SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org

I am responsible

when anyone, anywhere, reach-es out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be

there, and for that I am respon-

sible.

life·line | \ ˈlīf-ˌlīn : 1. A rope or line used for life-saving, typically one thrown to rescue someone in difficulties in water.

2. A thing on which someone depends for a means of escape from a difficult situation. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com

I approached the Fifth Step reluctantly. It was like

swallowing a bitter pill. I knew that it had to be done,

that it was best for me. But I didn't know why. My

choice of another person with whom to take the Fifth

Step would be quite different now, because I feel

that I have become a better judge of maturity and

mental sobriety. But the person I chose at that time

was a dear friend, at least on a superficial level, and

we seemed to have much in common. It is true that

she made it quite easy for me. Afterwards, I still did-

n't know why I had taken the Step. But I had done it!

I felt terrific relief, knowing that it was behind me and

that it was one Step I could say had been taken. It

was finished, I thought. Then the woman with whom

I had taken the Fifth Step seemed to have a relapse.

While she didn't drink, she became quite erratic and

frantic. All I could see, not having much maturity,

was that she was not as pleasant and nice as she

had been. One day she threatened me, in a veiled

way, with the knowledge she had acquired when I

took the Fifth Step with her. I could hardly believe it.

My husband was present at the time, and all I had to

do was glance at him to know that the threat wasn't

in my imagination. My first reaction was disbelief.

Then a great sorrow and compassion flowed through

me, that a human being could be so desperate for

reassurance. Only later did it occur to me that there

was absolutely no fear within me because of what

she knew about me or might possibly reveal. The

mere fact of having taken the Step had washed

away the hidden fear and the secret, exaggerated

guilts I had lived with. I realized that simply by taking

the Fifth Step my inability to see anything outside

myself had been removed. I now was able to think in

terms of another person. Then I started to under-

stand what this Step means: release from fear, in

order that we may begin. For until this release from

fear is effected we can't possibly find the freedom

that is vital for progress in our new way of life. The

Fifth Step isn't, after all, an ending. It is the beginning

- of truth, of reality, of living in the present, rather

than in the nightmarish past or frightening future.

J. V. Malawi, Africa http://www.silkworth.net/downloads/

pdf/1969grapevinearticlessteps.pdf

The Fifth Step was a giant step in her pro-gress, taking her far-ther than she realized

MAY 2020 Volume 44, #5

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 2

A. A. Old-timers…On the

Fifth Step

Admitted to God, to ourselves, and

to another human being the exact

nature of our wrongs.

This is a tough step and takes

courage to do. It is, however, a

step that can be done if you make

sufficient effort. It is not new. The

Catholic church uses it in their

confessional and the psychiatrist

uses it.

Drinking is caused by inner con-

flicts and the only way to get rid of

these conflicts is to bring them out

in the open and destroy them.

Wrongs cause conflicts, hence the

necessity of this step.

Take the first phrase, “Admitted to

God.” How do you do this? First

learn humility so that you can ask

help in a humble manner. If you

have difficulty in admitting the ac-

tuality of a supreme power, work

on the premise that there might be

one. Once you get your mind in

tune with the infinite it is not diffi-

cult to realize that you have no se-

crets from God. “Admitted to our-

selves.” This can only be done

when we are honest with our-

selves. In this program it is folly to

try to kid yourself. Be ruthless in

your soul searching and come

clean. Great care should be taken

in choosing “another human be-

ing.” It must be someone you can

trust. Your lawyer, your doctor,

your priest or minister, another

A.A., or a friend; someone who will

act as a sounding board and keep

your confidence. Once you take

this step you will be astounded at

the relief you feel. The burden of

despair will be lifted from your

back and you will be free. It is es-

sential for every A.A. to realize the

importance of taking this 5th step.

By so doing, all enmities, resent-

ments and wrong thinking may be

cast out and we can continue to

the next step with a clear con-

science. It is advisable to repeat

this step from time to time be-

cause it is human to err and even

A.A.s are human. Bert T. , https://

bigbooksponsorship.org/articles-alcoholism-addiction-

12-step-program-recovery/aa-history/aa-oldtimerson-

step/

“We pocket our pride and go to it, illu-

minating every twist of character, eve-

ry dark cranny of the past. Once we

have taken this step, withholding noth-

ing, we are delighted. We can look

the world in the eye. We can be alone

at perfect peace and ease. Our fears

fall from us. We begin to feel the

nearness of our Creator. We many

have had certain spiritual beliefs, but

now we begin to have a spiritual expe-

rience. The feeling that the drink

problem has disappeared will often

come strongly. We feel we are on the

Broad Highway, walking hand in hand

with the Spirit of the Universe.”

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 75

And how it actually ends...

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 3

Q - What happened to your

sponsor, Ebby?

A - It was Ebby who brought me the message that saved my life and

uncounted thousands of others. Because of gratitude and old friend-

ship, my wife Lois and I invited Ebby to live at our home shortly after I

sobered up. The son of a well-to-do family in Albany, he had never

learned any profession so he was broke and had to begin all over.

