From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
Click
to display the full page from the Big Book1.
... like.
12&12 p.88,
Step Ten
That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday's and
sometimes today's excesses of negative emotion -- anger, fear, jealousy, and the like.
2.
... like.
12&12 p.101,
Step Eleven
This much could be a fragment of what is called
meditation, perhaps
our very first attempt at a mood, a flier into the realm of spirit, if you like.
3.
... like.
BB p.37,
More About Alcoholism
In some circumstances we have gone out deliberately to get drunk, feeling ourselves justified by
nervousness, anger, worry, depression, jealousy or the like.
4.
... like a
bad boy.
12&12 p.119,
Step Twelve
5.
... like a
boomerang and all but cut ...
BB p.2,
Bill's Story
Out of this alloy of drink and speculation, I
commenced to forge the
weapon that one day would turn in its flight like a boomerang and all but cut me to ribbons.
6.
... like a
boy whistling in the dark ...
BB p.152,
A Vision For You
7.
... like a
central government can anywhere be ...
12&12 p.16,
Foreword
Why is it, they ask, that in A.A. no member can be set in personal authority over another, that nothing like a central government can
anywhere be seen?
8.
Like a
gaunt prospector, belt drawn in ...
BB p.128,
The Family Afterward
9.
... like a
gentleman or quit?"
BB p.20,
There Is A Solution
10.
... like a
gentleman, our hats are off ...
BB p.31,
More About Alcoholism
If anyone who is showing
inability to control
his drinking can do the right-about-face and drink like a gentleman, our hats are off
to him.
11.
... like a
good thing.
12&12 p.158,
Tradition Six
12.
... like a
hard question, but practically speaking, ...
12&12 p.68,
Step Six
13.
... like, a
Higher Power -- into our lives.
12&12 p.34,
Step Three
Like all the remaining Steps, Step Three calls for affirmative action, for
it is only by action that we can cut away the self-will which has always blocked the entry of God -- or, if you like, a Higher Power -- into our lives.
14.
... like a
mere means of getting money ...
12&12 p.121,
Step Twelve
When a job still looked like a mere means of getting money rather than an opportunity for service, when the acquisition of money for
financial independence looked more important than a right dependence upon God, we were still the victims of unreasonable fears.
15.
... like a
partner instead of like a ...
12&12 p.119,
Step Twelve
16.
... like a
pig, and was uncomfortable from ...
BB p.178,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
I put on thirty pounds of weight in about two months, looked like a pig, and was uncomfortable from shortness of breath.
17.
... like a
purposeless and pointless piece of ...
12&12 p.77,
Step Eight
This reopening of emotional wounds, some old, some perhaps forgotten, and some still
painfully festering,
will at first look like a purposeless and pointless piece of surgery.
18.
... like a
ski-jump.
BB p.7,
Bill's Story
19.
... like a
thunderbolt, a great thought came.
BB p.56,
We Agnostics
20.
... like a
tornado roaring his way through ...
BB p.82,
Into Action
21.
... like a
very big coin.
12&12 p.163,
Tradition Seven
22.
... like a
very dubious and improbable state ...
12&12 p.106,
Step Twelve
23.
... like a
year.
BB p.34,
More About Alcoholism
24.
... like alcoholics,
so we thought we'd build ...
12&12 p.155,
Tradition Six
25.
... like all
other societies, we do have ...
12&12 p.117,
Step Twelve
But just like all other societies, we do have
sex and marital problems, and sometimes
they are distressingly acute.
26.
Like all
the remaining Steps, Step Three ...
12&12 p.34,
Step Three
Like all the remaining Steps, Step Three calls for affirmative action, for
it is only by action that we can cut away the self-will which has always blocked the entry of God -- or, if you like, a Higher Power -- into our lives.
27.
... like an
actor who wants to run ...
BB p.60,
How It Works
Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the
rest of the players in his
own way.
28.
... like an
avalanche.
12&12 p.133,
Tradition Two
29.
... like an
opportunity to be helpful, so ...
