From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
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to display the full page from the Big Book1.
... best.
12&12 p.30,
Step Two
We gloated over the hypocrisy, bigotry, and
crushing self-righteousness that clung to so many 'believers' even in their Sunday best.
2.
... best?
12&12 p.138,
Tradition Two
'Bill, haven't you often said right here in this meeting that sometimes the good is the enemy of the best?
3.
... best.
12&12 p.191,
Tradition Nine (Long)
4.
... best.
BB p.102,
Working With Others
5.
... best.
BB p.565(567),
Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition
6.
... best advocate.
12&12 p.24,
Step One
7.
... best answer
this by relating one of ...
BB xxxi(xxix),
The Doctor's Opinion
8.
... best answers
that our experience has yet ...
BB p.561(563),
Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition
The "12 Traditions" of Alcoholics Anonymous
are, we A.A.'s believe, the
best answers that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, "How can A.A. best function?" and, "How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?"
9.
... best bet.
12&12 p.61,
Step Five
10.
... best boss
he ever had, and that ...
BB p.136,
To Employers
He left us a note saying you were the best boss he ever had, and that you
were not to blame in any way."
11.
... best colleges
in the country where drinking ...
BB p.172,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
After high school came four years in one of the best colleges in the country
where drinking seemed to
be a major extra-curricular activity.
12.
... best course.
BB p.142,
To Employers
13.
... best course
to take.
BB p.81,
Into Action
Though there may be justifiable exceptions, and though we
wish to lay down no rule
of any sort, we have often found this the best course to take.
14.
... best customers
away from you.
BB p.145,
To Employers
He may, for example, reveal that he has padded his
expense account or that
he has planned to take your
best customers away from you.
15.
... best deal
we can we let these ...
BB p.78,
Into Action
16.
... best efforts
of family, friends, doctors, and ...
12&12 p.63,
Step Six
Change of scene, the best efforts of family, friends, doctors, and clergymen got no place
with my alcoholism.
17.
... best, fall
far short of such achievements ...
12&12 p.112,
Step Twelve
18.
... best friend,
or spiritual adviser.
BB p.63,
How It Works
We found it very desirable to take this spiritual step with an understanding person,
such as our wife, best friend, or spiritual adviser.
19.
... best friends
of the very character defects ...
12&12 p.56,
Step Five
They will tell how they tried to carry the load alone; how much they suffered of irritability, anxiety,
remorse, and depression; and how, unconsciously seeking
relief, they would sometimes accuse even their best friends of the very character defects they themselves were trying to
conceal.
20.
... best friends
to a snapping point, and ...
12&12 p.78,
Step Eight
We've repeatedly strained the patience of
our best friends to a snapping point, and have brought out the very worst in those who didn't think much of us to begin with.
21.
... best function?"
and, "How can A.A. best ...
BB p.561(563),
Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition
The "12 Traditions" of Alcoholics Anonymous
are, we A.A.'s believe, the
best answers that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, "How can A.A. best function?" and, "How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?"
22.
... best he
had ever known!
BB p.11,
Bill's Story
Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead, suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than the best he had ever known!
23.
... best-intentioned of
us can fall for the ...
12&12 p.113,
Step Twelve
24.
... best interests
of all concerned that a ...
BB p.99,
Working With Others
25.
... best judgment
of what has been right ...
12&12 p.50,
Step Four
Using his best judgment of what has been right and what has been wrong,
he might make a rough survey of his conduct with
respect to his primary
instincts for sex, security, and society.
26.
... best known
American psychiatrists.
BB p.26,
There Is A Solution
27.
... best mathematical
minds had proved man could ...
BB p.51,
We Agnostics
28.
... best minds.
BB p.55,
We Agnostics
Neither is reason, as
most of us use it, entirely
dependable, though it
emanate from our best minds.
29.
... best moments,
a producer of confusion rather ...
BB p.61,
How It Works
30.
... best moments
for the worst I have ...
BB p.43,
More About Alcoholism
My old manner of life was by no means a bad one, but I would not exchange
its best moments for the worst I have
now.
31.
... best not
to take sides in any ...
BB p.115,
To Wives
Unless they actually need protection from their
father, it is best not to take sides in any argument he has with them
while drinking.
32.
Best of
all, I met a kind ...
BB p.7,
Bill's Story
Best of all, I met a kind doctor who explained that though certainly selfish and foolish, I had been seriously ill, bodily and mentally.
33.
... best of
employers, can scarcely blame them ...
BB p.138,
To Employers
And we, who have imposed on the best of employers, can scarcely blame them if they
have been short with us.
34.
... best of
his ability our suggested Twelve ...
12&12 p.174,
Tradition Nine
Unless each A.A. member follows to the best of his ability our suggested Twelve Steps to recovery, he almost certainly signs his own death warrant.
35.
... best of
intentions, he tends to force ...
12&12 p.104,
Step Eleven
With the best of intentions, he tends to force his own will into all sorts of situations and problems
with the comfortable assurance that he is acting under God's specific direction.
36.
... best of
them will sometimes let us ...
12&12 p.115,
Step Twelve
We had refused to learn
the very hard lesson that overdependence upon people is unsuccessful
because all people are fallible, and even the best of them will sometimes let us down, especially when our
demands for attention
become unreasonable.
