August 22, 2026 In Legacy of Unity By Rick W.
Tradition One—Short Form: “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” Tradition One—Long Form: “Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part of a great whole. A.A. must continue to live or most of us will surely die. Hence our common welfare comes first. But individual welfare follows close …
August 18, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
The Chapter Alcoholics May Be Missing I’ve heard it more times than I can count. “I hate To Wives.” “I skip that chapter.” “It’s outdated.” “Bill had no business writing it.” And I understand some of the criticism. The language belongs to another era. The assumptions about marriage, gender, and family life reflect 1939, not 2026. And there is an …
August 16, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
There may be no prayer more closely associated with Alcoholics Anonymous than the Serenity Prayer. We say it at meetings. We say it before difficult conversations. We say it when life isn’t going our way. We say it when we’re afraid, angry, confused, or simply trying to get through the next five minutes without making …
August 13, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
Sometimes a single word can shut down an entire conversation. Powerless. Surrender. God. Inventory. Amends. Say one of those words in an A.A. meeting and almost everybody in the room already has an idea about what it means. We don’t wait for the rest of the sentence. We hear the word, reach into our mental …
August 11, 2026 In General Information, Legacy of Recovery, Legacy of Service, Legacy of Unity By Rick W.
Bill’s famous milestone message published in the March 1960 issue of the AA Grapevine is striking because it is not really an anniversary piece. It is a warning against complacency disguised as a celebration. What caught me most is how many of the dangers he names, money, power, personality, publicity, governance, fear, and distraction from …
August 5, 2026 In Legacy of Service By Rick W.
Every Fall (or every other Fall), a familiar ritual unfolds throughout Alcoholics Anonymous. Groups elect GSRs. Districts elect DCMs. Areas elect officers, committee chairs, delegates, and other trusted servants. Most elections are conducted respectfully and prayerfully. Yet if we’re honest, we’ve all heard reasons for electing someone that have very little to do with leadership. …
August 4, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
Tonight, I was sitting in an A.A. meeting as we read page 100 of the Big Book. We were discussing working with others, spiritual fitness, and the remarkable things that become possible when we place ourselves in God’s hands. One man shared something he once heard from another member of A.A. Every morning, as soon …
August 1, 2026 In General Information, Legacy of Recovery, Legacy of Service, Legacy of Unity By Rick W.
Dr. Jung told Rowland. Rowland told Ebby. Ebby told Bill. Bill told Dr. Bob. Thank God someone told me. That simple progression is more than a clever slogan on a T-shirt I recently saw. It’s the story of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s the story of my recovery. And if you’re sober today in A.A., it’s your …
July 26, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
Yesterday, at the Texas State AA Convention, I heard Andy D. from Edmond, Oklahoma, describe himself during active alcoholism as a “big shot in the homeless shelter.” The phrase stayed with me. I have never lived in a homeless shelter, so I will not pretend to understand that experience. But I know exactly what it …
July 21, 2026 In Legacy of Recovery By Rick W.
I was sitting in a speaker meeting last night and as the speaker was sharing her experience with inventory (specifically the Fourth Step), she kept using the phase, “When I was introduced to myself..” in relation to the causes and conditions of her failure. It really hit me. She kept using that phrase over and …
