We were most entertained
to discover that the 39th
Northern National Convention 2013 will be featuring a: “Yellow
Brick Road to Recovery Banner”.
Now one thing that usually
becomes evident to most members of AA (and quite rapidly) is that
there is no single road to recovery (yellow brick or otherwise).
There are however a set of “suggestions” which indicate the
general direction one might take. All roads indeed “lead to Rome”
and there are innumerable routes by which one might arrive at that
destination. Some travellers may be in a burning hurry and set off by
what they believe is the most direct path only to discover it to be
impassable and who are then forced to retrace their steps and start
again. Others, although similarly inclined, recognise that the
journey might have to be undertaken at a more moderate pace and that
perhaps the scenic way is more to their taste. Other still may like
to break their journey from time to time and explore intriguing side
avenues.. and so on … and so forth.....Count the number of AA
members and there you will discover the number of 'roads' to
recovery.
Allegories and metaphors
aside recovery is not a fairy tale. It's real and sometimes harsh.
The notion that all you have to do is follow 'directions' and all
will be well is a pleasant conceit but not necessarily reflected in
reality. Doing the “next right thing” does not guarantee of
itself that the desired end will follow (see here,
pp. 61). Good will not always triumph finally over evil (nor the
converse). They exist in an uneasy equilibrium and indeed neither
could subsist without the other. Good things happen to bad people and
bad to good etc etc …... and as for 'happily ever after'... well now we're back to fairy tales again!
Finally the 'guru' at the
end of Dorothy's quest really had nothing to offer her or her
friends. Indeed all he could point out was that what they thought they
lacked they in fact already possessed but otherwise it would seem he
was as much in the dark as they. So as gurus go he wasn't a complete
loss after all!
So although the Yellow
Brick Road might be quite an enticing and even consoling notion
perhaps you might prefer to trudge your own path along the Road(s) of
Happy Destiny where you may meet fellow wayfarers as your routes
occasionally cross.
Cheerio
The Fellas (Friends of
Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS Some snippets:
It's official! According
to the Road to Recovery (cult) group Plymouth humility has now been
redefined as: “Obedience to your sponsor” ….. nothing new
there then!
And from....
The Sponsorship Group (North New Jersey, US): (from their website):
“Our homegroup is
notorious in the North Jersey area for being adamant and at times
even fervent about offering the solution to Alcoholism as described
in the "Big Book" of AA - And we wouldn't change that if we
could”
Taking a leaf out of the
BBC 3's excellent series “The Revolution Will be Televised” (where among other civic minded
activities it 'slices and dices' bankers, tax avoiders (Boots,
Vodaphone .. the list grows ad infinitum.....), politicians ie. the
usual suspects) we offer the following translation of the above under
“HONEST” (in red):
“Our homegroup is well
known as a royal pain in the arse in the North Jersey area for
being arrogant and at times even
fanatical about offering the solution to
Alcoholism according to our extremely limited
knowledge of the “Big Book” of AA – And because
we're closed minded, ignorant nutters we wouldn't change that
if we could”.
We suggest the Sponsorship
Group consider these extracts from the text with which they claim to
have some - albeit extremely - limited acquaintance: (see BB, Chapter
7, Working With Others)
“Don't start out as an
evangelist or reformer” (p. 89)
“You will be most
successful with alcoholics if you do not exhibit any passion for
crusade or reform” (p. 95).
So much for the
“fervent/adamant” approach!
Cheerio... again!
