Borrowed from Religion Everything That Unites, Politely Declined Everything That Divides — the Spiritual Heist of the Century – Sandy R.
About This Speaker Tape
This is the final gathering of Far Corners, a spiritual retreat founded six years earlier by the speaker, who woke at three in the morning with the entire plan clear in his mind. Far Corners was designed as a departure from standard AA conventions — no preamble, full names used, no local announcements, word of mouth only — a space for old-timers and those approaching long sobriety to explore spirituality beyond the program, as suggested by the Eleventh Step. The retreat featured books, lectures, holograms, and a St. Francis prayer walking path. Over the years it drew attendees from Brazil, Iceland, Scotland, and Ireland. The speaker explains this was always meant to be a "prodigal son journey" — venture out into wider spiritual territory, then come home to discover the answers were in the Big Book all along.
The speaker reflects on Bill Wilson's phrase that AA is "an utter simplicity which encases a complete mystery." He argues that alcoholics resist simplicity because it leaves no room for their own creativity or input — they want to complicate things so they have an excuse not to finish. The program's power is that it simply needs to be followed, and when followed with a good sponsor it consistently produces spiritual awakenings. He quotes the Big Book's page 25 passage about being "rocketed into the fourth dimension" and finding absolute certainty that a creator has entered our hearts.
He shares a striking personal story from his Marine Corps years. His drinking caused such severe withdrawal symptoms in the cockpit that he nearly ejected multiple times and finally told his colonel he would never fly again — ending a 14-year aviation career and bringing crushing shame. For 42 years he carried that shame until a man approached him at a Los Angeles convention and revealed he had been in the plane with him. The man told him the entire squadron had been heartbroken when he left, that the colonel had been calling friends trying to save him. The speaker had to go back and replace his shame-distorted memory with the truth — a vivid illustration of how working the steps reshapes our past.
The talk closes with the story of James Newton and the book Uncommon Friends, tracing how one man's friendships with Edison and Firestone led to Firestone's son attending an Oxford Group weekend, getting sober, and ultimately bringing the Oxford Group to Akron — without which there would have been no phone list for Bill Wilson to call and no meeting between Bill and Dr. Bob. The speaker marvels at how one small human connection set the entire chain in motion, then yields the floor as his energy fades from recent serious illness.
Topics
Timestamps
Full Transcript
Well, good evening everybody and welcome to Far Corners.
I can't believe how happy I am to see you all.
I didn't know if I was going to get here.
And just knowing the people that were going to come
made me really want to be here and take...
I can't believe how happy I am to see you all.
I didn't know if I was going to get here.
And just knowing the people that were going to come
made me really want to be here and take...
Well, good evening everybody and welcome to Far Corners.
I can't believe how happy I am to see you all.
I didn't know if I was going to get here.
And just knowing the people that were going to come
made me really want to be here and take part in this.
So, we'll see what happens.
No guarantee about anything.
How many were at the first Far Corners?
Wow, we got about seven or eight.
I'll just tell you a little of the history about this.
I just woke up about three in the morning about six years ago.
And it was just clear as a bell what this plan was going to be.
And even the name Far Corners.
That it was not going to be announced locally.
That we wouldn't allow any groups.
You could bring one friend, but no groups coming.
Because they just hang around together.
That we would rely on word of mouth.
And we would hope to get a lot of old-timers.
So that those of you that were approaching being old-timers
would find fascinating company to be with over the weekend.
And that it would not be Alcoholics Anonymous.
Even though we're all members.
We would use our full names.
We wouldn't have the preamble.
It would be totally separate.
And it would be the springboard out of our program.
As suggested in the 11th step in both the big book and the 12 and 12.
To explore other avenues of spirituality.
And so we got a library.
And we had some crazy lectures.
Those of you that remember me, Tars, and you, Jane.
I can't believe I did that.
We even had a stretching routine.
That was when I was healthy.
And so what it was, was a chance to
just explore in an unlimited way
what you might say.
Was the far corners of spirituality, the universe, or whatever it was.
And I think I knew
within a week or two as it started to form
that this was not going to be a linear event
like a state convention
where you just go on and on and on.
Get another chairman and go on and on.
That this was going to be something
that had a beginning and an ending.
And this is going to be the ending.
It is coming in for a landing
after our journey.
It's almost as if
we started in
AA
and the great foundation
of our program
that I don't think a single word
should be changed anywhere in there.
And then looking at the
both 11 steps where they say
our libraries are full of books
and there's
speakers and
people to listen to
and go out and see
what is available
and use
use it to bring your AA program into the fourth dimension
or the third dimension or whatever you want to call it.
Because there's such a wealth of spiritual knowledge available.
And we tried to get books to do that
and have lectures that went off the chart.
But it was all designed like a prodigal son journey.
So that we would take it and come back home
and then see that all the answers were here all along.
That there isn't anything more powerful
than what's been written in our literature.
It's just that we went where we could see it more clearly.
Maybe you took a book and an author explained humility to you
like you never had it before.
And so you came back.
To your AA program with this extra dimension on humility
or forgiveness.
All of the qualities that our program has.
And I know that part of me is disappointed.
But part of me knows that once something ends,
something new is going to take its place.
And that's what scares me.
What the hell are we going to do next?
And we'll just have to wait and see.
Now, for those of you that haven't been here before,
we have a question box somewhere.
If it's not up now, it'll be up.
Oh, it's in the back.
And we asked you when you came to bring a,
a spiritual question.
And my friend Jerry Jones has gracefully
volunteered to do one of the hours.
And I'll do the other hour.
And I think you'll find the questions and answers
are fascinating.
Because you hear the question and you kind of have
an idea of what you think the answer is.
And then you hear something that is quite different.
And,
both of them may be true.
But it's nice to be able to hear
with an open mind
other ideas on what the answer to these questions might be.
It reminds me of that book,
I Am That,
that we had in the back there
where this guru from India
who had became totally awakened
and people from
Europe and America would come
to sit,
in his presence just to feel the awakening energy
and to ask him questions.
And so the whole book is questions
from the travelers from around the world
followed by his answer.
And of course when you're reading it,
you read the guy from England,
he asks a question,
you go,
Jesus, anybody knows the answer to that.
And you've got it formed in your head
and then you read what the guru said
and you go,
well, I guess I missed that a little bit.
It was so.
I was a little off.
And you realize
that as
people's perspective
changes,
they see things differently
and they come out with different answers.
It's all what you see.
Like when you first came to AA,
you just saw
a terrible burden
that had been imposed on you.
You didn't even ask to come.
I'm here, most of you.
And as the years go by,
you just see that this is
the most precious gift
that was ever given to you.
It was being forced in here.
And so
I find that
a lot of fun
to keep working on this
and just see things differently.
So one of the things you'll see
are these holograms.
On the side of the walls
around here.
And feel free
throughout the whole weekend
to go up and look at these things
until you see the third dimension.
And I always tell this story,
but I never saw one
until about 20 years ago
when I was at my son's house
in Baltimore
and they'd just come out or something.
And everybody was looking at it
in the hallway.
Oh, and even the grandchildren
go, oh yeah, yeah.
Everyone got up but me.
And it was really irritating me.
So I'd put my nose up close
and then I'd back up
and then during dinner
I kept going to the bathroom
so I could go back by this thing.
I never saw it.
I went home without seeing it.
And I know there's been guys
who came here
who didn't see it the first year
and saw it the second year.
It was to see this image open up
that is very similar
to seeing something
in another dimension.
And that's why we have them up.
And also, when you go down,
do we have the St. Francis thing up?
Is that up or not?
It is up?
Okay.
They have a walkway.
