A Vision for You – Dave P. – Florida State Convention – 2004

About This Speaker Tape

Dave and Polly lead a workshop titled 'A Vision for You,' centered on the final chapter of the Big Book. Dave moves through a philosophy of happiness, arguing that it is a process and an obligation rather than an event. He describes his internal critic, 'Igor,' who scans his database of failures whenever he judges others.

The narrative shifts to Polly, who speaks rawly about the wreckage of her past, including the harm she caused children while drinking and the pain of a divorce. She emphasizes the 'do it anyway' mentality—loving and forgiving even when it is not reciprocated. The session concludes with a gritty twist on the parable of the donkey: while the animal escapes the well by stepping on the dirt shoveled upon it, the donkey eventually returns to bite the farmer who tried to bury him, serving as a warning against trying to cover one's tracks.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction to the 'Vision for You' workshop.
• 2:15 Opening prayer and mention of freedom from the bondage of alcoholism.
• 3:30 Dave reads from a rare 1940s AA Speaker's Manual.
• 6:20 Polly discusses the Big Book and the 'Vision for You' chapter.
• 12:40 Dave defines happiness as a process and an obligation to others.
• 16:10 The introduction of 'Igor,' the internal critic who prevents judgment of others.
• 22:50 Discussion on the necessity of faith and the 'abandonment' of self to a Higher Power.
• 26:30 Polly shares on the spiritual malady and the pain of child abuse recovery.
• 30:15 Polly's 'do it anyway' monologue on forgiveness and family wreckage.
• 35:40 Dave discusses the 'benign anarchy' of AA and the nature of true freedom.
• 41:20 The parable of the donkey and the warning against covering one's tracks.
• 43:10 Closing with the Serenity Prayer.