BB p.138,
To Employers
This seemed to me like an opportunity to be helpful, so I spent two hours talking about alcoholism, the malady,
and described the symptoms and results as well as I could.
30.
... like Einstein's
theory of relativity or a ...
12&12 p.35,
Step Three
Maybe this all sounds mysterious and remote, something like Einstein's theory of relativity or a proposition in nuclear
physics.
31.
... like everybody
else, we were afflicted with ...
BB p.116,
To Wives
We wives found that, like everybody else, we were afflicted with
pride, self-pity, vanity and all the things which go to make up the self-centered person; and we were not above
selfishness or dishonesty.
32.
... like flickering
candles in a windstorm.
12&12 p.139,
Tradition Three
Hardly an alcoholic we
approached paid any attention; most of those who did join us were like flickering candles in a windstorm.
33.
... like half
of us thought we were ...
BB p.44,
We Agnostics
34.
... like him.
BB p.43,
More About Alcoholism
35.
... like him.
BB p.109,
To Wives
36.
... like him,
and have found the riddle's ...
12&12 p.32,
Step Two
37.
... like him
to approach you if the ...
BB p.90,
Working With Others
You need this information to put yourself in his place, to see how you would like him to approach you if the tables
were turned.
38.
... like him
to be.
BB p.126,
The Family Afterward
If not irritable, he may seem dull and boring, not gay and affectionate as the family would like him to be.
39.
... like him
who "view with alarm for ...
12&12 p.173,
Tradition Nine
He and all like him who "view
with alarm for the good of A.A." meet the most stubborn resistance or,
worse still, laughter.
40.
... like himself,
a spiritual life which does ...
BB p.129,
The Family Afterward
He will perceive that his
spiritual growth is lopsided, that for an average man like himself, a spiritual life which does
not include his family obligations may not be so perfect after all.
41.
... like himself,
have recovered.
BB p.113,
To Wives
42.
... like, in
any case, to be friendly.
BB p.95,
Working With Others
But point out that we alcoholics have much in common and that you would like,
in any case, to be friendly.
43.
... like infants
ourselves, that people protect and ...
12&12 p.115,
Step Twelve
When we had taken the opposite tack and had insisted, like infants ourselves, that
people protect and take care of us or that the world owed us a living, then the result had
been equally unfortunate.
44.
... like it.
12&12 p.156,
Tradition Six
We'd form groups of depressive and paranoid
folks; the deeper the neurosis, the better we'd
like it.
45.
... like it.
BB p.53,
We Agnostics
We still like it.
46.
... like it.
BB p.106,
To Wives
47.
... like it
understood that our alcoholic work ...
BB xiii,
Foreword to First Edition
48.
... like men
who have lost their legs; ...
BB p.30,
More About Alcoholism
49.
... like most
everybody does when afraid.
12&12 p.140,
Tradition Three
50.
Like most
people, we have found that ...
12&12 p.114,
Step Twelve
51.
Like myself,
he had admitted complete defeat.
BB p.11,
Bill's Story
52.
... like Napoleon
returning from Elba.
BB p.4,
Bill's Story
53.
... like now.
BB p.58,
How It Works
Our stories disclose in
a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now.
54.
... like number
two he became worse.
BB p.109,
To Wives
55.
... like one.
BB p.147,
To Employers
56.
... like one
prodigious squabble than anything else, ...
12&12 p.177,
Tradition Ten
Before we leveled off a
bit, A.A. looked more like one prodigious squabble
than anything else, at least on the surface.
57.
... like other
men.
BB p.22,
There Is A Solution
We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do
for months or years, he reacts much like other men.
58.
... like other
men.
BB p.31,
More About Alcoholism
Neither does there appear
to be any kind of treatment which will make alcoholics of our kind like other men.
59.
... like other
men have begotten all sorts ...
BB p.105,
To Wives
Our loyalty and the desire that our husbands hold up their heads and be like other men have begotten all sorts of predicaments.
60.
... like other
people.
BB p.24,
There Is A Solution
If these thoughts occur,
they are hazy and readily
supplanted with the old
threadbare idea that
this time we shall handle ourselves like other people.
61.
... like other
people.