It's on your map
that is where you can meditate
and they have the Ten Commandments
with little benches to sit down
and they've allowed us to put
a line from the,
the prayer of St. Francis
in front of each one of those
so when you go out
you can sit and reflect on
one of our greatest prayers.
And then, of course,
the books.
Do we go straight through
or is it around?
Okay.
Anyway, you've got to go outside
and go around and back.
We used to have...
Oh, they're right back there.
Thank you.
See what happens when you're late.
You haven't got a clue
what's going on.
So, the reason that I
am bringing this up...
Oh, yes.
Station to the cross.
Okay.
Oh, what did I say?
Ten Commandments.
No, station to the cross.
We want
at the end of this
for all the
books to be gone.
And we want those off the wall
and
and
the
St. Francis.
In other words,
we want you to take it home
and take
three books home
and spread them around
because they'll reach
some people
who otherwise
might never
have had that.
And I'm just mentioning it now
but we'll mention it again
later on
so you don't forget.
And I think that's a nice
opportunity
way of distributing
the energy
that has been felt here
at these various events.
And somebody will be getting a book
that was looked at
by five other guys
and
maybe influence them.
And you can take it back
to Seattle
or wherever
and
give it to somebody
and who knows
what
it might do.
And then you can take home
a hologram
and after a couple years
finally see the damn thing.
So that'll solve
the resentment
that you had
which would be nice.
And so the thinking
behind this was
that word of mouth
and
would somehow bring people
from various places.
And as we look back
we had people
from
Brazil
and
Iceland.
The Iceland guys
come down here
like we're the neighbor.
They're here all the time.
And
Scotland
and Ireland
etc.
So
we feel
pretty good about
the way this unfolded.
And it may be sad
that it's ending
but it's
it's really
it was intended
to do that.
It was intended
to finish the cycle
and accomplish this.
And so I was looking at the
I think the first handout
that we ever had
was the pertinent passages
which I'm gonna
are gonna be
a play
a role
over the weekend.
We never did read them.
But I'm just saying
when you look at
power
power
power
power
power
,
powerful
spiritual
wordage
you just
you just look at the first
four or five
and that's only gets us
fifty pages
into the big book.
And we have
a doctor's opinion
saying one feels
that something more
than human power
is needed
to produce
the essential
psychic effect.
And then
page twenty-five
we found much of heaven
and have been rocketed
into the fourth dimension
of existence.
Of which we had never
even dreamed.
The central fact
of our lives today
this is one of my favorite lines
page twenty-five
is the absolute certainty
that our creator
has entered
into our hearts
and lives in a way
which is indeed
miraculous.
So you can see that
whatever we read
in these other books
that took us
to
places
that seemed higher
it's all here.
And what we hope is
that as you come back
and look at
our program
again
it
blossoms up
to another level
of perception.
And you find it
even more comforting.
And you find more wisdom.
And you just find
things
things
that you didn't see
last year.
And I think that's a
a common thing
in AA.
Hey Chris
can you help me
get this on?
It's um
you read the book again
and something
let me put this down
it got warmer in here
it got warmer in here
you can open the door
no I can take this off
it's just
the reason is
I can't think of anything
to say
and this is a good way
to
kill some time.
Thank you.
Chris and them
were worried
because I haven't
made sense
in two months.
And we thought
maybe a miracle
would happen
but it hasn't happened yet.
So I think that's
all the thinking
on
Far Corners.
It's um
I feel that this is
exactly the way
it should
be done.
That this is
correct.
And um
I hope you all
understand
I know that some
kind of plan
this every year.
But anyway
that's enough on that.
Now there's supposed
to be a topic.
Topic is um
for all three of them
is our society.
And that's a word
that
Bill liked to use.
The society of Valle.
Which is probably
the same as a fellowship
but I like the word.
A society.
You know what I mean?
It's got
like
a lot of class
to it.
And um
Bill liked to call
AA
an utter
simplicity
which in cases
a complete mystery.
That's a pretty
interesting sentence
isn't it?
Here we have our
co-founder
and our primary
writer
with
25 years
of sobriety
reflecting
on our society
and coming up
with
an utter simplicity
which in cases
is a complete mystery.
And um
when Dr. Bob said
keep it simple
he was saying
a sentence
that irritates
every self-centered
alcoholic
because they don't
like simplicity.
None of us
like simplicity.
So when we have
something that's
an utter simplicity
we like
complicated things
so that we can't
do them.
Well I mean
there's this
you know
there's 12 parts
to this thing
I don't think
I'll ever get it
finished.
But if it's
simple
there's no
excuse
for not
completing it.
It's so simple
you just do this.
Um
um
and it also
leaves no room
for our own
creativity
to be applied
to the solution.
And we don't like
moving through life
without
inputting
our own ideas
into the situation.
Whereas
we have a program
that is so simple
you simply
follow
the directions
and then evaluate
the results.
And I remember
God that's cool
I like that
but um
I see a couple
places that could
use a little
improving
um
there
it's just
amazing.
So an utter
simplicity
means
we don't need
any of your
ideas.
Period.
We don't need
you to raise
your hand
and go
you know
AA would be
a lot better
than AA
if we did
this
or if we did
that.
It's already
hammered down
to the
essence
and it
simply needs
to be done.
And um
so we have
this
just
miraculous
layout
of um
the big book
and the 12 and 12
and the way
the steps
are written.
And when
they're followed
with a good
sponsor
it produces
consistently
spiritual
awakenings
which are
the most
cherished
experience
that man
can have.
Now a lot
of
people in the
business world
don't know that
they think a
jaguar might be
the most
powerful
but
for those of
us that are
that have
experienced
this
we realize
that um
to find
out
that there
is a creator
who cares
about us
and we
find out
by experiencing
this
it's
something
that
we just
are so
grateful for
you end up
being grateful
that you're
an alcoholic.
I'm actually
grateful that I
got thrown
in this
crazy place.
And got
dragged
kicking and
screaming
into doing
this stuff
that everybody
else is doing
and then
I had to
admit I was
wrong.
There really
is such a
thing as
a higher
power
and I
experienced
it.
So
so Bill
comes up
with it's
an utter
simplicity
meaning
there's going
to be a lot
of resistance
to it.
People fight
AA
that's why.
It's too
simple.
They want
to bring
input in.
They want
us to go
look before
we work the
program why
don't I tell
you about
me?
Isn't that
this tendency
that you
know you're
going to help
me?
Okay good
let me tell
you all about
me.
Otherwise how
could you help
me?
How could you
tailor the
help to
me?
I'm a
complicated
unique
individual
so certainly
you would
need to
know all
about me
before you
decide what
help I
need.
And of
course in
AA we
just laugh
and we
go no
we don't
want to
hear about
you.
I'm going
to tell
you about
me.
And then
we share
as a
recovered
alcoholic
what our
lives were
like and
we watch
this man's
eyes
and we
light up
when he
finds
somebody
who's
just like
him.
And that's
our process
of
identification.
I might
actually
listen to
this person.
He seems
to know
what it
is to
be like
me.
So we
have this
simplicity
that encases
the complete
mystery.
And of
course the
mystery is
God.
And the
mystery is
we don't
have a
clue
about
anything
here.
We
couldn't
tell
if ten
newcomers
came which
five are
going to
get sober.
We
haven't got
a clue.
We
haven't got
a clue
which
person
with 25
years is
going to
go out
this July.
This is
a mystery.
Trying to
explain
AA to
your friends
verbally.
What do
you do
with those
meetings?
Oh man,
it's the
greatest.
I can
see you're
happy and
I'm just
curious,
what do
you do
there to
get you
so
well?
Like
Tuesday
night we
have a
discussion
meeting and
one of us
will come
up with
like a
topic,
you know,
like resentment
or something
like that.
And then
we go
around the
room and
everybody
tells what
they think
about that
and then
we say
the Lord's
prayer and
go home.
