RARELY HAVE WE SEEN A PERSON FAIL WHO HAS THOROUGHLY FOLLOWED OUR PATH.
THOSE WHO DO NOT RECOVER ARE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT, OR WILL NOT, COMPLETELY
GIVE THEMSELVES TO THIS SIMPLE PROGRAM, USUALLY MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE
CONSTITUTIONALLY INCAPABLE OF BEING HONEST WITH THEMSELVES.
THERE ARE SUCH UNFORTUNATES. THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT. THEY SEEM TO HAVE BEEN BORN THAT WAY. THEY ARE NATURALLY INCAPABLE OF GRASPING AND DEVELOPING A
MANNER OF LIVING WHICH DEMANDS RIGOROUS HONESTY. THEIR CHANCES ARE LESS
THAN AVERAGE.
THERE ARE THOSE, TOO, WHO SUFFER FROM GRAVE EMOTIONAL AND
MENTAL DISORDERS, BUT MANY OF THEM DO RECOVER IF THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY
TO BE HONEST.
OUR STORIES DISCLOSE IN A GENERAL WAY WHAT WE USED TO BE LIKE, WHAT
HAPPENED, AND WHAT WE ARE LIKE NOW. IF YOU HAVE DECIDED YOU WANT WHAT WE
HAVE AND ARE WILLING TO GO TO ANY LENGTH TO GET IT... THEN YOU ARE READY
TO TAKE CERTAIN STEPS.
AT SOME OF THESE WE BALKED. WE THOUGHT WE COULD FIND AN EASIER, SOFTER
WAY. BUT WE COULD NOT.
WITH ALL THE EARNESTNESS AT OUR COMMAND, WE BEG
OF YOU TO BE FEARLESS AND THOROUGH FROM THE VERY START. SOME OF US HAVE
TRIED TO HOLD ON TO OUR OLD IDEAS AND THE RESULT WAS NIL ... UNTIL WE
LET GO ABSOLUTELY.
REMEMBER THAT WE DEAL WITH ALCOHOL ... CUNNING, BAFFLING, POWERFUL! ...
WITHOUT HELP IT IS TOO MUCH FOR US. BUT THERE IS ONE WHO HAS ALL POWER
... THAT ONE IS GOD ... MAY YOU FIND HIM NOW!
HALF MEASURES AVAILED US NOTHING. WE STOOD AT THE TURNING POINT. WE
ASKED HIS PROTECTION AND CARE WITH COMPLETE ABANDON.
HERE ARE THE STEPS WE TOOK, WHICH ARE SUGGESTED AS A
PROGRAM OF RECOVERY;