BB p.30,
More About Alcoholism
Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been
characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could
drink like other people.
62.
... like other
people!
BB p.31,
More About Alcoholism
63.
... like other
people.
BB p.109,
To Wives
64.
... like other
people, but does not see ...
BB p.110,
To Wives
65.
... like other
people, or presently may be, ...
BB p.30,
More About Alcoholism
66.
... like others,
we often discover a greater ...
12&12 p.114,
Step Twelve
But also like others, we often discover a greater challenge in the lesser
and more continuous problems of life.
67.
... like our
husbands to be.
BB p.118,
To Wives
We women carry with us a picture of the ideal man, the sort of chap we would like our husbands to be.
68.
... like our
own.
12&12 p.61,
Step Five
69.
Like our
professional friends, we, too, are ...
12&12 p.38,
Step Three
70.
... like ourselves,
were sick too.
BB p.67,
How It Works
Though we did not like their
symptoms and the way these
disturbed us, they, like
ourselves, were sick too.
71.
... like parties
which would be dull without ...
BB p.110,
To Wives
72.
... like people
in a sinking ship.
BB p.152,
A Vision For You
73.
... like perfect
adherence to these principles.
BB p.60,
How It Works
74.
... like real
peace of mind.
12&12 p.74,
Step Seven
75.
... like restraint
of tongue and pen.
12&12 p.91,
Step Ten
76.
... like snow
in June.
BB p.106,
To Wives
77.
... like snow
in springtime.
12&12 p.164,
Tradition Seven
78.
... like so
much, and then asked me ...
BB p.42,
More About Alcoholism
They grinned, which I didn't like so much, and then asked me if I thought myself alcoholic and if I
were really licked this time.
79.
Like so
much of A.A.'s basic text, ...
BB xxiii,
Foreword to Fourth Edition
Like so much of A.A.'s basic text, those words have proved to be far more visionary than the founding members could ever have imagined.
80.
... like some
of them.
BB p.119,
To Wives
You may not like some of them.
81.
... like some
righteous people I see?
BB p.152,
A Vision For You
But am I to be consigned to a life where I shall be stupid, boring and glum, like some righteous people I see?
82.
... like tardiness.
12&12 p.103,
Step Eleven
We have seen A.A.'s ask with much earnestness and faith for
God's explicit guidance on matters ranging all the way from a shattering domestic or
financial crisis to correcting a minor personal fault, like tardiness.
83.
... like tempting
Providence, but it isn't.
BB p.101,
Working With Others
To a person who has had experience with an alcoholic, this may seem
like tempting Providence, but it isn't.
84.
... like that.
BB p.9,
Bill's Story
Drinkers are like that.
85.
... like that.
BB p.15,
Bill's Story
With us it is just like that.
86.
... like that?
BB p.81,
Into Action
In fairness we must say that she may understand,
but what are we going to do about a thing like that?
87.
... like that.
BB p.113,
To Wives
88.
... like that."
BB p.157,
A Vision For You
89.
... like that,
A.A. had a very special ...
12&12 p.117,
Step Twelve
90.
... like that
day the boiler burst in ...
12&12 p.149,
Tradition Four
Then came the inevitable
explosion -- something like that day the boiler burst in Wombley's Clapboard Factory.
91.
... like that";
or, most important, "Yes, I ...
BB xii,
Preface
If you have a drinking problem, we hope that you may
pause in reading one of the forty-two personal stories and think: "Yes, that happened to me"; or,
more important, "Yes, I've felt like that"; or, most important,
"Yes, I believe this program can work for me too."
92.
... like that,
too; it helps to envision ...
12&12 p.100,
Step Eleven
Well, meditation is
like that, too; it helps to
envision our spiritual objective before we try to move toward it.
93.
... like the
alcoholic's first drink it would, ...
12&12 p.164,
Tradition Seven
Compared to this prospect, the ten thousand dollars under consideration
wasn't much, but like the alcoholic's first drink it would, if taken, inevitably set up a disastrous chain reaction.
94.
... like the
devil and thank you to ...
BB p.149,
To Employers
95.