It's
great,
you want
to come?
And we
just
explained
verbally
what
happens
and they
are
absolutely
clueless.
But if
we brought
them to
a meeting,
an open
meeting so
they could
see it
and they
experienced
the energy,
then they
would understand
it.
So AA
can only
be experienced.
It really
can't be
understood.
You cannot
write down
why AA
works.
Why
go make
stupid
amends.
You feel
better.
It just
can't be
explained.
So
everything,
and what
about its
origin?
I mean,
God,
there's
another quote
that I
don't,
I think
it's Ernie
Kurtz,
but I
I'm not
positive.
And it's,
I'll probably
screw it up,
but it's,
it really
describes
our society
pretty well.
And it
says,
in an almost
magical manner,
Alcoholics
Anonymous
is able
to bring
to its
religious and
non-religious
members alike
a view
of the
universe
and their
place in
it,
which is
both
powerful
and exciting.
In doing
so,
they borrowed
from religion
everything
which is
uniting,
uniting,
and I
think it's
powerful,
while politely
declining
everything that
is self-serving
and conflicting.
It might
be called
the spiritual
heist of
the century.
And they
did it
all
on the
unconsciously
without realizing
it.
So all that
happened
without anybody
planning it.
It just
ended up
that way.
The steps
ended up
the way
they're written.
And
when you
look at our
history and
look at the
input that
came from
various sources
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
I often
talk about
what we
might call
the
big bang
of A.A.
I've probably
done this
a few
times.
And I
suppose
there would
be three
choices.
One might
be
Ebby
coming to
see Bill
and the
impression
that he
left.
It was so
powerful.
He couldn't
stop looking
at Ebby.
It wasn't
what he
was saying.
It was
the energy
that was
coming out
of his
friend.
And he
couldn't
believe
that this
was his
friend.
He couldn't
believe it.
And the
other one
might be
at the
pay phone
in the
Mayflower
Hotel
when
things
could have
gone
one way
or the
other.
And somehow
Bill
persisted
in that.
And my
favorite is
Bill's
experience
in Towns
Hospital
when
out of
desperation
he just
said,
well,
if there
is
a God
let him
show
himself
and the
room
lit up
and Bill
never drank
again.
And he
was obsessed
with the
drive to
save every
alcoholic in
the world.
And all
that happened
in a
millisecond.
One minute
there was
no hope
for any
alcoholics
in the
world.
And
10 minutes
10 seconds
later
we had
the origin
of this
program
that has
gotten
2 or 3
million
people
sober
in whatever
it is.
I've
forgotten the
numbers,
130 countries
and however
many groups
it is.
All from
this moment.
And
I
have to say
we could
look at
this that
the
this was
something that
happened in
1934
which is
one way of
looking at
it.
Or you
could say
that it's
still
happening.
That that
energy that
hit Bill
is now
hitting other
people.
And as
it
continues
this
wonderful
gift from
God
it's
hard to
see that
that didn't
come that
way.
Initially
you might
say well
you know
he's in
the detox
place he's
given these
things and
that could
have been
a hallucination
or whatever.
But as
time has
gone by
and we
look at
the results
that came
out of
that there's
very little
doubt that
this was
the moment
when
alcoholics
were going
to have
a chance
at happiness
which they
never had
before.
We just
there wasn't
a chance.
There was
just
nothing.
Amazing
to look
at the
medical
history of
what they
did to
alcoholics
and it's
just
astounding.
And then
this comes
along
and
I think
sometimes
I forget
to reflect
on that
that we're
here because
of that
moment
and we're
we know
each other
and we
share this.
Everybody
here it's
already bonded
with one
another
because
of the
fact that
we're
alcoholic.
We don't
have to say
anything else.
We already
know.
Hi Fred.
Yeah I'm
an alcoholic.
So am I.
Well I
know a lot
about you
and you
know a lot
about me
and you
know that
you didn't
come here
on a roll
and that
your life
was very
painful
and the
damage that
we caused
with others
the
conflict
all of
that.
And we're
stuck with
it.
We just
we get
sober and
then we
have this
past.
And it
seems like
we're going
to be
haunted
with it
for the
rest of
our lives
until we
start through
the steps
and we
get to
six and
seven and
eight and
nine.
And we
watch
bitter
enemies
become
friends.
We watch
the power
of amends.
We watch
the power
of forgiveness.
And
our past
changes.
There was
somebody
running around
some of
our meetings
maybe about
eight years
ago and
he said
his favorite
quote was
abandon
all hope
of changing
your past.
And I
disagree
with him.
I disagree
with him
a hundred
percent.
Your
vision of
the past
isn't
accurate.
That was
your self
centered
perspective
on all
of that.
And as
we go
through
these steps
you're
going to
find
that your
past
starts
taking
shape
into the
reality
that it
really
is.
I've told
the story
about
Los Angeles
and a
guy comes
up and
says
I think
I know
you.
And I
said well
I've never
seen you.
And he
said no
I think
I know
you.
In 1962
you were in
an airplane
on a
cross country
and you
were going
back to
Cherry Point
and you
declared an
oxygen
emergency
and all
the planes
had to
land
and you
never flew
again.
And I
said how
do you
know that?
He said I
was in
the plane
with you.
And here
it is
40 years
later I
run into
the guy
that was
sitting in
the right
hand seat
and I
did
that was
the last
that I
flew.
My
drinking
made it
so that I
couldn't
even get
in the
plane.
I was
so
frightened
I thought
I was
going to
have a
seizure.
All these
things were
happening.
So I
went to
the colonel
and said
I'm not
going to
fly anymore
and he
said why?
And I
said well
I can't
tell you.
I'm just
not going
to do it.
He said
you've been
doing it
for almost
14 and a
half years.
This is
your whole
career in
the Marine
Corps.
I'm just
not going
to do it
anymore.
He said
okay well
then I'm
going to
have to
write the
commandant
of the
Marine
Corps
and we're
going to
have to
get you
assigned to
something else
which was
killing me
because I
didn't want to
do anything
else but I
didn't know
how to get
out of the
box I was
in.
I had
been climbing
in these
planes for
the better
part of a
year and
I was
having
withdrawal
in the
plane and
I was
just
frigging
out.
It was
just so
scary.
I almost
ejected a
couple times
and it was
just this
terrible stuff
and so it
took about
three months
and I did
the legal
work for
that squadron
and I
would not
make eye
contact with
any of the
pilots.
I was so
ashamed and
I could tell
by looking on
their face
they're going
how did
that piece
of crap
get in
this squadron?
This is a
really fancy
squadron,
photo squadron
and the
F-8 during
the Cuban
Missile Crisis
and all that
and so I
left there
after three
months of
shame
and every
time I
thought about
that period
of time
I felt
shame.
That was
the most
shame
that I
had in
my past.
So my
friend
comes the
next day
to another
convention and
brings
photographs
and all
this
from the
squadron
and I'm
just going
God that's
it yeah
I remember
him yeah
okay
and then
he said
did you
know how
popular you
were in
that squadron?
This was
killing us
that you
were leaving.
The colonel
was trying
since before
they didn't
have treatment
and nobody
knew about
AA
the squadron
anyway.
He said
the colonel
was calling
all his friends
they're trying
to find a way
to save you
from this
it's just
killed us
when you
left there
we were so
sad
and I went
well that's
not how I
remember it.
So I had
to go back
42 years
and plug in
the truth
and get rid
of my past
the one I
had
the story
I had
about
that moment
in time.
So we
have
the shaping
of this
society
that
I'd like
to think
about
and
contained
in it
are
millions
of people
with their
own ideas
about
what should
be done
or
whether things
should be
changed
and yet
we get along
in a rather
remarkable
fashion.
