Page 15 - This is A.A. an Introduction to the A.A. Recovery Program

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Twelve Steps
Early in our association with A.A. we heard about
the “Twelve Steps” of recovery from alcoholism.
We learned that these Steps represented an
attempt by the first members to record their own
progress from uncontrolled drinking to sobriety.
We discovered that a key factor in this progress
seemed to be humility, coupled with reliance
upon a Power greater than ourselves. While
some members prefer to call this Power “God,”
we were told that this was purely a matter of per-
sonal interpretation; we could conceive of the
Power in any terms we thought fit. Since alcohol
had obviously been a power greater than our-
selves during our drinking days, we had to admit
that perhaps we could not run the whole show
ourselves and that it made sense to turn else-
where for help. As we have grown in A.A., our
concept of a greater Power has usually become
more mature. But it has always been our personal
concept; no one has forced it upon us.
Finally, we noted from the Twelfth Step and
from the experience of older members, that work
with other alcoholics who turned to A.A. for help
was an effective way of strengthening our own
sobriety. Whenever possible, we tried to do our
share, always keeping in mind that the other per-
son was the only one who could determine
whether or not he or she was an alcoholic.
We were also guided by the experience of the
many A.A.s who have given new meaning to
three time-worn sayings or slogans. “First Things
First” is one of the slogans, reminding us that,
much as we would like to try, we cannot do every-
thing at once, that we have to remember the prior
importance of sobriety in any attempt to rebuild
our lives.
“Easy Does It” is another old slogan with new
meaning for alcoholics who are frequently guilty
of working too feverishly at whatever they are
doing. Experience shows that alcoholics should,
and can, learn to pace themselves. “Live and Let
Live” is the third slogan, a recurring suggestion
that alcoholics, no matter how many years of
sobriety they have, cannot afford to let them-
selves become intolerant of others.
A.A. books and pamphlets are also helpful.
Soon after we came into A.A., most of us had an

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