The Guiding Principle
WHEN I first arrived at Alcoholics Anonymous, I had tried a number of methods to rectify my drink problem, which at the time I didn’t even know was a fatal illness. Most of these attempts involved professional help, either voluntarily or involuntarily through the criminal justice system. I genuinely wanted to change; however, these mainly well-meaning people did not have an effective solution for my illness, they were not able to win my trust. They had not been where I had been and experienced the things I had. They simply did not understand. After being dragged to my first AA meeting by a friend who knew where I needed to be, I was blown away. For the first time in my life, I met people who understood my problem. One of the first thoughts that crossed my mind when everyone was being incredibly helpful towards me was, “What is in it for them?”
Of course, I now know that “Giving, rather than getting, will become the guiding principle.” (BB p.128) These people were freely giving to me what was given to them, something that had clearly worked for them. The meeting was a professional looking meeting. The secretary wore a suit; there was clearly an organised structure. There were people selling literature and making the tea and coffee, but it was not a professional organisation. These were all alcoholic members. They were engaged in service with the primary purpose of helping the alcoholic who still suffers. The focus of AA is on giving back, by giving back we receive, whether through doing service or Twelfth-Step work. We do this as alcoholics without any financial compensation as we freely receive the best gift ever of a transformation; a new and improved sober life through practicing and passing on the Twelve-Step Programme.
My sponsor has offered a lot of his time to me outside of the meeting. I would and still do regularly call him. He would invite me into his own home and spend time working the Twelve-Step Programme with me. Today I am privileged to offer this back to others. We do this all without any expectation of money. My sponsor has never been afraid to tell me the truth. He is not afraid to risk our relationship by telling me what I need to hear and not what I want to hear. Imagine if I was paying someone for this kind of service. It is likely that the payment of money would at the very least encourage them to tell me what is likely to keep me returning. By expecting money, I would be lowering my action in AA from the spiritual to the material plain. Although we are allowed to employ special workers, this is not to carry out Twelfth-Step work. Much of the service that we carry out locally requires hiring services of others.
We may have to pay a specialist print shop to print some flyers; we may need a new website designed. We can carry out service ourselves and claim various expenses. If we travel to engage in Public Information work, we may claim back reasonable expenses such as petrol costs. But “Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional…” (12&12 p.166), the direct carrying of the message is carried out by unpaid alcoholics. Bill W. famously once contacted the Rockerfeller organisation hoping for a large donation to fund AA. Thank goodness, there was a view that providing money would spoil AA and they declined to donate the large sum that Bill was seeking. Bill W. later recognised the power of AA was in one member carrying the message to another.
TOMMY G, Plymouth