The
to me
the thing
that
is the
core
of this
particular
society
is the
power
to work
a miracle
in the
lives of
a hopeless
human being.
That's
the signature
power
of
Alcoholics
Anonymous.
The power
to work
a miracle
in the
lives of
a hopeless
human being.
And these
miracles
sometimes
become
so
numerous
that we
forget
their
miracles.
Oh yeah,
he got
sober.
Yep.
I knew he
would.
And his
life is
really happy
and he's
happy and
his marriage
is saved.
Just another
event as
if it could
be caused
non-spiritually.
As if
there was
some
process
that could
be followed
that would
produce this
result.
And
prior to
coming here
we all
tried.
The psychiatrists
and the
psychologists
and all that
and we're
talking and
we're going
I need
help with
my problem
like
da-da-da-da-da
and
nothing
happened.
Nothing.
And then we
came here
and took
steps we
didn't believe
in.
Didn't make
no sense
to us.
But after
they worked
we took
credit for
yeah I knew
that would
work.
I knew
that was
going to
help a lot
to go
make a
men's
to my
mother-in-law.
So don't
believe people
when you
hear them
saying I
eagerly
went after
the steps.
Their
sponsor had
a stranglehold
on them
and
after they
finished
they took
credit for
it.
It's a
little trick
we play
in AA.
We make
believe we
really
enjoyed
doing this
stuff.
Oh yeah
I love
taking
inventories.
I love
calling
somebody
every day.
I love
read page
82.
All right
Jesus.
Read page
whatever the
hell it is.
You know
10 years
later you
can hardly
wait to
read that
page again.
I mean
how about
164
just the
last
close out
on that
page.
I mean
God
that doesn't
make you
feel chills
to just
think about
that.
Hmm.
So
something
got
assembled
by the
year
1939
that
and there
certainly
wasn't a
society
yet.
This
thing was
who
knew
that it
was going
to continue
to exist
but somehow
that book
got written
and
even the
book
was written
to get
money.
It wasn't
written
you know
well we
need a
textbook
we do
all that
we can't
raise money
by hitting
up the
millionaires.
They're not
buying into
our deal.
So we'll
write a book
and sell a
million copies
and then we
can get on
with the
missionaries
and the
paid
drunk
tanks
and hospitals
and all
that stuff.
And here
we end up
with I
don't know
how many
million copies
that is
sold.
Has to be
over 10
maybe 15
do you know
17
30
oh my
God.
And so
something
happened
to give
us this
society
that we're
all part
of.
And
if you
were to
describe
this
society
I know
I would
have a
very hard
time
because
as you
travel
around
to different
states and
countries
AA is
exactly the
same but
entirely
different at
the same
time.
There are
just going
to be
differences
because of
different
customs and
different
country or
different
whatever.
And yet
at the
heart of
all of
this is
this
identification
of one
alcoholic to
another.
With
the intent
I mean
the sole
purpose
being
to lead
this man
or woman
to their
creator.
So they
experience
that.
To me
that's
the
simplicity
of
how to
keep our
program
on target.
One
problem
alcoholism
one solution
is
to be
more
than
God.
And as
Chuck C
would say
if you're
going
you're
either going
away from
God or
you're
going
nearer to
God.
And it's
better to
be going
nearer to
God.
But we're
going to
experience
both because
we're human
beings with
egos and
there's times
when we're
just not
going to
practice the
presence.
As
Brother Lawrence
that's one
of the great
books.
Oh my
goodness.
If you
haven't run
across that
Practicing the
Presence by
Brother Lawrence.
Little skinny
book.
Mostly little
letters that
he wrote.
I don't
know it's
probably over
a thousand
years ago.
And his
words are
just the
essence of
simplicity.
I remember
one he's
writing to
this nun
and says
I'm
whenever I
sit in
God's
presence I
feel very
humble because
he's God
and I'm
not.
It just
says it
all.
He's God
and I'm
not.
The idea
that we're
not God
is
revolutionary
because
everyone
feels
that we're
that they're
the center
of their
own life
and therefore
there must
be
that they're
really their
own
power.
And so
they don't
need another
God coming
in.
We got one
already.
And even
though it's
all screwed
up it's
not their
fault.
And so
we have
this battle
that goes
on.
And I
found in
this
sickness
with
a lot
of pain
and just
losing energy
I lost
about 30
pounds of
muscle
weight
that the
contact
was much
harder to
keep.
But there
was an
absolute
assurance
that it
was still
there.
And that's
a wonderful
feeling
because of
all these
years.
It's to
go
yeah I
can't
experience
that right
now.
But there's
no doubt
in my
mind that
it's just
as present
as it was
before.
It's a
very comforting
thing in
the midst
of discomfort.
It's almost
like you have
the two
things going
on at the
same time.
And while
I'm on the
subject the
number of
cards that
I got
phone calls
from people
all over
I just
can't thank
everybody
enough.
It was
I'm just
very grateful.
And also
I want to
mention
my friend
Chris.
You all
know Chris
well he
saved my
life.
He's there
he was there
with my
daughter was
murdered and
he was there
when I had
other surgeries
and he and
his wife
and then
Peter Howell
Peter raise
your hand
back there.
Peter
stayed with
me when
I came home
from the
hospital and
was there
when the
heart went
bad and
all that
stuff happened
and he's
been just
he could
tell you how
unspiritual I
am.
And so
I wish you
would refrain
from having
long conversations
with him
about anything
because
boy I
really did
think pretty
bad.
I don't
want to go
into the
next level
of talking
about our
society.
I'm just
trying to
think of
other things
that took
place to
get it
started.
And I'll
tell you one.
The longer
I'm around
reading different
books I think
we had this
book back
there.
Uncommon
Friends.
Did we have
that back
there?
You remember
seeing that?
So I'll
tell you about
the book.
Because I
can't think of
anything else
to say.
Oh yeah,
Chris has
it.
This is a
guy,
James Newton,
who wrote
about his
own life
and how
he was
a close
confidant
to
Thomas Edison,
Harvey
Firestone,
Henry Ford,
Charles
Lindbergh,
and Dr.
won the
Nobel Peace
Prize
from France
for coming
up with
ways of
treating
wounds
in soldiers
so they had
a much
better chance
of living.
So pretty
high energy
people.
And he
was down
in
Fort
Myer
developing
real
estate
during the
crash of
29.
And across
the street
is Thomas
Edison.
And they
become friends.
And Edison's
amazed that
this guy's
succeeding.
People have
bought these
freaking houses.
And he just
can't quite
understand it.
So they
become quite
good friends.
So much so
that when
Firestone
and asked
Edison if
he knows
anybody who
could be
his right
hand man
in running
Firestone
rubber
company,
Edison said
this is
your man,
James
Newton.
And he
accepts the
job and
goes to
Akron.
Does such
a good
job,
Firestone
wants to
give him
the business.
That's how
close.
And after
he was there
a while,
he noticed
that Firestone's
son was
a raging
alcoholic.
And Newton
had been
attending
Oxford group
meetings for
himself in
his own
interest.
And while
attending them,
he saw a few
drugs sober
up.
So he took
Firestone's
son on a
business trip
with him
and then
asked him if
he would
like to go
to one of
the weekends,
the Oxford
group
weekends.
Where all
the high
powered people
were there
and Buckman
might have
been there
giving the
talk.
And he
went.
And he
got sober.
And it
kind of
transformed
him.
And his
father noticed.
He said,
geez,
what happened
to it?
He said,
oh,
I went to
the Oxford.
Really?
He said,
what is
that?
He said,
oh,
it's this
big society
thing and
the people
go there
and they
find God.
They try to
become better
people.
They want to
be better
citizens.
They want to
do all this.
Well,
we got to
get that
in Akron.