37.
... best of
today.
BB p.51,
We Agnostics
Students of ancient history tell us that the intellect of men in those days was equal to the best of today.
38.
... best of
us will discover to our ...
12&12 p.66,
Step Six
Even then the best of us will discover to our dismay that there is always a
sticking point, a point at which we say, "No, I can't give this up yet."
39.
... best organizers
I have ever known.
BB p.137,
To Employers
I had been obliged to discharge him for drinking, though he was brilliant, alert, and one of the best organizers I have ever known.
40.
... best possible
attitude one can take in ...
12&12 p.65,
Step Six
So Step Six -- "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character" --
is A.A.'s way of stating the best possible attitude one can take in order to make a beginning on this lifetime job.
41.
... best possible
committees, corporate service directors, executives, ...
BB p.575,
Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form)
XI. The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives,
staffs, and consultants.
42.
... best possible
medical attention, he should understand ...
BB p.143,
To Employers
Though you are providing him with the best
possible medical attention, he should understand that he must undergo a change of heart.
43.
... best possible
public relations policy for Alcoholics ...
12&12 p.180,
Tradition Eleven
Therefore, a great responsibility fell upon us to develop the best possible public relations policy for Alcoholics Anonymous.
44.
... best possible
relations with every human being ...
12&12 p.77,
Step Eight
First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have
been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop
the best possible relations with every human being we know.
45.
... best possible
source of emotional stability to ...
12&12 p.116,
Step Twelve
When we developed still
more, we discovered the
best possible source of emotional stability to be God Himself.
46.
... best press
agents.
12&12 p.181,
Tradition Eleven
It resulted in more favorable publicity of
Alcoholics Anonymous than could possibly have been obtained through all the
arts and abilities of A.A.'s best press agents.
47.
... best professionals,
whether medical or religious.
12&12 p.166,
Tradition Eight
Almost no recovery from alcoholism has ever been brought about by the world's
best professionals,
whether medical or religious.
48.
... best projects
when drunk; that the most ...
BB p.2,
Bill's Story
We had long talks when I
would still her forebodings by telling
her that men of genius conceived their best projects when drunk; that
the most majestic constructions of philosophic thought
were so derived.
49.
... best reason
first: If we skip this ...
BB p.72,
Into Action
50.
... best results
can be had under their ...
BB p.569(571),
Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A.
Dr. G. Kirby Collier, psychiatrist:
"I have felt that A.A. is a group unto themselves and their best
results can be had under
their own guidance, as a result of their philosophy.
51.
... best salesmen
I ever had.
BB p.137,
To Employers
52.
... best sense
of the word.
12&12 p.110,
Step Twelve
53.
... best serve
Thee -- Thy will (not mine) ...
BB p.85,
Into Action
54.
... best she
knows how, but meanwhile the ...
12&12 p.118,
Step Twelve
The wife usually goes on doing the best she knows how, but meanwhile the alcoholic
alternately loves and
hates her maternal care.
55.
... best stay
whole and so survive?"
BB p.561(563),
Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition
The "12 Traditions" of Alcoholics Anonymous
are, we A.A.'s believe, the
best answers that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, "How can A.A. best function?" and, "How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?"
56.
... best that
no one tell him he ...
BB p.144,
To Employers
When the man is presented
with this volume it is best
that no one tell him he must abide by its suggestions.
57.
... best to
drop the subject, but after ...
BB p.112,
To Wives
If this kind of approach
does not catch your husband's interest, it may
be best to drop the subject, but after a friendly talk your husband will usually revive the topic himself.
58.
... best to
live and work together as ...
12&12 p.130,
Tradition One
59.
... best understanding
of His will that we ...
12&12 p.102,
Step Eleven
We ask simply that throughout the day God place in us the best understanding of His
will that we can have for that day, and that we be given the grace by which we may carry it
out.
60.
... best way
of treating you to a ...
BB p.153,
A Vision For You
Perhaps the best way of treating you to a glimpse of your future will be to describe the growth of the fellowship
among us.
61.
... best we
can do, with all the ...
12&12 p.65,
Step Six
62.
... best we
can, we try to ask ...
12&12 p.102,
Step Eleven
Having opened our channel
as best we can, we try to ask for those right things of which we and
others are in the greatest need.
63.
... best we
could; and the other, to ...
BB p.25,
There Is A Solution
We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from
which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to
go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of
our intolerable situation as best we could;
and the other, to accept spiritual help.
64.
... best we
know how to make progress ...
12&12 p.65,
Step Six
65.
... best we
know or can learn.
12&12 p.65,
Step Six
The key words "entirely ready" underline the fact that we
want to aim at the very best we know or can learn.
66.
... best will
do!'
12&12 p.138,
Tradition Two
67.
... best work
grudgingly and under half steam.
12&12 p.49,
Step Four
Passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous
and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
are reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.
The A.A. Preamble, copyright ©
The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., is reprinted with permission.
Permission to reprint does not in any way imply affiliation with or
endorsement by either Alcoholics Anonymous or The A.A. Grapevine, Inc.
Copyright © 2005-2012, Recovery Press LLC; All Rights Reserved.