A New Life
Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening?
No, sobriety is only a bare beginning: it is only the first gift of the first awakening. If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on. As it does go on, we find that bit by bit we can discard the old life-the one that did not work-for a new life that can and does work under any conditions whatever.
Regardless of worldly success or failure, regardless of pain or joy, regardless of sickness or health or even of death itself, a new life of endless possibilities can be lived if we are willing to continue our awakening, through the practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps.
Clarence H. Snyder believed
Clarence H. Snyder believed in the premise that recovery from alcoholism can be permanent, and that the primary purpose of A.A. was not to keep the alcoholic away from a drink, "a day-at-a-time." He believed in an A.A. which was a bridge back to life for the alcoholic, in order that they might LIVE a "day-at-a-time."
Bill Wilson once stated, in a letter to Clarence, dated November 9, 1955: After all, A.A. is a sort of kindergarten - It's something we pass through to a better way of life and a wider usefulness. Bill often after repeated this statement.