So Firestone
calls Buckman
and says,
oh,
I'm on
the big
deal in
Akron
of this
Oxford group
thing.
And all
the papers
had it.
Come
to the
Oxford
thing.
Firestone
is invited
you're all
invited.
So here's
this newspaper
going out
telling everybody
in Akron
including
Ann Smith
and Henrietta
Seiberling
that this
thing you
ought to
attend.
And they
did attend
and they
became regular
members.
And Ann
brought Dr.
Bob there
on a
regular
basis.
So if
you
James
Newton
hadn't
been in
the game
Oxford
may not
have gotten
to Akron
and there
wouldn't
have been
any phone
lists for
Bill to
call.
And Dr.
Bob and
Bill may
have never
met.
All because
this one
person played
this little
role.
Now when
you read
his book
he sees
AA and
all these
things that
happened from
his point
of view
and it's
rather
interesting.
And when I
look at the
pictures in
there I
just can't
imagine some
one man
being that
close to
all those
other.
And at the
end of the
book he
talks about
how spiritual
every one of
them was
and how
much they
cared for
their fellow
man.
And it's
quite a
testimonial.
I think I'm
running out of
energy.
And with
your permission
I'm going to
just stop
now and
we'll let
Chris give
you two
hours of
announcements
which I
think you're
going to
love.
Thanks
Lee.
I can't believe how happy I am to see you all.
I didn't know if I was going to get here.
And just knowing the people that were going to come
made me really want to be here and take part in this.
So, we'll see what happens.
No guarantee about anything.
How many were at the first Far Corners?
Wow, we got about seven or eight.
I'll just tell you a little of the history about this.
I just woke up about three in the morning about six years ago.
And it was just clear as a bell what this plan was going to be.
And even the name Far Corners.
That it was not going to be announced locally.
That we wouldn't allow any groups.
You could bring one friend, but no groups coming.
Because they just hang around together.
That we would rely on word of mouth.
And we would hope to get a lot of old-timers.
So that those of you that were approaching being old-timers
would find fascinating company to be with over the weekend.
And that it would not be Alcoholics Anonymous.
Even though we're all members.
We would use our full names.
We wouldn't have the preamble.
It would be totally separate.
And it would be the springboard out of our program.
As suggested in the 11th step in both the big book and the 12 and 12.
To explore other avenues of spirituality.
And so we got a library.
And we had some crazy lectures.
Those of you that remember me, Tars, and you, Jane.
I can't believe I did that.
We even had a stretching routine.
That was when I was healthy.
And so what it was, was a chance to
just explore in an unlimited way
what you might say.
Was the far corners of spirituality, the universe, or whatever it was.
And I think I knew
within a week or two as it started to form
that this was not going to be a linear event
like a state convention
where you just go on and on and on.
Get another chairman and go on and on.
That this was going to be something
that had a beginning and an ending.
And this is going to be the ending.
It is coming in for a landing
after our journey.
It's almost as if
we started in
AA
and the great foundation
of our program
that I don't think a single word
should be changed anywhere in there.
And then looking at the
both 11 steps where they say
our libraries are full of books
and there's
speakers and
people to listen to
and go out and see
what is available
and use
use it to bring your AA program into the fourth dimension
or the third dimension or whatever you want to call it.
Because there's such a wealth of spiritual knowledge available.
And we tried to get books to do that
and have lectures that went off the chart.
But it was all designed like a prodigal son journey.
So that we would take it and come back home
and then see that all the answers were here all along.
That there isn't anything more powerful
than what's been written in our literature.
It's just that we went where we could see it more clearly.
Maybe you took a book and an author explained humility to you
like you never had it before.
And so you came back.
To your AA program with this extra dimension on humility
or forgiveness.
All of the qualities that our program has.
And I know that part of me is disappointed.
But part of me knows that once something ends,
something new is going to take its place.
And that's what scares me.
What the hell are we going to do next?
And we'll just have to wait and see.
Now, for those of you that haven't been here before,
we have a question box somewhere.
If it's not up now, it'll be up.
Oh, it's in the back.
And we asked you when you came to bring a,
a spiritual question.
And my friend Jerry Jones has gracefully
volunteered to do one of the hours.
And I'll do the other hour.
And I think you'll find the questions and answers
are fascinating.
Because you hear the question and you kind of have
an idea of what you think the answer is.
And then you hear something that is quite different.
And,
both of them may be true.
But it's nice to be able to hear
with an open mind
other ideas on what the answer to these questions might be.
It reminds me of that book,
I Am That,
that we had in the back there
where this guru from India
who had became totally awakened
and people from
Europe and America would come
to sit,
in his presence just to feel the awakening energy
and to ask him questions.
And so the whole book is questions
from the travelers from around the world
followed by his answer.
And of course when you're reading it,
you read the guy from England,
he asks a question,
you go,
Jesus, anybody knows the answer to that.
And you've got it formed in your head
and then you read what the guru said
and you go,
well, I guess I missed that a little bit.
It was so.
I was a little off.
And you realize
that as
people's perspective
changes,
they see things differently
and they come out with different answers.
It's all what you see.
Like when you first came to AA,
you just saw
a terrible burden
that had been imposed on you.
You didn't even ask to come.
I'm here, most of you.
And as the years go by,
you just see that this is
the most precious gift
that was ever given to you.
It was being forced in here.
And so
I find that
a lot of fun
to keep working on this
and just see things differently.
So one of the things you'll see
are these holograms.
On the side of the walls
around here.
And feel free
throughout the whole weekend
to go up and look at these things
until you see the third dimension.
And I always tell this story,
but I never saw one
until about 20 years ago
when I was at my son's house
in Baltimore
and they'd just come out or something.
And everybody was looking at it
in the hallway.
Oh, and even the grandchildren
go, oh yeah, yeah.
Everyone got up but me.
And it was really irritating me.
So I'd put my nose up close
and then I'd back up
and then during dinner
I kept going to the bathroom
so I could go back by this thing.
I never saw it.
I went home without seeing it.
And I know there's been guys
who came here
who didn't see it the first year
and saw it the second year.
It was to see this image open up
that is very similar
to seeing something
in another dimension.
And that's why we have them up.
And also, when you go down,
do we have the St. Francis thing up?
Is that up or not?
It is up?
Okay.
They have a walkway.
It's on your map
that is where you can meditate
and they have the Ten Commandments
with little benches to sit down
and they've allowed us to put
a line from the,
the prayer of St. Francis
in front of each one of those
so when you go out
you can sit and reflect on
one of our greatest prayers.
And then, of course,
the books.
Do we go straight through
or is it around?
Okay.
Anyway, you've got to go outside
and go around and back.
We used to have...
Oh, they're right back there.
Thank you.
See what happens when you're late.
You haven't got a clue
what's going on.
So, the reason that I
am bringing this up...
Oh, yes.
Station to the cross.
Okay.
Oh, what did I say?
Ten Commandments.
No, station to the cross.
We want
at the end of this
for all the
books to be gone.
And we want those off the wall
and
and
the
St. Francis.
In other words,
we want you to take it home
and take
three books home
and spread them around
because they'll reach
some people
who otherwise
might never
have had that.
And I'm just mentioning it now
but we'll mention it again
later on
so you don't forget.
And I think that's a nice
opportunity
way of distributing
the energy
that has been felt here
at these various events.
And somebody will be getting a book
that was looked at
by five other guys
and
maybe influence them.
And you can take it back
to Seattle
or wherever
and
give it to somebody
and who knows
what
it might do.
And then you can take home
a hologram
and after a couple years
finally see the damn thing.
So that'll solve
the resentment
that you had
which would be nice.
And so the thinking
behind this was
that word of mouth
and
would somehow bring people
from various places.
