Dave P. – Vision for You – Step 11 and the Road of Happy Destiny – 2004

About This Speaker Tape

Florida State Convention - 2004

Dave and Polly lead a workshop centered on the final chapter of the Big Book, 'A Vision for You.' Dave dismantles the mechanics of happiness, arguing it is a process of authenticity and the abandonment of judgment, while Polly shares the raw weight of her past, including the harm she caused children while drinking and the struggle to find joy amidst deep depression. They map out the transition from a state of hopeless desperation to one of being 'happy, joyous, and free,' emphasizing that spiritual growth requires a total surrender of the ego. The session blends high-minded spiritual philosophy with gritty reality, moving from the 'wreckage of the past' to a practical guide on how to coexist with others without the need for approval. The talk concludes with a subversive twist on the parable of the donkey, reminding the room that trying to bury others eventually comes back to bite.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Dave opens the workshop and discusses the haphazard creation of the 'Vision for You' topic.
• 2:30 Prayer: A gratitude prayer for the fellowship and the freedom from alcoholism.
• 4:15 Dave reads from a rare 1940s AA Speaker's Manual regarding preparation and avoiding 'verbiage'.
• 8:20 Polly reads the closing sections of the Big Book chapter 'A Vision for You'.
• 15:40 Dave discusses the 'feverish, selfish little clot of ailments' and defines happiness as a process of authenticity.
• 21:10 Laughter: Dave introduces 'Igor,' the mental critic who prevents him from judging others.
• 31:45 Dave discusses the 'hill of fear' and the fear of being forced to be a missionary in Africa.
• 38:10 Polly discusses her struggle with depression and the concept of Emotional Sobriety.
• 44:30 Polly shares her experience with child abuse recovery and the transformation of her soul.
• 52:10 Dave defines freedom as the ability to decide the terms under which one coexists with others.
• 58:20 Dave reads a final passage from the Big Book on the 'road of happy destiny'.
• 1:02:15 Laughter: The story of the donkey and the subversive moral about covering one's ass.