Page 123 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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102 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
places?” If you answer these questions satisfactorily,
you need have no apprehension. Go or stay away,
whichever seems best. But be sure you are on solid
spiritual ground before you start and that your motive
in going is thoroughly good. Do not think of what
you will get out of the occasion. Think of what you
can bring to it. But if you are shaky, you had better
work with another alcoholic instead!
Why sit with a long face in places where there is
drinking, sighing about the good old days. If it is a
happy occasion, try to increase the pleasure of those
there; if a business occasion, go and attend to your
business enthusiastically. If you are with a person who
wants to eat in a bar, by all means go along. Let your
friends know they are not to change their habits on
your account. At a proper time and place explain to
all your friends why alcohol disagrees with you. If
you do this thoroughly, few people will ask you to
drink. While you were drinking, you were withdraw­
ing from life little by little. Now you are getting back
into the social life of this world. Don’t start to with­
draw again just because your friends drink liquor.
Your job now is to be at the place where you may be
of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to
go anywhere if you can be helpful. You should not
hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such
an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with these
motives and God will keep you unharmed.
Many of us keep liquor in our homes. We often
need it to carry green recruits through a severe hang­
over. Some of us still serve it to our friends provided
they are not alcoholic. But some of us think we should
not serve liquor to anyone. We never argue this ques­