And as we look back
we had people
from
Brazil
and
Iceland.
The Iceland guys
come down here
like we're the neighbor.
They're here all the time.
And
Scotland
and Ireland
etc.
So
we feel
pretty good about
the way this unfolded.
And it may be sad
that it's ending
but it's
it's really
it was intended
to do that.
It was intended
to finish the cycle
and accomplish this.
And so I was looking at the
I think the first handout
that we ever had
was the pertinent passages
which I'm gonna
are gonna be
a play
a role
over the weekend.
We never did read them.
But I'm just saying
when you look at
power
power
power
power
power
,
powerful
spiritual
wordage
you just
you just look at the first
four or five
and that's only gets us
fifty pages
into the big book.
And we have
a doctor's opinion
saying one feels
that something more
than human power
is needed
to produce
the essential
psychic effect.
And then
page twenty-five
we found much of heaven
and have been rocketed
into the fourth dimension
of existence.
Of which we had never
even dreamed.
The central fact
of our lives today
this is one of my favorite lines
page twenty-five
is the absolute certainty
that our creator
has entered
into our hearts
and lives in a way
which is indeed
miraculous.
So you can see that
whatever we read
in these other books
that took us
to
places
that seemed higher
it's all here.
And what we hope is
that as you come back
and look at
our program
again
it
blossoms up
to another level
of perception.
And you find it
even more comforting.
And you find more wisdom.
And you just find
things
things
that you didn't see
last year.
And I think that's a
a common thing
in AA.
Hey Chris
can you help me
get this on?
It's um
you read the book again
and something
let me put this down
it got warmer in here
it got warmer in here
you can open the door
no I can take this off
it's just
the reason is
I can't think of anything
to say
and this is a good way
to
kill some time.
Thank you.
Chris and them
were worried
because I haven't
made sense
in two months.
And we thought
maybe a miracle
would happen
but it hasn't happened yet.
So I think that's
all the thinking
on
Far Corners.
It's um
I feel that this is
exactly the way
it should
be done.
That this is
correct.
And um
I hope you all
understand
I know that some
kind of plan
this every year.
But anyway
that's enough on that.
Now there's supposed
to be a topic.
Topic is um
for all three of them
is our society.
And that's a word
that
Bill liked to use.
The society of Valle.
Which is probably
the same as a fellowship
but I like the word.
A society.
You know what I mean?
It's got
like
a lot of class
to it.
And um
Bill liked to call
AA
an utter
simplicity
which in cases
a complete mystery.
That's a pretty
interesting sentence
isn't it?
Here we have our
co-founder
and our primary
writer
with
25 years
of sobriety
reflecting
on our society
and coming up
with
an utter simplicity
which in cases
is a complete mystery.
And um
when Dr. Bob said
keep it simple
he was saying
a sentence
that irritates
every self-centered
alcoholic
because they don't
like simplicity.
None of us
like simplicity.
So when we have
something that's
an utter simplicity
we like
complicated things
so that we can't
do them.
Well I mean
there's this
you know
there's 12 parts
to this thing
I don't think
I'll ever get it
finished.
But if it's
simple
there's no
excuse
for not
completing it.
It's so simple
you just do this.
Um
um
and it also
leaves no room
for our own
creativity
to be applied
to the solution.
And we don't like
moving through life
without
inputting
our own ideas
into the situation.
Whereas
we have a program
that is so simple
you simply
follow
the directions
and then evaluate
the results.
And I remember
God that's cool
I like that
but um
I see a couple
places that could
use a little
improving
um
there
it's just
amazing.
So an utter
simplicity
means
we don't need
any of your
ideas.
Period.
We don't need
you to raise
your hand
and go
you know
AA would be
a lot better
than AA
if we did
this
or if we did
that.
It's already
hammered down
to the
essence
and it
simply needs
to be done.
And um
so we have
this
just
miraculous
layout
of um
the big book
and the 12 and 12
and the way
the steps
are written.
And when
they're followed
with a good
sponsor
it produces
consistently
spiritual
awakenings
which are
the most
cherished
experience
that man
can have.
Now a lot
of
people in the
business world
don't know that
they think a
jaguar might be
the most
powerful
but
for those of
us that are
that have
experienced
this
we realize
that um
to find
out
that there
is a creator
who cares
about us
and we
find out
by experiencing
this
it's
something
that
we just
are so
grateful for
you end up
being grateful
that you're
an alcoholic.
I'm actually
grateful that I
got thrown
in this
crazy place.
And got
dragged
kicking and
screaming
into doing
this stuff
that everybody
else is doing
and then
I had to
admit I was
wrong.
There really
is such a
thing as
a higher
power
and I
experienced
it.
So
so Bill
comes up
with it's
an utter
simplicity
meaning
there's going
to be a lot
of resistance
to it.
People fight
AA
that's why.
It's too
simple.
They want
to bring
input in.
They want
us to go
look before
we work the
program why
don't I tell
you about
me?
Isn't that
this tendency
that you
know you're
going to help
me?
Okay good
let me tell
you all about
me.
Otherwise how
could you help
me?
How could you
tailor the
help to
me?
I'm a
complicated
unique
individual
so certainly
you would
need to
know all
about me
before you
decide what
help I
need.
And of
course in
AA we
just laugh
and we
go no
we don't
want to
hear about
you.
I'm going
to tell
you about
me.
And then
we share
as a
recovered
alcoholic
what our
lives were
like and
we watch
this man's
eyes
and we
light up
when he
finds
somebody
who's
just like
him.
And that's
our process
of
identification.
I might
actually
listen to
this person.
He seems
to know
what it
is to
be like
me.
So we
have this
simplicity
that encases
the complete
mystery.
And of
course the
mystery is
God.
And the
mystery is
we don't
have a
clue
about
anything
here.
We
couldn't
tell
if ten
newcomers
came which
five are
going to
get sober.
We
haven't got
a clue.
We
haven't got
a clue
which
person
with 25
years is
going to
go out
this July.
This is
a mystery.
Trying to
explain
AA to
your friends
verbally.
What do
you do
with those
meetings?
Oh man,
it's the
greatest.
I can
see you're
happy and
I'm just
curious,
what do
you do
there to
get you
so
well?
Like
Tuesday
night we
have a
discussion
meeting and
one of us
will come
up with
like a
topic,
you know,
like resentment
or something
like that.
And then
we go
around the
room and
everybody
tells what
they think
about that
and then
we say
the Lord's
prayer and
go home.
It's
great,
you want
to come?
And we
just
explained
verbally
what
happens
and they
are
absolutely
clueless.
But if
we brought
them to
a meeting,
an open
meeting so
they could
see it
and they
experienced
the energy,
then they
would understand
it.
So AA
can only
be experienced.
It really
can't be
understood.
You cannot
write down
why AA
works.
Why
go make
stupid
amends.
You feel
better.
It just
can't be
explained.
So
everything,
and what
about its
origin?
I mean,
God,
there's
another quote
that I
don't,
I think
it's Ernie
Kurtz,
but I
I'm not
positive.
And it's,
I'll probably
screw it up,
but it's,
it really
describes
our society
pretty well.
And it
says,
in an almost
magical manner,
Alcoholics
Anonymous
is able
to bring
to its
religious and
non-religious
members alike
a view
of the
universe
and their
place in
it,
which is
both
powerful
and exciting.
In doing
so,
they borrowed
from religion
everything
which is
uniting,
uniting,
and I
think it's
powerful,
while politely
declining
everything that
is self-serving
and conflicting.
It might
be called
the spiritual
heist of
the century.
And they
did it
all
on the
unconsciously
without realizing
it.
So all that
happened
without anybody
planning it.
It just
ended up
that way.
The steps
ended up
the way
they're written.