These were difficult circumstances, naturally.

Ebby stayed with us something like a year and a half. Being intent on getting re-established in life, he took

little interest in helping other alcoholics. Little by little, he commenced the rationalization we have seen so

often. He began to say that if he had the right romance and the right job then things would be okay. At

length, he fell by the wayside. He would not mind if I tell this - it is a part of his story today.

For many years, my old friend Ebby was on the wagon and off. Sometimes he could stay sober for a year

or more. He tried living with Lois and me for another considerable period but apparently this was of no help.

Maybe we actually hindered him. As A.A. began to grow his position became difficult. For a long time

things went from bad to worse.

About six years ago the groups down in Texas decided to try their hand. Ebby was shipped non-stop to

Dallas and placed in an A.A. drying out place. In these new surroundings in Texas, far from his old failures,

he has made a splendid recovery. Excepting for one slip which occurred about a year after his arrival down

there he has been bone dry ever since. This is one of the deepest satisfactions that has ever come to me

since A.A. started and many another A.A. can say the same. © (N.C.C.A. 'Blue Book,' Vol.12, 1960) http://www.a-1associates.com/aa/

LETS_ASK_BILL/Ebby2.htm

Let's Ask Bill

A.A. Members & Writings of: Ebby Thacher EBBY T., The Man Who Carried The Message To Bill W. - In 1960, at the Long Beach, California Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson wrote this dedication in an AA book that he gave to Ebby Thacher.—"Dear Ebby, No day passes that I do not remember that you brought me the message that saved me - and only God knows how many more. -In affection, Bill" Ebby had been enabled to bring me the gift of grace be-cause he could reach me at depth through the language of the heart. He had pushed ajar that great gate through which all in AA have since passed to find their freedom under God." -- Bill W., Grapevine

http://silkworth.net/pages/aahistory/member_writings/ebbythacher.php

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 4

“When we decide who is to hear

our story, we waste no time. We

have a written inventory and we

are prepared for a long talk.” Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 73

“We are not therapists in AA where we need to analyze what sponsees say in any kind of pro-fessional way. AA does not send sponsors to school to learn how to hear 5th steps the correct AA way. Remember, the Big Book never even says you have tell your 5th step to a sponsor. Just think if you weren't in AA. Some friend could have just asked you hear her 5th step. What would you have done? Just listened, no? Maybe given some common sense feedback. Don't put pressure on yourself. Things always seem to have a way of working out. Must be that higher power thing.”

“I’m on the other end of this...working on my 4th and dreading my 5th....So i would be inter-ested in what others have felt their role is in "judging" or "pointing out"

or whatever to the person who is sharing their 4th step. it confuses me, cause i want to do this step right...want to be open to criticism, but I don't exactly see oth-er AA members as having exactly the skills to perceive and tell me what my "real" problem is.... That doesn't sound right. I don't know how to explain it… But like what someone else shared...he didn't say anything about telling the per-son sharing their 4th what defects they see... or how they see the self-ishness and self-centeredness dis-played. Is the sponsor suppose to tell you that stuff, or are they sup-pose to just help you to see as much of it as you can for yourself?”

“If the person you are working with seems to be holding something back, try revealing some-thing shocking about yourself just to make them feel less shameful. It might even get you

some extra spiritual awakening as well.”

“Admitted to God, our-selves and another hu-man being the exact na-ture of our wrongs. My job is to listen. I don't judge or point out de-

fects. I do share a few of my wrongs during the step to show I'm not looking down on any one. That's just me

though.”

“I echo all suggestions and might add that I always make a point after we have finished the sharing, to read the 6TH and 7TH steps with the sponsee and recite the 7TH step prayer. I always make a point of asking the sponsee to tell me about their character traits that they are MOST PROUD OF and also those same traits that they feel oth-ers in their lives are appreciative of. Again my opinion, but I feel that it is important that we make it clear that no one is all bad or defective, there are many characteristics that will be enhanced as we lead a sober life.. In my opinion and based on several 5TH steps, as long as we come to-gether to take this important step with willing hearts and minds they always work out.”

“I found that my 5th step wasn't truly over until I heard one. There was magic in me sharing some of my horrors that I do not share in open meetings.”

“Any advice on working the 5th step with a sponsee? I will re-read the 4th and 5th steps just before meeting with her. I will pray for my HP to help me see the things/say the things I need to. Any advice from those of you who have ex-perience doing this? I think I'm a little nervous.”

“Well here are some-things we do. I tell them that it is a privilege for me to hear it and i reaffirm confidentiality. I always allow enough time...it may be lengthy. Normally if i get the privilege to hear it ill go for a whole day clear, give or take. I have an hour of prayer and meditation before, I suggest to the sponsee that they do the same, as well as afterwards. I also ask that they call me that evening or that we meet up again within 24hrs. I ask them if they have any dark corners or stuff they have omitted. I will then pray for said person and thank God for putting me in the right place at the right time.”