... like the
effect produced by alcohol.
BB xxviii(xxvi),
The Doctor's Opinion
96.
... like the
experience of an occasional retreat ...
12&12 p.89,
Step Ten
Many of us also like the experience of an occasional retreat from
the outside world where we
can quiet down for an undisturbed day or so of self-overhaul and meditation.
97.
... like the
farmer who came up out ...
BB p.82,
Into Action
98.
... like the
following take on a world ...
12&12 p.43,
Step Four
99.
... like the
Greenland Ice Cap, and even ...
BB p.101,
Working With Others
His only chance for sobriety would be some place
like the Greenland Ice Cap, and even there an Eskimo might turn up with a bottle of scotch and ruin everything!
100.
... like the
hole in the doughnut."
12&12 p.36,
Step Three
101.
... like the
idea.
BB p.12,
Bill's Story
I didn't like the idea.
102.
... like the
idea that God has accomplished ...
BB p.128,
The Family Afterward
While grateful that he drinks no more, they may not like the idea that God has accomplished the miracle where they failed.
103.
... like the
individual, must eventually conform to ...
12&12 p.146,
Tradition Four
We saw that the group, exactly like the individual, must eventually conform to whatever tested principles would guarantee survival.
104.
... like the
opening of a door which ...
12&12 p.34,
Step Three
Practicing Step Three is like the opening of a door which to all
appearances is still
closed and locked.
105.
... like the
passengers of a great liner ...
BB p.17,
There Is A Solution
We are like the passengers of a great liner the moment after rescue from shipwreck when camaraderie, joyousness and democracy pervade the vessel from steerage to Captain's table.
106.
... like the
philosophy of the man who, ...
BB p.23,
There Is A Solution
They sound like the philosophy of the man who,
having a headache, beats
himself on the head with a
hammer so that he can't feel
the ache.
107.
... like the
plague.
BB p.98,
Working With Others
108.
... like the
retired business man who lolls ...
BB p.61,
How It Works
He is like the retired business man who lolls in the Florida sunshine in the winter complaining of the sad state of the nation; the minister who sighs over the sins of the twentieth century; politicians and reformers who are sure all
would be Utopia if the rest
of the world would only behave; the outlaw safe cracker who thinks society has wronged him; and the alcoholic who has lost all
and is locked up.
109.
... like the
Society it serves, it will ...
BB p.575,
Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form)
XII. The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of
unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by
discussion, vote, and,
whenever possible, by
substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that
it never perform acts of government, and
that, like the Society it
serves, it will always remain democratic in thought
and action.
110.
... like the
thought that the contents of ...
BB p.118,
To Wives
We do not like the thought
that the contents of a book or the work of another alcoholic has accomplished in a few weeks that for which we struggled for years.
111.
... like their
symptoms and the way these ...
BB p.67,
How It Works
Though we did not like their
symptoms and the way these
disturbed us, they, like
ourselves, were sick too.
112.
... like their
true purpose and direction.
12&12 p.124,
Step Twelve
But today, in well-matured A.A.'s, these distorted drives have been
restored to something
like their true purpose and direction.
113.
... like these.
12&12 p.180,
Tradition Eleven
It is no exaggeration to
say that half of A.A.'s membership has been led to us through channels like these.
114.
... like these:
In addition to my drinking ...
12&12 p.51,
Step Four
Surveying his business or employment
record, almost any alcoholic can ask questions like these: In addition to my drinking problem, what character defects contributed to my financial instability?
115.
... like these,
more of which will come ...
12&12 p.52,
Step Four
Questions like these, more of which will come to mind easily in each individual case, will help turn up the root causes.
116.
... like this.
12&12 p.99,
Step Eleven
117.
... like this:
12&12 p.101,
Step Eleven
When, by such simple devices, we have placed ourselves in a mood in which
we can focus undisturbed on constructive imagination, we might proceed like this:
118.
... like this?
BB p.22,
There Is A Solution
119.
... like this.
BB p.110,
To Wives
120.
... like this:
BB p.141,
To Employers
121.
... like this!
