Full Flight AA Speakers || Alcoholics Anonymous || 12 Steps || Long Beach CA

Recovery in the era of COVID and civil unrest.

"Presence..."

"Moments of grace..."

"Testimony..."

p. 17: "We are like passengers of a great liner the moment after rescue from a shipwreck when camaraderie, joyousness and democracy pervade the vessel from steerage to Captain's table. Unlike the feelings of the ship's passengers, however, our joy in escape from disaster does not subside as we go our individual ways. The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us. But that in itself would never have held us together as we are now joined."

Elizabeth breaks down the fundamentals of Steps 1-3, talks about her experience with half-measures, and  discusses the importance of p.85 in her recovery: “It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities.”

Alex discusses why the 5th Step is vital for permanent recovery.

(p.73): "If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking. Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives...Almost invariably they got drunk. Having persevered with the rest of the program, they wondered why they fell. They took inventory all right, but hung on to some of the worst items in stock."

Michael discusses page 53: "When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is, or He isn't. What was our choice to be?"

Jessica discusses unmanageability, living life without a solution, and how we can "re-create" our lives, when our ideals are grounded in a power greater than ourselves. [p. xxviii]

Ali discusses spiritual authenticity, pp 72-73, and the importance of having a trusted advisor for the 5th step. 

"We will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so."

"More than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very much the actor. To the outer world, he presents his stage character."

Ray challenges the newcomer to ask themselves "are you willing to be sober?"  "Do you really want to be sober for yourself?" as relay his experience of getting to that place of wanting to be sober. 

Martha discusses page 53: "...God is everything, or else He is nothing. God either is, or He isn't. What was our choice to be?"