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/alcoholism-12-step-support/203753-working-step-5-w-sponsee.html

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 5

Ebby’s Neat Little Formula

Part of Bridging the Gap between a treatment program and A.A. is the Temporary Contact Program, which is designed to help the alcoholic in an alcoholism treatment program make that transition. As you know, one of the more “slippery” places in the journey to sobriety is between the door of the facility and the nearest A.A. group or meeting. Some of us can tell you that, even though we heard of A.A. in treatment, we were too fearful to go. A.A. experience suggests that attending meetings regularly is critical. In order to bridge the gap, A.A. members have volunteered to be temporary contacts and in-troduce newcomers to Alcoholics Anonymous. Treatment facilities typically emphasize the importance of having a tempo-rary contact as the essential link between treatment and recovery. It is suggested that the temporary contact take the new-comer to a variety of A.A. meetings; introduce him or her to other A.A.s; insure that he or she has the phone numbers of sev-eral A.A. members, and share the experience of sponsorship and a home group.

A few days after Bill Wilson entered Towns Hospital

(December 11, 1934) he was visited by his sponsor-

to-be, Ebby Thacher. Ebby reiterated his “neat little

formula,” which was initially discussed at the “kitchen

table“ meeting several weeks previous at 182 Clinton

Street. Though agnostic, Bill was completely deflated

and willing to try anything that would release him

from the powerful grip of alcoholism—his physician,

Dr. Silkworth, had diagnosed him to die or become

insane within a year.

The Ebby’s neat little formula is ingrained in our

Twelve Step program of action today. It was: Admit

you are licked (Step One); Get honest with yourself

(Step Four), Talk it out with somebody else (Step

Five); Make restitution to the people you have

harmed (Steps Eight and Nine); Try to give of your-

self without stint, with no demand for reward (Step

Twelve); Pray to whatever God you think there is,

even as an experiment (Step Eleven).* Bill actually

put these ideas into action on page 13 of the Big

Book, and, of course, there accordingly followed his

well-known spiritual experience revealed on the next

page.

But Bill, the ardent agnostic, still had doubts whether

this amazing event was truly a spiritual experience—

perhaps it was only an illusionary hallucination or

perhaps the effect of medication. But as fate would

have it, he was brought—just at that time—a book

titled, “Varieties of Religious Experience, by William

James, who was the father of modern psychology, no

less. His immediate identification with the persons in

this writing gave him confidence that Ebby’s neat lit-

tle formula was indeed in manifest! He came to be-

lieve that his experience was indeed spiritual!

Bill believed! But why should we believe? Bill had an

overwhelming desire regain his once highly respect-

ed status on Wall Street, but upon release from

Town’s Hospital, December 18th, 1934, he headed

for the Calvary Mission instead. His new modus op-

erandi was of a single purpose: to help other alco-

holics recover—Wall Street was placed on the back

burner! He brought a derelict from Calvary Mission

to his elegant home, fed him, prayed with him, ex-

plained Ebby’s neat little formula to him, but the poor

sot got drunk, as did the next and the next and many

to follow through the next four months, but Bill never

gave up! He was an unstoppable steam roller!

Whatever his motive, it cannot be argued but what he

had experienced a personality change. What does

that prove? Please read the first paragraph of Ap-

pendix II, which speaks of: ”. . . a personality change

sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism.”

Bill Wilson never drank again! Ebby’s neat little for-

mula worked! AA Comes of Age (p 62-63). By Bob S., Richmond, IN

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 6

IncredIble benefIts of AA’s 5th step

In The 12 Steps and 12 Traditions,

Bill Wilson explains the benefits of

thoroughly completing a 5th step. The

fifth step of the 12 step recovery pro-

gram states that we, “Admitted to

God, to ourselves, and to another hu-

man being the exact nature of our

wrongs.” This vital exercise begins to

provide emotional, mental and spir-

itual relief. By sharing wrong with a

trusted confidant, guilt and shame

start to melt away. Newcomers begin

to realize their troubled past isn’t as

unique as once thought.

For many newcomers to sobriety,

the steps look like a tall order. I re-

member, at a very young age, reading

the steps where I went to church. Too

young to understand their purpose, I

remember thinking whoever prac-

ticed those steps must be pretty ex-

treme. Even as an upcoming alcoholic

in grade school, I knew the steps

sounded a little…well… cultish.

Even the Big Book addresses the

neurotic newcomer exclaim-

ing, “What an order! I can’t go

through with it.” Truth be told, the

steps are extreme. Unfortunately ad-

diction is, by its very nature, excep-

tionally extreme. And alcohol addic-

tion is no exception. To arrest an ex-

treme illness, a treatment that em-

ploys drastic measures must be taken.

A lot of sober newcomers bounce

out of the program after the 3rd step.