And
when you
look at our
history and
look at the
input that
came from
various sources
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
I often
talk about
what we
might call
the
big bang
of A.A.
I've probably
done this
a few
times.
And I
suppose
there would
be three
choices.
One might
be
Ebby
coming to
see Bill
and the
impression
that he
left.
It was so
powerful.
He couldn't
stop looking
at Ebby.
It wasn't
what he
was saying.
It was
the energy
that was
coming out
of his
friend.
And he
couldn't
believe
that this
was his
friend.
He couldn't
believe it.
And the
other one
might be
at the
pay phone
in the
Mayflower
Hotel
when
things
could have
gone
one way
or the
other.
And somehow
Bill
persisted
in that.
And my
favorite is
Bill's
experience
in Towns
Hospital
when
out of
desperation
he just
said,
well,
if there
is
a God
let him
show
himself
and the
room
lit up
and Bill
never drank
again.
And he
was obsessed
with the
drive to
save every
alcoholic in
the world.
And all
that happened
in a
millisecond.
One minute
there was
no hope
for any
alcoholics
in the
world.
And
10 minutes
10 seconds
later
we had
the origin
of this
program
that has
gotten
2 or 3
million
people
sober
in whatever
it is.
I've
forgotten the
numbers,
130 countries
and however
many groups
it is.
All from
this moment.
And
I
have to say
we could
look at
this that
the
this was
something that
happened in
1934
which is
one way of
looking at
it.
Or you
could say
that it's
still
happening.
That that
energy that
hit Bill
is now
hitting other
people.
And as
it
continues
this
wonderful
gift from
God
it's
hard to
see that
that didn't
come that
way.
Initially
you might
say well
you know
he's in
the detox
place he's
given these
things and
that could
have been
a hallucination
or whatever.
But as
time has
gone by
and we
look at
the results
that came
out of
that there's
very little
doubt that
this was
the moment
when
alcoholics
were going
to have
a chance
at happiness
which they
never had
before.
We just
there wasn't
a chance.
There was
just
nothing.
Amazing
to look
at the
medical
history of
what they
did to
alcoholics
and it's
just
astounding.
And then
this comes
along
and
I think
sometimes
I forget
to reflect
on that
that we're
here because
of that
moment
and we're
we know
each other
and we
share this.
Everybody
here it's
already bonded
with one
another
because
of the
fact that
we're
alcoholic.
We don't
have to say
anything else.
We already
know.
Hi Fred.
Yeah I'm
an alcoholic.
So am I.
Well I
know a lot
about you
and you
know a lot
about me
and you
know that
you didn't
come here
on a roll
and that
your life
was very
painful
and the
damage that
we caused
with others
the
conflict
all of
that.
And we're
stuck with
it.
We just
we get
sober and
then we
have this
past.
And it
seems like
we're going
to be
haunted
with it
for the
rest of
our lives
until we
start through
the steps
and we
get to
six and
seven and
eight and
nine.
And we
watch
bitter
enemies
become
friends.
We watch
the power
of amends.
We watch
the power
of forgiveness.
And
our past
changes.
There was
somebody
running around
some of
our meetings
maybe about
eight years
ago and
he said
his favorite
quote was
abandon
all hope
of changing
your past.
And I
disagree
with him.
I disagree
with him
a hundred
percent.
Your
vision of
the past
isn't
accurate.
That was
your self
centered
perspective
on all
of that.
And as
we go
through
these steps
you're
going to
find
that your
past
starts
taking
shape
into the
reality
that it
really
is.
I've told
the story
about
Los Angeles
and a
guy comes
up and
says
I think
I know
you.
And I
said well
I've never
seen you.
And he
said no
I think
I know
you.
In 1962
you were in
an airplane
on a
cross country
and you
were going
back to
Cherry Point
and you
declared an
oxygen
emergency
and all
the planes
had to
land
and you
never flew
again.
And I
said how
do you
know that?
He said I
was in
the plane
with you.
And here
it is
40 years
later I
run into
the guy
that was
sitting in
the right
hand seat
and I
did
that was
the last
that I
flew.
My
drinking
made it
so that I
couldn't
even get
in the
plane.
I was
so
frightened
I thought
I was
going to
have a
seizure.
All these
things were
happening.
So I
went to
the colonel
and said
I'm not
going to
fly anymore
and he
said why?
And I
said well
I can't
tell you.
I'm just
not going
to do it.
He said
you've been
doing it
for almost
14 and a
half years.
This is
your whole
career in
the Marine
Corps.
I'm just
not going
to do it
anymore.
He said
okay well
then I'm
going to
have to
write the
commandant
of the
Marine
Corps
and we're
going to
have to
get you
assigned to
something else
which was
killing me
because I
didn't want to
do anything
else but I
didn't know
how to get
out of the
box I was
in.
I had
been climbing
in these
planes for
the better
part of a
year and
I was
having
withdrawal
in the
plane and
I was
just
frigging
out.
It was
just so
scary.
I almost
ejected a
couple times
and it was
just this
terrible stuff
and so it
took about
three months
and I did
the legal
work for
that squadron
and I
would not
make eye
contact with
any of the
pilots.
I was so
ashamed and
I could tell
by looking on
their face
they're going
how did
that piece
of crap
get in
this squadron?
This is a
really fancy
squadron,
photo squadron
and the
F-8 during
the Cuban
Missile Crisis
and all that
and so I
left there
after three
months of
shame
and every
time I
thought about
that period
of time
I felt
shame.
That was
the most
shame
that I
had in
my past.
So my
friend
comes the
next day
to another
convention and
brings
photographs
and all
this
from the
squadron
and I'm
just going
God that's
it yeah
I remember
him yeah
okay
and then
he said
did you
know how
popular you
were in
that squadron?
This was
killing us
that you
were leaving.
The colonel
was trying
since before
they didn't
have treatment
and nobody
knew about
AA
the squadron
anyway.
He said
the colonel
was calling
all his friends
they're trying
to find a way
to save you
from this
it's just
killed us
when you
left there
we were so
sad
and I went
well that's
not how I
remember it.
So I had
to go back
42 years
and plug in
the truth
and get rid
of my past
the one I
had
the story
I had
about
that moment
in time.
So we
have
the shaping
of this
society
that
I'd like
to think
about
and
contained
in it
are
millions
of people
with their
own ideas
about
what should
be done
or
whether things
should be
changed
and yet
we get along
in a rather
remarkable
fashion.
The
to me
the thing
that
is the
core
of this
particular
society
is the
power
to work
a miracle
in the
lives of
a hopeless
human being.
That's
the signature
power
of
Alcoholics
Anonymous.
The power
to work
a miracle
in the
lives of
a hopeless
human being.
And these
miracles
sometimes
become
so
numerous
that we
forget
their
miracles.
Oh yeah,
he got
sober.
Yep.
I knew he
would.
And his
life is
really happy
and he's
happy and
his marriage
is saved.
Just another
event as
if it could
be caused
non-spiritually.
As if
there was
some
process
that could
be followed
that would
produce this
result.
And
prior to
coming here
we all
tried.
The psychiatrists
and the
psychologists
and all that
and we're
talking and
we're going
I need
help with
my problem
like
da-da-da-da-da
and
nothing
happened.
Nothing.
And then we
came here
and took
steps we
didn't believe
in.
Didn't make
no sense
to us.
But after
they worked
we took
credit for
yeah I knew
that would
work.
I knew
that was
going to
help a lot
to go
make a
men's
to my
mother-in-law.
So don't
believe people
when you
hear them
saying I
eagerly
went after
the steps.
Their
sponsor had
a stranglehold
on them
and
after they
finished
they took
credit for
it.
It's a
little trick
we play
in AA.
We make
believe we
really
enjoyed
doing this
stuff.
