October 20

October 20 – AM          Page 39-40, More About Alcoholism, Chapter 3

Fred is partner in a well know accounting firm.  His income is good, he has a fine home, is happily married and the father of promising children of college age.  He has so attractive a personality that he makes friends with everyone.  If ever there was a successful business man, it is Fred.  To all appearance he is a stable, well balanced individual.  Yet, he is alcoholic.  We first saw Fred about a year ago in a hospital where he had gone to recover from a bad case of jitters.  It was his first experience of this kind, and he was much ashamed of it.  Far from admitting he was an alcoholic, he told himself he came to the hospital to rest his nerves.  The doctor intimated strongly that he might be worse than he realized.  For a few days he was depressed about his condition.  He made up his mind to quit drinking altogether.  It never occurred to him that perhaps he could not do so, in spite of his character and standing.  Fred would not believe himself an alcoholic, much less accept a spiritual remedy for his problem.  We told him what we knew about alcoholism.  He was interested and conceded that he had some of the symptoms, but he was a long way from admitting that he could do nothing about it himself.  He was positive that this humiliating experience, plus the knowledge he had acquired, would keep him sober the rest of his life.  Self-knowledge would fix it.
We heard no more of Fred for a while.  One day we were told that he was back in the hospital.  This time he was quite shaky.  He soon indicated he was anxious to see us.  The story he told is most instructive, for here was a chap absolutely convinced he had to stop drinking, who had no excuse for drinking, who exhibited splendid judgment and determination in all his other concerns, yet was flat on his back nevertheless.

October 20 – PM          Page 68, How It Works, Chapter 5

We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator.  We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness.  Paradoxically, it is the way of strength.  The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage.  All men of faith have courage.  They trust their God.  We never apologize for God.  Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do.  We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be.  At once, we commence to outgrow fear.