The ones that do make it through the

4th step hit snags on the 5th step be-

cause it demands rigorous honesty.

That’s rigorous, not partial honesty or

mostly honest… rigorous honesty!

Both painful and rewarding, the

5th step is essential to the fundamen-

tal change of personality required to

overcome alcohol addiction. In its

simplest form, the fifth step is simply

a confession of personal wrong-

doings. Confession is a long standing

practice in the Judeo/Christian tradi-

tion, and alcoholics usually store a

vast collection of closet skeletons. By

sharing the depths of their conscience

with another person, alcoholics allow

fresh air to enter their soul’s closely-

guarded closet of shameful skeletons.

The original architects of the 12

steps wove the powerful, spiritual tra-

dition of confession for a reason. It is

effective. It is healing. It is one of the

most valuable tools to alleviate past

burdens. As Bill Wilson notes:

“If we have swept the search light

of Step Four back and forth over our

careers, and it has revealed in stark

relief those experiences we’d rather

not remember, if we have come to

know how wrong thinking and action

have hurt us and others, then the

need to quit living by ourselves with

those tormenting ghosts of yesterday

gets more urgent than ever. We have

to talk to somebody about

them.” (12×12, pg.55).

This is precisely what the 5th Step

of the 12 step process requires of

those who genuinely desire sobriety –

a candid discussion in light of a 4th

step inventory. Although the word

“required” repels many an alcoholics,

Bill Wilson further warns that

“without a fearless admission of our

defects to another human being we

could not stay sober.” (12×12, pgs.

56&57). Obviously, staying sober is a

prerequisite for meaningful, fulfilling

recovery.

But personal admission of one’s

checkered past offers more than

mere relief. The Big Book states that

the fifth step, if conducted fearlessly

and thoroughly, reveals unhealthy

patterns of behavior. Destructive be-

haviors reflect underlying character

defects, the engine that drives off-the

-wall actions. Before freshly-sober

members can begin to address these

core issues, they must undertake an

identification process to understand

their precise nature.

Of course, personal admission of a

rag-tag past is sobering in and of it-

self. As Wilson points out, however,

meaningful insights offer the poten-

tial to initiate a purging of core issues

that drive alcoholics to drink. Incredi-

ble emotional and mental relief, cou-

pled with profound personal insight,

makes the fifth step a valuable exer-

cise for anyone. Successful comple-

tion marks a return to sanity, or a

clear recognition of who and what we

are.

For most with a truly self-addicted

mind, the 12 step recovery process

provides an invaluable method to rid

oneself of self pity, emotional entan-

glements, delusions of grandeur and

‘playing the victim.’ Step Five initiates

the change. But remember, there are

seven steps to go!

https://discoveryplace.info/12-step/incredible-benefits-

of-aas-5th-step/

*Parts of this article have been edited for spatial pur-

poses.

The Fifth Step

is More Than

Just Relief

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 7

https://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-43_thetwelvetradiillustrated.pdf

Every newcomer learns (some of us the hard way) that the business of staying sober

must have top priority. If we fail at that, we can’t succeed at anything else. The Fifth

Tradition tells us that groups should remember their “one primary purpose.” Often, un-

thinking enthusiasm puts a group off the main track. One, for instance, offered an

“expanded A.A. program” that included helping newcomers to find jobs. Tradition Five

doesn’t frown on the individual A.A. who tells another about a good opening. But when

the group turns itself into an employment agency, newcomers may get confused about

their primary purpose. A.A.’s function is to help them get sober—then they can find

work for themselves. Using discretion, a member may lend a few dollars needed for a

meal or a hotel room, or may even invite a broke alcoholic to be a temporary house-

guest. But the A.A. group as a whole is not a friendly finance company, nor a welfare

department, nor a housing bureau. Even when acting on their own, as individual mem-

bers, A.A. lay people certainly shouldn’t award themselves honorary medical degrees

and hand out diagnoses and prescriptions and amateur analysis of other people’s neu-

roses. Exactly because this personal failing is so common, the A.A. group in all its

dealings should be extra careful to emphasize that it is not invading the medical field.

Through the personal experiences of its members, it is qualified to carry only one mes-

sage: how an alcoholic can recover in A.A. That’s all. Yet one group recently felt itself

equipped to set up an “alcoholism information center.” The temptation is understanda-

ble; it was even stronger at the time this Tradition was written, because public igno-

rance about alcoholism as an illness was more widespread than it is now. Since then,

other agencies have sprung up to assume the task of educating the general public on

alcoholism. That is not A.A.’s purpose, but these agencies also are trying to help the

active alcoholic. They are our friends—and Tradition Six marks the boundaries of the

relationship.…

TRADITION FIVE: Each group has but one primary purpose...to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 8

In his seventieth year, and on the twenty-first of March, my friend and sponsor "Ebby" passed be-yond our sight and hearing.

