April 29

April 29 – AM          Page 24-25, There Is A Solution, Chapter 2

The alcoholic may say to himself in the most casual way, “It won’t burn me this time, so here’s how!”  Or perhaps he doesn’t think at all.  How often have some of us begun to drink in this nonchalant way, and after the third or fourth, pounded on the bar and said to ourselves, “For God’s sake, how did I ever get started again?”  Only to have that thought supplanted by “Well, I’ll stop with the sixth drink.”  Or “What’s the use anyhow?”
When this sort of thinking is fully established in an individual with alcoholic tendencies, he has probably placed himself beyond human aid, and unless locked up, may die or go permanently insane.  These stark and ugly facts have been confirmed by legions of alcoholics throughout history.  But for the grace of God, there would have been thousands more convincing demonstrations.  So many want to stop but cannot.

April 29 – PM          Page 83, Into Action, Chapter 6

The spiritual life is not a theory.  We have to live it.  Unless one’s family expresses a desire to live upon spiritual principles we think we ought not to urge them.  We should not talk incessantly to them about spiritual matters.  They will change in time.  Our behavior will convince them more than our words.  We must remember that ten or twenty years of drunkenness would make a skeptic out of anyone.