohol dependence. In fact, when many people think of Alcoholics Anonymous traditions such as the 12 Steps, the 12 Traditions, and the AA meetings, the one conclusion they reach is that with Alcoholics Anonymous, help is always close by and available for people who are concerned about their drinking behavior. Indeed, due to the vast number of Alcoholics Anonymous locations throughout the world, a person can literally find an Alcoholics Anonymous group almost anywhere in the world. The only condition for Alcoholics Anonymous membership is a desire to quit drinking alcohol. Therefore, total abstinence from alcohol is advocated by the organization.

Members make a conscious effort to refrain from drinking and they accomplish this "one day at a time." Sobriety is achieved through mutual support as members share their hopes, their strengths, and their experiences. In fact, the Alcoholics Anonymous support groups is one of the more cohesive aspects of the organization. The view that the personality of an alcoholic exists before the onset of the disease is most strongly articulated by those who advocate a concept known as the "addictive personality."

According to supporters of this theory, the addictive personality is a distinct psychological trait that predisposes particular people to addictions.There are no fees or dues for AA membership. Alcoholics Anonymous is self-supporting through its own member contributions. AA is neither aligned with any religious denomination or sect nor associated with any political institution or organization. Moreover, AA does not wish to involve themselves in anything that is controversial and sanctions nor opposes any causes. The major purpose of AA members is to remain sober and help other alcoholics to attain sobriety.In addition to alcohol-related pancreatitis, heart disease, cancer, and liver disease, excessive drinking over time is also associated with the following health conditions: infertility, irritated stomach lining and bleeding from stomach ulcers, obesity, nerve damage, vitamin deficiency, skin problems, muscle disease, sexual problems, epilepsy, and loss of brain cells

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The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer...
ANDLazarus was dead!And Don't forget,Jesus Helped them all!!!!
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God can use you to your full potential.
Besides you aren't the message, you are just theMessenger.
In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use yourFull Potential.
1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's Me.
3. There is no key to happiness. The door is always Open.
4. Silence is often misinterpreted but never Misquoted.
7. Do the math …Count your Blessings.
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15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.Have a great day!!! The SON is shining and heCan certainly use you!Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind ofBattle. Live simply, Love generously Care deeply, Speak kindly.......Leave the rest to God Love and Prayers Always