As Bill Sees It

Meeting Adversity, p. 184

“Our spiritual and emotional growth in A.A. does not depend so deeply upon success as it does upon our failures and setbacks. If you will bear this in mind, I think that your slip will have the effect of kicking you upstairs, instead of down.

“We A.A.’s have had no better teacher than Old Man Adversity, except in those cases where we refuse to let him teach us.”

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“Now and then all of us fall under heavy criticism. When we are angered and hurt, it’s difficult not to retaliate in kind. Yet we can restrain ourselves and then probe ourselves, asking whether our critics were really right. If so, we can admit our defects to them. This usually clears the air for mutual understanding.

“Suppose our critics are being unfair. Then we can try calm persuasion. If they continue to rant, it is still possible for us–in our hearts–to forgive them. Maybe a sense of humor can be our saving grace–thus we can both forgive and forget.”

1. Letter, 1958
2. Letter, 1966