On a chill November afternoon in 1934 it was Ebby who had brought me the message that saved my life. Still more importantly, he was the bearer of the Grace and of the principles that shortly afterward led to my spiritual awakening. This was truly a call to new life in the Spirit. It was the kid of rebirth that has since become the most pre-cious possession of each and all of us.

As I looked upon him where he lay in perfect repose, I was stirred by poignant memories of all the years I had known and loved him.

There were recollections of those joyous days in a Vermont boarding school. After the war years we were sometimes together, then drinking of course. Alcohol, we thought, was the solvent for all dif-ficulties, a veritable elixir for good living.

Then there was that absurd epi-sode of 1929. Ebby and I were on an all-night spree in Albany. Sud-denly we remembered that a new airfield had been constructed in Vermont, on a pasture near my own home town. The opening day was close at hand. Then came the intoxicating thought: If only we could hire a plane we'd beat the opening by several days, thus making aviation history ourselves! Forthwith, Ebby routed a pilot friend out of bed, and for a stiff price we engaged him and his small craft. We sent the town fa-thers a wire announcing the time of our arrival. In midmorning, we

took to the air, greatly elated -- and very tight.

Somehow our rather tipsy pilot set us down on the field. A large crowd, including the village band and a welcoming committee, lustily cheered his feat. The pilot then deplaned. But nothing else hap-pened, nothing at all. The onlook-ers stood in puzzled silence. Where were Ebby and Bill? Then the horrible discovery was made -- we were both slumped in the rear cockpit of the plane, completely passed out! Kind friends lifted us down and stood us upon the ground. Whereupon we history-makers fell flat on our faces. Igno-miniously, we had to be carted away. The fiasco could not have been more appalling. We spent the next day shakily writing apolo-gies.

Over the following five years, I sel-dom saw Ebby. But of course our drinking went on and on. In late 1934 I got a terrific jolt when I learned that Ebby was about to be locked up, this time in a state men-tal hospital.

Following a serious of mad sprees, he had run his father's new Pack-ard off the road and into the side of a dwelling, smashing right into its kitchen, and just missing a terri-fied housewife. Thinking to east this rather awkward situation, Eb-by summoned his brightest smile and said, "Well, my dear, how about a cup of coffee?"

Of course Ebby's lighthearted hu-mor was quite lost on everyone concerned. Their patience worn thin, the town fathers yanked him into court. To all appearances, Eb-by's final destination was the in-

sane asylum. To me, this marked the end of the line for us both. On-ly a short time before, my physi-cian, Dr. Silkworth, had felt obliged to tell Lois there was no hope of my recovery; that I, too would have to be confined, else risk in-sanity or death.

But providence would have it oth-erwise. It was presently learned that Ebby had been paroled into the custody of friends who (for the time being) had achieved their so-briety in the Oxford Groups. They brought Ebby to New York where he fell under the benign influence of AA's great friend-to-be, Dr. Sam Shoemaker, the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church. Much affected by Sam and the "O.G." Ebby promptly sobered up. Hearing of my serious condition, he had straight-way come to our house in Brooklyn.

As I continued to recollect, the vi-sion of Ebby looking at me across our kitchen table became wonder-fully vivid. As most AAs know, he spoke to me of the release from hopelessness that had come to him (through the Oxford Groups) as the result of self-survey, restitu-tion, outgoing helpfulness to oth-ers, and prayer. In short, he was proposing the attitudes and princi-ples that I used later in developing AA's Twelve Steps to recovery.

It had happened. One alcoholic had effectively carried the mes-sage to another. Ebby had been enabled to bring me the gift of Grace because he could reach me at depth through the language of the heart. He had pushed ajar that great gate through which all in AA have since passed to find their freedom under God. Copyright © The A.A.

Grapevine, Inc., June 1966

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 9

IT HAPPENED IN MAY. . . May 1919 - Bill returns home from service.

(Dec 1934 to) May 1935 - Bill works with alcoholics, but fails to sober any of them. Lois reminds him HE is still sober.

March-May 1938 - Bill begins writing the book Alcoholics Anonymous.

May 1939 - Lois W Home Replacement Fund started at Alcoholic Foundation.

May 1949 - The first AA meetings in Scotland were held in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

May 1950 - Nell Wing became Bill W's secretary.

May 1951 - Al-Anon is founded by Lois W. and Anne B.

May 1, 1939 - Bank forecloses on 182 Clinton Street. (sometimes reported as April 26, 1939)

May 1, 1940 - Rollie H, Cleveland Indians, first anonymity break on national level.

May 1, 1941 - The first Wisconsin AA meeting was held at a hotel in Milwaukee.

May 2, 1941 - Jacksonville, FL newspaper reported the start of an AA group in Jacksonville.

May 3, 1941 - The first AA group in New Orleans, Louisiana, was formed. (sometimes dated as May 2, 1943)

May 4, 1940 - Sunday Star reported founding of first AA group in Washington, DC.

