“I have a feeling that if I ever find myself in Heaven, it will be from backing away from Hell.”

“After telling Dr. Bob my story, I explained how truly I needed him. Would he allow me to help him, I might remain sober myself. The seed that was to flower as AA began to grow toward the light.”

“Simple gratitude compels us all to be mindful of the needs of others and to work in the ways and through the means developed by the AA movement to try to reach some of the millions of our fellow alcoholics who are still suffering in the hell from which we have escaped.”

“Where before there was a gaping hole of emptiness, I seek within me that faint ember of self-love, self-worth, and desire for goodness.”

“We are alcoholics. Even though now recovered, we are never too far removed from the possibility of fresh personal disaster. Each knows he must observe a high degree of honesty, humility, and tolerance, or else drink again.”

“The power in these rooms is greater than the sum total of those of us present.”

“If you want to be happy, go to a meeting. If you want to be twice as happy, go to two meetings.”

“Now that my spiritual eyes have begun to open, the world is much fuller.”

“We have to keep looking for something better than dullness, better than average living, better than mediocre spirituality.”

“As I peel away the layers of day-to-day expediency, I realize that my zigzag, erratic, and inconsistent course was in the general direction of progress all the time.”

“The ability to laugh at ourselves is an intrinsic part of the healing process.”

“When we reach a maximum in understanding, we know how very much we shall never understand.”

‘Imperfection offers me the freedom of a million potentials.”

“Sound policy can only be made by rubbing the conservatives and the promoters together. Their discussions, if free from personal ambitions and resentment, can be depended upon to produce the right answers. For us, there is no other way.”

“I am still amazed at the aura around AA meetings ... No matter what our immediate problems, fears, or resentments, we come to a halt when the meeting begins and focus on our primary purpose.”