July 11, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
There was a time when nearly every strong emotion in my life seemed to point toward the same solution. A difficult day? Drink. A painful disappointment? Drink. Angry at someone? Drink. Lonely, afraid, exhausted, embarrassed, rejected, or overwhelmed? Drink. Even happiness could become a reason. A good day deserved a celebration. A bad day required …
July 6, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
When My Mind Gets Loud, I Know Who’s Talking A few years ago I had a situation in my life that I had been stressing over. I had spent lots of time arguing with myself over a decision that, in hindsight, wasn’t all that complicated. I had built a case for one option. Then demolished …
July 4, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
If there’s one thing alcoholics are exceptionally good at, it’s being absolutely certain. Certain we aren’t as bad as those people. Certain we can quit whenever we really decide to. Certain everyone else is overreacting. Certain the problem is our job. Our marriage. Our parents. Our anxiety. Our luck. Our boss. The economy. The bartender who pours too heavy. …
July 3, 2026 In General Information By Rick W.
Dear Stepping Stones Family, We are overjoyed to share news of a historic homecoming made possible with help from generous supporters. Yesterday, Stepping Stones successfully acquired the most important artifact in 12-Step history—the original hand-edited manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous—the “Big Book.” This foundational document will return to the place where Bill and Lois Wilson lived, …
July 2, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
One sentence in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions has probably caused more discussion, disagreement, confusion, and self-examination than almost any other: “It is a spiritual axiom that every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us.” — Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Step Ten The first time …
July 1, 2026 In General Information By Rick W.
There is an old saying that history often turns not on miles, but on inches. One phone call. One introduction. One conversation. One decision. When we study the history of Alcoholics Anonymous, we naturally focus on names like Bill W. and Dr. Bob. And rightly so. But if we only study the men whose names …
June 22, 2026 In General Information, Legacy of Recovery, Legacy of Service, Legacy of Unity By Rick W.
Sobriety Didn’t Just Change What I Said, It Changed How I Communicate. How Recovery Rewired the Way I Speak, Listen, and Think One of the most overlooked miracles of recovery has very little to do with alcohol. Most of us came to Alcoholics Anonymous because drinking had become unmanageable. We stayed because we discovered something …
June 20, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
One of the more interesting writing assignments I’ve ever suggested to a sponsee had nothing to do with Step Four, amends lists, or character defects. It was simply this: Write about your expectations. At first glance, that may not seem like a particularly “A.A.” topic. Expectations don’t appear in the Twelve Steps. The Big Book doesn’t …
June 20, 2026 In General Information, Legacy of Unity By Rick W.
Few topics in Alcoholics Anonymous seem capable of creating as much discussion, and sometimes as much tension, as the question of how members identify themselves in meetings. Most of us have heard the phrase “and a…” at some point. A member introduces themselves as an alcoholic and something else. For some, this feels natural, honest …
June 18, 2026 In General Information, Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
Three Years Later Exactly three years TODAY, I created a blog post called Inside the Mind of an Overthinker. To this day, it remains the most-read article on this website by a wide margin. Apparently, there are a lot of us living inside our own heads. LOL! As I revisited that post, I found myself smiling. …