May 6, 1939 - Clarence S of Cleveland told Dr. Bob, his sponsor, he would not be back to Oxford Group meetings in Akron and would start an "AA" meeting in Cleveland.

May 6, 1946 - The long form of the "Twelve Traditions" was published in the AA Grapevine.

May 8, 1943 - Akron AA Group celebrates 8th anniversary with 500 present and sober.

May 8, 1971 - Bill W buried in private ceremony, East Dorset, Vermont.

May 10, 1939 - Clarence S announced to the Akron Oxford Group members that the Cleveland members were starting a meeting in Cleveland and calling it Alcoholics Anonymous.

May 11, 1935 - Bill W made calls from the Mayflower Hotel and was referred to Dr. Bob.

May 12, 1935 @ 5 pm - Bill W met Doctor Bob at the home of Henrietta Seiberling.

May 17, 1942 - The Dayton Journal Herald published pictures of AA members wearing masks to protect their anonymity.

May 17, 1942 - New Haven, Conn paper has article on AA. Picture shows faces of members sitting in a circle.

May 19, 2000 - Dr. Paul O., Big Book story "Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict", (renamed "Acceptance Was the Answer" in the 4th edition) died at the age of 83.

May 29, 1980 - "Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers" was published.

http://www.a-1associates.com/aa/HISTORY_PAGE/significant_dates.htm

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 10

(Answers on p. 25)

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 11

A message from the Area 29 Chair

The next meeting of the

SMIA will be held on-line at:

https://zoom.us/

j/99982597908?

pwd=QzVLcUZrVHdacFIrYU

NZN21tdkluQT09,

May 9th at 10:00 AM

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 12

General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous issued a notice regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus)

and in it suggests local meeting alternatives as well as some good practices from shared experience on

how to address this issue. As you know, many meetings are temporarily closed and contingency plans

may need to be considered including creating contact lists and keeping in touch by phone, email or social

media, meeting by phone or online. Or try one of many online resources:

• Online AA meetings – A.A. Online Intergroup

• Speaker Tape websites – AA Speaker, Recovery Audio

• Speaker Tape apps – Google Play | iTunes

• Big Book Ultimate Companion – Google Play | iTunes

• Joe and Charlie – Google Play | iTunes

• Tons of meetings here - http://aa-intergroup.org/index.php

• Meetings in Spanish - https://es.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/AAMensaje/info

Difficult times come to us all. We must all help one another. We must stand with one another. We must be understanding of each other’s problems. We must share each other’s burdens. https://www.alcoholicsanonymous.ie/

Grapevine and La Viña are here to help

Due to the current changing health situation, many AA meetings across the U.S. and Cana-

da are finding it safer to close. To help members during this time, we are giving every-

one free access to all of our 2020 Grapevine and La Viña issues. (The audio to Grape-

vine’s stories will be available as well, so people can listen to the stories if they like.)

Please share with your fellows. We have also included a link to our Youtube channel with

some original audio stories as well as other important information. To enter, vis-

it: www.aagrapevine.org/we-are-here-to-help

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 13

https://

play.google.com/

store/apps/details?

id=com.newandromo.

dev359899.app608979

Thanks to Bill L., our talented web wiz-

ard, SMIA now has a mobile applica-

tion! A compact version of the content

available on our website, it’s only

available on the Android OS for now.

However, it’s a work in progress, so

please take a peek and if you have any

suggestions for improvements, send

them to:

webmaster@somdaa.org

The next meeting of the SMIA

will be held on-line at:

https://zoom.us/

j/99982597908?

pwd=QzVLcUZrVHdacFIrYUNZ

N21tdkluQT09 on May 9th at

10:00 AM

Hope to virtually

see you there!

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 14

“And above all, let us remember that great legions who still suffer from alcoholism

and who are still without hope. Let us, at any cost or sacrifice, so improve our com-

munication with all these that they may find what we have found.”

This is an open AA meeting oriented toward Older Adult (55+) issues, but all ages are welcomed. The for-mat is an open discussion based on the day’s reading from Daily Reflections. We will meet twice per week: Mondays from 10:30 am to 11:30 am EDT/EST Thursdays from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm EDT/EST Please join us via Zoom! You will need the Meeting ID and password. Meeting ID: 889 2298 5420 Password can be obtained via email at 2020betterwithage@gmail.com, intergroup@baltimoreaa.org, or by phone at 410-663-1922. You can also access the meeting by phone by dialing 1-646-876-9923, then entering the Meeting ID and Password. We hope to virtually see you there!

“Better with Age” (Adults 55+) AA Group Video Meeting

with Teleconference Option

New Meeting!

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR 2020-

2021 LIAISON COMMITTEE

This MGS Liaison Committee would love to have at least one person from each Intergroup on this committee. If that inter-ests you, please let us know, and we can set aside a separate meeting time solely for committee members. Keep us posted about local workshops and events, so that we can attend and spread the word. If you have guests or topics to discuss on the First Monday 6:30 p.m. Meeting, email us so we can get them on the calendar! Thank you for allowing us to serve.

