---
title: Blog | Alcoholics Anonymous (14)
description: Alcoholics Anonymous | The Next Step | Weekly Wisdom on Addiction, Recovery, Families, and Everything In-Between (14)
---

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[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/Book-Glasses.jpeg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-is-my-purpose-in-life)

## [What is My Purpose in Life?](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-is-my-purpose-in-life)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Mar 7, 2017 6:00:00 AM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book), [Drug Rehab](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/drug-rehab), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program), [Drugs Adiction](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/drugs-adiction)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-is-my-purpose-in-life#comments-listing)

Most people ask this at some point in their lives. I started out confused. I came from a crazy, violent alcoholic family in the 1950’s that also had upper middle class Republican Party professional values. I was expected to do well in school, go to college and graduate school, have a profession and be a success. I was also torn to shreds, physically and emotionally for any real or imaginary flaw. I drank and drugged every hour of every day from age 10 to age 40. Thirty years of struggle to be somebody. I collected an education and a profession, one confused academic credit at a time. Then I got sober and suddenly, I was fully conscious. Now, what?

[Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-is-my-purpose-in-life)

[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/aa_military.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/aa-and-the-armed-forces)

## [AA and the Armed Forces.](https://blog.theretreat.org/aa-and-the-armed-forces)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Mar 2, 2017 5:25:03 PM / by [Maj Donovan](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/maj-donovan) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [alcoholism](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholism), [substance abuse](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/substance-abuse), [AA meetings](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-meetings), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 2 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/aa-and-the-armed-forces#comments-listing)

 

I would like to share some of my thoughts on the long tradition of cooperation that the U.S. Armed Forces have enjoyed with Alcoholics Anonymous. As you probably know, **the program of AA was co-founded by a former WWI Field Artillery officer of the U.S. Army - Lt. Bill Wilson.** I have often wondered how Bill's war time experiences may have intensified his alcoholism and his subsequent recovery therefrom. If you doubt that WWI had a profound affect on Bill, you need only look at the first word of the first chapter of the Big Book - "War fever ran high..."

[Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/aa-and-the-armed-forces)

[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/family_fighting.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/children-are-part-of-the-family-too)

## [Children are Part of the Family, too!](https://blog.theretreat.org/children-are-part-of-the-family-too)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Feb 23, 2017 9:59:55 AM / by [Sherry Gaugler-Stewart](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/sherry-gaugler-stewart) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [family recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/family-recovery), [alcoholism](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholism), [Family Sober Support](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/family-sober-support), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/children-are-part-of-the-family-too#comments-listing)

 

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[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/Girl_Recovery.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/unlocking-your-truth)

## [Unlocking Your Truth.](https://blog.theretreat.org/unlocking-your-truth)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Feb 15, 2017 9:00:00 AM / by [Kara F](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/kara-f) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa), [12 Traditions Of AA](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-traditions-of-aa), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program), [Chemical Dependency](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/chemical-dependency)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/unlocking-your-truth#comments-listing)

 Yesterday I broke a little. OK, since I am talking about unlocking truth, I think I actually broke a

 lot. I sort of shattered.

  

**This process of recovery...its more than putting down my substance.** Although that was the first

 obvious step, and a struggle in itself, nobody could prepare me for the journey that lay ahead

 once I got sober. As I write this, my desire is to fill a page with positive and encouraging words

 that will uplift and give hope. But today I am not feelin’ it and am in the midst of unlocking some

 truths. Truths about myself and my character. Truths about my past and the harm I have done.

 Truths about the harm that I endured through others. Truths about the fear I am allowing myself

 to live in.

[Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/unlocking-your-truth)

[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/man-sitting-alone.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/there-is-no-god-and-he-hates-me)

## [There is no god, and he hates me.](https://blog.theretreat.org/there-is-no-god-and-he-hates-me)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Feb 6, 2017 8:00:00 AM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [alcoholism](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholism), [AA meetings](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-meetings), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 1 Comment](https://blog.theretreat.org/there-is-no-god-and-he-hates-me#comments-listing)

The disease of alcoholism and addiction shows up in our lives in the form of a voice in our heads.  That voice is like a channel of discouragement that is hard to totally eliminate. The addictive voice doesn’t have to make any sense to be effective. Because it has been there so long, and because its messages are so consistently depressing, we come to accept it, just because it wears us down.

[Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/there-is-no-god-and-he-hates-me)

[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/social-suggested-images/older_couple-1.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/the-spirituality-of-experience)

## [The Spirituality of Experience.](https://blog.theretreat.org/the-spirituality-of-experience)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Feb 1, 2017 8:30:00 AM / by [Stephen Crane](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/stephen-crane) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book), [Older Adult Recovery Programs](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/older-adult-recovery-programs), [Men's Sober Residential](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/mens-sober-residential), [Women's Sober Residential](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/womens-sober-residential)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 1 Comment](https://blog.theretreat.org/the-spirituality-of-experience#comments-listing)

 

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## [Just because I MADE a mistake, doesn’t mean I AM a mistake.](https://blog.theretreat.org/just-because-i-made-a-mistake-doesnt-mean-i-am-a-mistake)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Jan 26, 2017 11:30:00 AM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book), [Men's Sober Residential](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/mens-sober-residential), [Women's Sober Residential](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/womens-sober-residential), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 1 Comment](https://blog.theretreat.org/just-because-i-made-a-mistake-doesnt-mean-i-am-a-mistake#comments-listing)

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[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/ChildPlayinginForest.jpeg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/beliefs-my-beliefs-and-yours)

## [Beliefs: My Beliefs and Yours.](https://blog.theretreat.org/beliefs-my-beliefs-and-yours)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Jan 19, 2017 12:41:02 PM / by [Sherry Gaugler-Stewart](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/sherry-gaugler-stewart) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [family recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/family-recovery), [alcoholism](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholism), [Family Sober Support](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/family-sober-support), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/beliefs-my-beliefs-and-yours#comments-listing)

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[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/girl_lake.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/addicted-to-self-will)

## [Addicted to Self Will?](https://blog.theretreat.org/addicted-to-self-will)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Jan 11, 2017 9:00:00 AM / by [Kara F](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/kara-f) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [substance abuse](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/substance-abuse), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program), [Chemical Dependency](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/chemical-dependency)

[\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/addicted-to-self-will#comments-listing)

 Hello my name is Kara and I am addicted to self-will!

Page 62 of the Big Book of [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://www.theretreat.org/alumni-friends/calendar) states “**So our troubles, we think , are basically of our own making.**  **They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot”…..um….bummer! ** I don’t know about you but I have never lived in peace and riot at the same time.  Of course, I have given it one heck of an effort, but the 2 don’t mesh.  Ultimately, through experiencing both peace and unrest, I decided I would like to choose peace.  It’s one or the other. And I like peace!

[Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/addicted-to-self-will)

[![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/images/Couple_sitting.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/practicing-hospitality)

## [Practicing Hospitality](https://blog.theretreat.org/practicing-hospitality)

 \[fa icon="calendar'\] Dec 28, 2016 9:00:00 AM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book), [12 Traditions Of AA](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-traditions-of-aa), [Recovery Program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-program)

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