Oh yeah
I love
taking
inventories.
I love
calling
somebody
every day.
I love
read page
82.
All right
Jesus.
Read page
whatever the
hell it is.
You know
10 years
later you
can hardly
wait to
read that
page again.
I mean
how about
164
just the
last
close out
on that
page.
I mean
God
that doesn't
make you
feel chills
to just
think about
that.
Hmm.
So
something
got
assembled
by the
year
1939
that
and there
certainly
wasn't a
society
yet.
This
thing was
who
knew
that it
was going
to continue
to exist
but somehow
that book
got written
and
even the
book
was written
to get
money.
It wasn't
written
you know
well we
need a
textbook
we do
all that
we can't
raise money
by hitting
up the
millionaires.
They're not
buying into
our deal.
So we'll
write a book
and sell a
million copies
and then we
can get on
with the
missionaries
and the
paid
drunk
tanks
and hospitals
and all
that stuff.
And here
we end up
with I
don't know
how many
million copies
that is
sold.
Has to be
over 10
maybe 15
do you know
17
30
oh my
God.
And so
something
happened
to give
us this
society
that we're
all part
of.
And
if you
were to
describe
this
society
I know
I would
have a
very hard
time
because
as you
travel
around
to different
states and
countries
AA is
exactly the
same but
entirely
different at
the same
time.
There are
just going
to be
differences
because of
different
customs and
different
country or
different
whatever.
And yet
at the
heart of
all of
this is
this
identification
of one
alcoholic to
another.
With
the intent
I mean
the sole
purpose
being
to lead
this man
or woman
to their
creator.
So they
experience
that.
To me
that's
the
simplicity
of
how to
keep our
program
on target.
One
problem
alcoholism
one solution
is
to be
more
than
God.
And as
Chuck C
would say
if you're
going
you're
either going
away from
God or
you're
going
nearer to
God.
And it's
better to
be going
nearer to
God.
But we're
going to
experience
both because
we're human
beings with
egos and
there's times
when we're
just not
going to
practice the
presence.
As
Brother Lawrence
that's one
of the great
books.
Oh my
goodness.
If you
haven't run
across that
Practicing the
Presence by
Brother Lawrence.
Little skinny
book.
Mostly little
letters that
he wrote.
I don't
know it's
probably over
a thousand
years ago.
And his
words are
just the
essence of
simplicity.
I remember
one he's
writing to
this nun
and says
I'm
whenever I
sit in
God's
presence I
feel very
humble because
he's God
and I'm
not.
It just
says it
all.
He's God
and I'm
not.
The idea
that we're
not God
is
revolutionary
because
everyone
feels
that we're
that they're
the center
of their
own life
and therefore
there must
be
that they're
really their
own
power.
And so
they don't
need another
God coming
in.
We got one
already.
And even
though it's
all screwed
up it's
not their
fault.
And so
we have
this battle
that goes
on.
And I
found in
this
sickness
with
a lot
of pain
and just
losing energy
I lost
about 30
pounds of
muscle
weight
that the
contact
was much
harder to
keep.
But there
was an
absolute
assurance
that it
was still
there.
And that's
a wonderful
feeling
because of
all these
years.
It's to
go
yeah I
can't
experience
that right
now.
But there's
no doubt
in my
mind that
it's just
as present
as it was
before.
It's a
very comforting
thing in
the midst
of discomfort.
It's almost
like you have
the two
things going
on at the
same time.
And while
I'm on the
subject the
number of
cards that
I got
phone calls
from people
all over
I just
can't thank
everybody
enough.
It was
I'm just
very grateful.
And also
I want to
mention
my friend
Chris.
You all
know Chris
well he
saved my
life.
He's there
he was there
with my
daughter was
murdered and
he was there
when I had
other surgeries
and he and
his wife
and then
Peter Howell
Peter raise
your hand
back there.
Peter
stayed with
me when
I came home
from the
hospital and
was there
when the
heart went
bad and
all that
stuff happened
and he's
been just
he could
tell you how
unspiritual I
am.
And so
I wish you
would refrain
from having
long conversations
with him
about anything
because
boy I
really did
think pretty
bad.
I don't
want to go
into the
next level
of talking
about our
society.
I'm just
trying to
think of
other things
that took
place to
get it
started.
And I'll
tell you one.
The longer
I'm around
reading different
books I think
we had this
book back
there.
Uncommon
Friends.
Did we have
that back
there?
You remember
seeing that?
So I'll
tell you about
the book.
Because I
can't think of
anything else
to say.
Oh yeah,
Chris has
it.
This is a
guy,
James Newton,
who wrote
about his
own life
and how
he was
a close
confidant
to
Thomas Edison,
Harvey
Firestone,
Henry Ford,
Charles
Lindbergh,
and Dr.
won the
Nobel Peace
Prize
from France
for coming
up with
ways of
treating
wounds
in soldiers
so they had
a much
better chance
of living.
So pretty
high energy
people.
And he
was down
in
Fort
Myer
developing
real
estate
during the
crash of
29.
And across
the street
is Thomas
Edison.
And they
become friends.
And Edison's
amazed that
this guy's
succeeding.
People have
bought these
freaking houses.
And he just
can't quite
understand it.
So they
become quite
good friends.
So much so
that when
Firestone
and asked
Edison if
he knows
anybody who
could be
his right
hand man
in running
Firestone
rubber
company,
Edison said
this is
your man,
James
Newton.
And he
accepts the
job and
goes to
Akron.
Does such
a good
job,
Firestone
wants to
give him
the business.
That's how
close.
And after
he was there
a while,
he noticed
that Firestone's
son was
a raging
alcoholic.
And Newton
had been
attending
Oxford group
meetings for
himself in
his own
interest.
And while
attending them,
he saw a few
drugs sober
up.
So he took
Firestone's
son on a
business trip
with him
and then
asked him if
he would
like to go
to one of
the weekends,
the Oxford
group
weekends.
Where all
the high
powered people
were there
and Buckman
might have
been there
giving the
talk.
And he
went.
And he
got sober.
And it
kind of
transformed
him.
And his
father noticed.
He said,
geez,
what happened
to it?
He said,
oh,
I went to
the Oxford.
Really?
He said,
what is
that?
He said,
oh,
it's this
big society
thing and
the people
go there
and they
find God.
They try to
become better
people.
They want to
be better
citizens.
They want to
do all this.
Well,
we got to
get that
in Akron.
So Firestone
calls Buckman
and says,
oh,
I'm on
the big
deal in
Akron
of this
Oxford group
thing.
And all
the papers
had it.
Come
to the
Oxford
thing.
Firestone
is invited
you're all
invited.
So here's
this newspaper
going out
telling everybody
in Akron
including
Ann Smith
and Henrietta
Seiberling
that this
thing you
ought to
attend.
And they
did attend
and they
became regular
members.
And Ann
brought Dr.
Bob there
on a
regular
basis.
So if
you
James
Newton
hadn't
been in
the game
Oxford
may not
have gotten
to Akron
and there
wouldn't
have been
any phone
lists for
Bill to
call.
And Dr.
Bob and
Bill may
have never
met.
All because
this one
person played
this little
role.
Now when
you read
his book
he sees
AA and
all these
things that
happened from
his point
of view
and it's
rather
interesting.
And when I
look at the
pictures in
there I
just can't
imagine some
one man
being that
close to
all those
other.
And at the
end of the
book he
talks about
how spiritual
every one of
them was
and how
much they
cared for
their fellow
man.
And it's
quite a
testimonial.
I think I'm
running out of
energy.
And with
your permission
I'm going to
just stop
now and
we'll let
Chris give
you two
hours of
announcements
which I
think you're
going to
love.
Thanks
Lee.
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