NEXT CONFERENCE CALL: MAY 4, 2020 6:30pm

Please note the 2020 Dial-in # (712) 775-7465, then use Participant Code 581955

Jessica W., MGS Accessibilities Chair, will visit to tell us all about her activities with the Accessibilities Committee. Many new and exciting events are unfolding for A.A. because of the work done through this committee. The purpose of this call is to share difficulties and successes; we have a wealth of experi-ence, so consider bringing your questions and concerns to the whole group. Please continue to invite folks to participate and take advantage of our collective resources! If you want to elaborate on this purpose, share your successes and concerns, I invite you to do so. If you care to add this meeting your Inter-group website, that would be appreciated.

*MGS Panel 70 Officers: Cynthia T. - Delegate - delegate@marylandaa.org

Kurt W. - Alternate Delegate - altdelegate@marylandaa.org

Lori M. - Chairperson - chairperson@marylandaa.org

Terry P. - Treasurer - treasurer@marylandaa.org

Craig T. - Secretary - secretary@marylandaa.org

Tom H. - Chair technology@marylandaa.org

Brian R. - Co-Chair technologycochair@marylandaa.org

Kathi K., Area 29 MGS Intergroup Liaison Chair

410-949-6456

Donna S., Area 29 MGS Intergroup Liaison Co-Chair

410-227-1049

Bill Wilson, The AA Grapevine, February 1961

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 15

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 16

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 17

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 18

RECOVERY.

You must be present to

win.

“Let us always

love the best in

others - and

never fear their

worst.” Bill Wilson,

The Language of the Heart

Staying connected to

a strong sober sup-

port network is criti-

cal to your staying

sober, which can

make the idea of hav-

ing to self-isolate for

weeks spark fear and

anxiety. To help you

better manage any

cravings or triggers that you may

encounter during this time, here

are what some individuals in re-

covery are doing to safeguard

their sobriety during this Corona-

virus crisis.

• “Every morning, I remind my-

self that there’s no problem in the

world that alcohol won’t make

worse.”

• “I’m calling old friends I have-

n’t spoken to in a while and catch-

ing up on life. It’s a great distrac-

tion from everything going on right

now and the perfect opportunity to

rekindle friendships.”

• “I’m getting through this with

the help of prayer. I’m glad to

have a higher power to give me

strength during this.”

• “Decluttering my

house. Who knew

finally cleaning out

my closet could be

so rewarding?”

• “Attending virtual

meetings has really

made all the differ-

ence for me. The

first couple of days

in isolation, I was really worried I

would relapse, but now I feel more

confident knowing that there are

others I can count on.”

• “I’ve been spending quality

time with my partner and my kit-

ten.”

• “Finding ways to be creative

has been a nice distraction from

the news. I’m no artist, but I’ve

been doing a lot of painting lately.

My tools for surviving this quaran-

tine are tea, meditation, and good

books.”

• “Doing at-home work-outs has

helped me manage my anxiety.

I’ve discovered that there’s a lot of

free workouts available online.”

• “Every day, no matter how un-

motivated I feel, I try out a new

recipe. My family has been loving

it.”

• “I start my morning by focus-

ing on the positive and writing in

my gratitude journal.”

• “Being in nature is a very im-

portant part of my recovery so I

start my mornings by taking a

walk in the park. I make sure to

go early so there’s no one

around.”

• “I’ve been listening to a lot of

podcasts and snuggling with my

dogs.”

• “Taking online classes online —

I’m finally taking the time to learn

French.”

• “Taking it one day at a time.

It’s important to remember that

practicing social distancing doesn’t

have to been that you cut yourself

off from the world. While you may

need to physically isolate yourself

from others, there are plenty of

ways for you to remain connected

to the greater community. Know

that you are never alone, so don’t

be afraid to speak out and reach

out for help when needed.” https://

toledoaameetings.com/15-ways-to-keep-staying-

sober-during-the-covid-19-crisis/

Staying

Sober

During

Covid 19

Isolation

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 19

May 2020

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 4

Tony N., 2yr,

Monday Night

Traditions

5 6 7

Joyce S. 4yr.

Almost Normal

8 9

10 11

Gloria D. 28yr.

Lexington Park

12 13 14 15

Marc T. 7yr.

Cove Point

16

Jose L. 1yr.

Early Bird

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25

Tony V. 1yr.

Brown Bag

26 27

Kathy A. 27yr.

WNW

28 29 30

31

Tressie F., 36 yrs, Mount Harmony

Emily W., 3 yrs, 231 Group

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 20

June 2020

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30

Donna Z., 23 yrs, Hunting-town Noon

Angie S., 7 yrs, Lexington Park Big Book

Mike B., 3 yrs, More Will Be Revealed

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 21

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 22

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 23

1)All contributions can be made online:

www.somdintergroup.org/

donate.php

2) Or they can be mailed to the appro-

priate office:

General Service Office

P.O. Box 459

Grand Central Station

New York, NY 10163

Maryland General Service Inc.

