God in his wisdom selected
this group of men and women to be the prevailers of his goodness.
In selecting them, through whom to bring about this phenomenon of
recovery, he went not to the proud, the mighty, and the famous.
Or the brilliant. He went to the humble, the sick, and the
unfortunate. He went right to the drunkard, the so-called
weakling of the world.
What might he have said to
us? Upon your weak and feeble hands I have entrusted a power
beyond estimate, to you has been given that which has been denied
the most learned of my fellows.
Not to scientist, or
statesman, not to wives or mothers, not even to my priests or
ministers have I given this gift of healing other alcoholics,
which I entrust to you. It must be used unselfishly. It carries
with it grave responsibility. No day can be too long; no demand
upon your time can be to great, no case to pitiful, no task to
hard, and no effort to great. It must be used with tolerance, for
I have restricted its application to no race, no creed, and no
denomination.
Personal criticism you
must expect, lack of appreciation will be common, ridicule will
be your lot, and your motives will be missed judged. You must be
prepared for adversity, for what men call adversity is the ladder
you must use to accent the rungs to a spiritual perfection. And
remember in the exercise of this power I shall not exact of you
beyond your capability.
You were not selected
because of your exceptional talent. And be careful always it
success attends your effort, not to ascribe to personal
superiority that which you can lay claim only by virtue of my
gift. If I had wanted learned men to accomplish this mission the
power would have been given and entrusted to the physician and
the scientist. If I had wanted elegant men there would have been
many anxious for that assignment. For talk is the easiest used of
all talents with which I have endowed mankind. If I had wanted
scholarly men the world is filled with better-qualified men then
you who would be available.
But you were selected
because you have been the outcasts of the world and your long
experience as drunkards has made, or should make you, humbly
alert to the cries of distress that come from the lonely hearts
of the alcoholics everywhere. Keep ever in mind the admission you
made on the day of your profession into Alcoholic Anonymous;
namely that you are powerless and that it was only through your
willingness to turn your will and your life to my keeping that
relief can come to you.
Anonymous
