Thoughts on Recovery – No. 13 – The powerful significance of Bill’s Story

Dr Mike explains that the  layout of Bill’s story is to show the reader how someone became hopeless in mind and body and was offered the solution outlined in this book.  The author then he tells us how he took the steps in Towns hospital and what happened to him. This chapter is designed to see if you relate to how he thinks and drank and see the progression of the disease in Bill. This chapter was written in 1937. Bill describes how he was a war hero and came back to the states and got a law degree and became successful on wall street. His goal was to prove to the world he was a success. Anyone relate? Meanwhile his drinking was assuming a bigger role in his life and starting to bother his work and relationships. Then he loses everything in the great stock market crash of 1929. He goes on the downward spiral of alcoholism and on page 8 we see where bill is defeated and takes the first step.

Thus in 1934 bill is completely defeated and has no hope. Fear could not keep him sober. He is told by Dr. silkworth about the disease concept of alcoholism. Bill thinks that self knowledge will fix his problem but is drunk again. There is no AA, no 12 steps, no program of recovery. Yet we are here today. So what happened?

I believe God wanted to send his spiritual message to the world and chose Bill like he chose Saul on the damascus highway. He sent Ebby Thatcher to his home in nov 1934 with the solution from the oxford group. The meeting and discussion is very well presented. Bill being completely defeated finally is able to choose his own conception of God. Then the steps he took are outlined and he has a spiritual change . His spiritual experience was so powerful it kept him sober for 8 months till he met  Dr. Bob and the beginning of our society in may 1935.  Please listen to the podcasts on bill’s story. I cover it in 4 parts as there is so much to be learned from those pages. Would like to hear from you mhurwitz50@gmail.com  .