The Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous

David Bar-Tzur

Created 28 December 2007, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

(Explanation of the glossing system)

IF WE CAREFUL ABOUT THIS PART OUR DEVELOPMENT, WE WILL AMAZED BEFORE WE HALFWAY FINISH. WE WILL KNOW NEW FREEDOM, NEW HAPPINESS. WE WILL NOT REGRET PAST OR WISH CLOSE-DOOR-ON-past. WE WILL UNDERSTAND WORD SERENITY AND WILL KNOW PEACE. DOESN'T-MATTER LIFE DEGENERATE, OH-I-SEE EXPERIENCE HELP OTHERS. FEEL WORTHLESS AND PITY-self WILL GONE. WE WILL NOT INTERESTED SELFISH AND BECOME INTERESTED OTHERS. alt.ME-ME WILL DISSOLVE. OUR WHOLE ATTITUDE PERSPECTIVE LIFE WILL CHANGE-PARADIGM. FEAR ABOUT PEOPLE AND MONEY BARELY-ENOUGH WILL LEAVE. WE WILL INTUIT HOW CONTROL SITUATION USED-TO FEEL BAFFLED. WE WILL FAST REALIZE GOD DO FOR US WHAT WE CAN'T OURSELVES. WE PROMISE EXAGGERATE? WE THINK NOT. PROMISE BECOME TRUE, SOMETIMES FAST, SOMETIMES SLOW. WILL BECOME TRUE IF WE WORK GO-TOWARDS-GOAL.


Notes: HALFWAY - (2h)[1], NDH PO > DS, FO away, DH PO > signer, FO > NDS, slices across NDH knuckle ("half") + WAY.

HALFWAY - (2h)[1], NDH PO > DS, FO away, DH PO > signer, FO > NDS, slices across NDH knuckle ("half") + WAY.

REGRET - [Y] twists thumb against chin.

CLOSE-DOOR-ON-past - Sign CLOSE-DOOR but twist to the DS as if referring to the past.

SERENITY - For the Serenity Prayer, Deaf people usually sign PEACE, but since PEACE is mentioned in the next phrase, you could sign (2h)PEACE-SIGN, that is (2h)[V], PO away, FOs up.

DEGENERATE - (2h)[A dot], POs ><, FOs up, hands descend in a wavy pattern.

alt.ME-ME - alt. strike chest with index fingers.

CHANGE-PARADIGM - (2h)[C] grasp at top of head and move as if twist the top around 180 degrees.

FEAR - (2h)[5], POs away, FOs up, hands are held far from body and move back to body in a wavy pattern.

BARELY-ENOUGH - (2h)[open 8] alt. move in vertical circles striking respective sides of mouth.

INTUIT - Tap DS of waist with [B^].

BAFFLED - [4], PO away, FO up, strikes forehead and FT curl.

GO-TOWARDS-GOAL - like the sign GOAL but the DH moves in a vertical circle while going towards the goal to show a constant process.

Text:

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Are these extravagant promises? We think not. [Note: Some groups have members say "We think not" with reader.] They are being fulfilled among us - sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

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