"Life in contented sobriety seems to be a matter of looking at the reality of myself in my attitudes, actions, and character rather than trying to run away from it."

"Surrender has nothing to do with giving up. It means to stop fighting."

"Pain is one of our greatest teachers. Though I still find it difficult to accept today's pain and anxiety with any degree of serenity -- as those more advanced in the spiritual life seem able to do -- I can, if I try hard, give thanks for present pain nevertheless."

"New people are the lifeblood of AA. I am eternally grateful to them. By extension I am, therefore, grateful to Tradition Three for making it possible for all who want what we have to come to AA."

"If you haven't been to a meeting for a while, come, and add to the mix ... we need you. Come for yourself, come for the Fellowship, come to celebrate sobriety, and come for the alcoholic who still suffers."

"We are losing all fear of those violent emotional storms which sometimes cross our alcoholic world; perhaps it bespeaks our confidence that every storm will be followed by a calm; a calm which is more understanding, more compassionate, more tolerant than any we ever knew before."

“The actual experience of turning myself inside out for the first time in the presence of an AA member left me drained and numb; but when feeling started to come back, I found that I had changed. For the first time in my AA experience, I could feel the sunshine of God’s love on my wounds, and true peace of mind.”

“I cannot adequately describe how light I feel since I took the Fifth Step, and how soundly I sleep.”

“The rewards of asking for help – increased humility, connection, and trust – are well worth the effort.”

“We shall never be at our best except when we hew only to the primary spiritual aim of AA. That of carrying its message to the alcoholic who still suffers alcoholism.”

“Good things increase in direct proportion to my willingness to become teachable.”

“All AA progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words: humility and responsibility.”

“It is our experience as alcoholics that makes us of unique value ... We can approach sufferers as no one else can.”

"Only mutual trust can be the foundation for great love -- each of us for the other, and all of us for God.”

“It’s not the wonderful people I’ve met from throughout these great lands who have helped keep me sober most of the time, but those wonderful people sitting around the table in my hometown who loved me when I could not love, who waited for me to quit lying, who tolerated me when I would be part of nothing, and who never asked me to leave when I was obnoxious. Because of their love and patience, I was able to get outside of myself and make some sort of commitment to the group.”