BB xxix(xxvii),
The Doctor's Opinion
122.
... like this
are heard daily.
12&12 p.64,
Step Six
123.
... like this
around here.
12&12 p.143,
Tradition Three
124.
... like this:
Looking at both past and ...
12&12 p.52,
Step Four
Questioning directed to this end might run like this: Looking at both past and present, what sex situations have caused me anxiety, bitterness, frustration, or depression?
125.
... like this:
"My Creator, I am now ...
BB p.76,
Into Action
When ready, we say something like this: "My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad.
126.
... like this
one.
12&12 p.21,
Step One
127.
... like this
one?
12&12 p.158,
Tradition Six
Straightway he appeared at New York's A.A. headquarters, asking,
"Is there anything in our tradition that suggests
I shouldn't take a job like this one?
128.
... like this:
"Sure, I was beaten, absolutely ...
12&12 p.63,
Step Six
129.
... like those
who had insisted the Wrights ...
BB p.53,
We Agnostics
When others showed us that
"God-sufficiency" worked with them, we began to
feel like those who had insisted the
Wrights would never fly.
130.
... like to?
BB p.112,
To Wives
Just would he like to?
131.
... like to
be assured that the grace ...
12&12 p.76,
Step Seven
132.
... like to
be helpful to such cases.
BB xiv,
Foreword to First Edition
133.
... like to
call it nowadays.
BB p.61,
How It Works
134.
... like to
call the fourth dimension of ...
BB p.8,
Bill's Story
135.
... like to
feel just a little superior ...
12&12 p.66,
Step Six
Who, for example, doesn't like to feel just a little superior to the next fellow, or even quite a lot superior?
136.
... like to
get over drinking for good.
BB p.112,
To Wives
137.
... like to
help other drinkers.
BB p.112,
To Wives
138.
... like to
keep him, but cannot if ...
BB p.141,
To Employers
You might say you appreciate his abilities, would like to keep him, but cannot if he continues to drink.
139.
... like to
let greed masquerade as ambition?
12&12 p.66,
Step Six
140.
... like to
live at peace with himself ...
12&12 p.76,
Step Seven
141.
... like to
lose our support.
BB p.53,
We Agnostics
Perhaps we had been leaning too heavily on Reason that last mile and we did not like to lose our support.
142.
... like to
pronounce any individual as alcoholic, ...
BB p.31,
More About Alcoholism
143.
... like to
strive for whether our instinctual ...
12&12 p.72,
Step Seven
Seldom did we look at character-building as something desirable in
itself, something we
would like to strive for whether our instinctual
needs were met or not.
144.
... like us,
are suffering from the pains ...
12&12 p.92,
Step Ten
It will become more and more evident as we go forward that it is pointless to become angry, or to get hurt by people who, like us, are suffering from the
pains of growing up.
145.
... like us,
go through the emotional wringer.
12&12 p.99,
Step Eleven
We won't be biased or scared off by that fact, because although he was
not an alcoholic he did, like us, go through the emotional wringer.
146.
... like us
is the one aim that ...
12&12 p.151,
Tradition Five
This is our gift from God, and
its bestowal upon others like us is the one aim that today animates A.A.'s all around the globe.
147.
Like us,
they had suddenly found themselves ...
12&12 p.131,
Tradition One
Like us, they had suddenly
found themselves saved from death, but still floating upon a perilous sea.
148.
... like us
to keep our heads in ...
BB p.130,
The Family Afterward
We have come to believe He
would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him,
but that our feet ought to be
firmly planted on earth.
149.
... like, what
happened, and what we are ...
BB p.58,
How It Works
Our stories disclose in
a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now.
150.
... like you
are too heartbreaking.
BB p.43,
More About Alcoholism
151.
... like you
-- far too smart for our ...
12&12 p.29,
Step Two
152.
... like you
has begun to solve the ...
12&12 p.27,
Step Two
153.
... like you
to feel that we understand ...
BB p.104,
To Wives
154.
... like yours.
12&12 p.27,
Step Two
155.
... like yourself,
he is just beginning his ...
BB p.118,
To Wives
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.