PO BOX 8043

Elkridge, MD 21075

Southern Maryland Intergroup (SMIA)

P.O. Box 767

Charlotte Hall, MD 20622

District 1 Trust Fund (Calvert)

P.O. Box 234

Barstow, MD 20610

District 35 (Charles)

P.O. Box 1981

La Plata, MD 20646

District 36 (St. Mary’s)

P.O. Box 1334

California, MD 20619

ATTENTION GROUP TREASURERS:

*Remember to include the 6-digit GSO Group

Number on all correspondence to Maryland General

Service.

WHERE DO WE SEND OUR CONTRIBUTIONS?

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 24

DISTRICT 1 CALVERT COUNTY

District Meeting:

7 PM, 3rd Monday

St. Paul’s Episc.

Church

Prince Frederick, MD

District 1 Trust Fund

PO Box 234

Barstow, MD 20610

www.calvertaa.org

DISTRICT 35 - CHARLES

COUNTY

OPEN SERVICE POSITIONS:

• Hospitality Chair

• Communications Chair

• Grapevine Rep

District Meeting: 7 PM, 1st Thursday

Peace Lutheran Church Waldorf MD

PO Box 1981, La Plata, MD 20646

Please send any updates for the

Where & When to:

smia.whereandwhen@somdaa.org. Current meeting

guides are availa-ble at the

monthly SMIA meeting on a lim-

ited basis.

DISTRICT 36 - ST. MARY'S COUNTY

District Meeting: 6:30 PM

2nd Tuesday

@ Hollywood Rescue Squad Bldg.,

PO Box 1334, California, MD 20619

PLEASE REMEMBER: Most meetings in physical locations

have been cancelled until further notice. Please take ad-

vantage of online resources, phones, text, email, etc. to con-

nect with your Home Groups, sponsors, sponsees, friends,

newcomers and the local AA community. https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/03/coronavirus-

The next meeting of the SMIA will

be held on-line at:

https://zoom.us/j/99982597908?

pwd=QzVLcUZrVHdacFIrYUNZN21

tdkluQT09 on May 9th at 10:00 AM

SOUTHERN MARYLAND INTERGROUP 1-800-492-0209 www.somdintergroup.org 25

Two women, one recently wid-

owed, were chatting:

"Yes, he was a good man,

except when he drank. Then

he wouldn't work, hit the kids,

hit me...carried on with loose

women. Then the drink killed

him"

“Tsk! Tsk! Sooo, he didn't

like AA?"

"Oh Lord no! He never went

there - he wasn't that bad."

Chair: Bill L.

Vice Chair: Jeanine W.

Secretary: Tressie F.

Treasurer: Cora W.

Parliamentarian: Keenan W.

Where & When: Pat P.

Lifeline: Keith H.

Telephone: Sheri M.

Website: Bill L.

Bookstall: Keenan W.

“Our leaders are but trust-

ed servants, they do not

govern.”

Our primary purpose is to help

the still suffering alcoholic. SMIA

is committed to this principle and

provides a 24x7 Telephone Ser-

vice. We need phone volunteers!

Go to our website,

www.somdintergroup.org. Click

on the Phone List link, complete

the online form - this is a secure

method to add your name to the

12-Step Call List. This protected

information is only shared with

the Phone Committee Chair. You

will be amazed before you’re half

way through.

County Want to

Talk Need a Ride

Meeting Info

Other* Total Calls

Calvert

Charles

St. Mary’s

Not Speci-fied

Total Calls

SMIA

PHONE

REPORT

APRIL

2020

The Lifeline is an unofficial

newsletter published by South-

ern Maryland Intergroup Associ-

ation, Inc. Any opinions ex-

pressed are those of the writers.

They are not endorsed by

SMIA, any group or AA as a

whole. Group secretaries and

individuals are encouraged to

send group news, anniversaries

and events. Material may be ed-

ited for space and content.

Please send all Lifeline corre-

spondence to: somdlife-

line@gmail.com

THE DEADLINE FOR ALL LIFE-

LINE SUBMISSIONS IS THE 27th

OF EACH MONTH.

SMIA TEAM:

"The good we do today becomes the hap-piness of tomorrow." ~ William James

http://www.the-twelve-steps.com/tattoos--recovery-art-galleries.html

ACROSS

1 AWAKENING

3 WRONGS

7 RESULT

11 SPIRITUAL

13 EXACT

16 CONSCIOUS

18 DIRECT

19 REMOVE

20 POWERLESS

21 ENTIRELY

24 CAME TO BELIEVE

27 RESTORE

30 UNMANAGEABLE

33 PROMPTLY

37 CONTACT

38 WHEREVER

39 ASKED

40 WILLING

41 MESSAGE

DOWN

2 NATURE

3 WILL

4 CONTINUED

5 MADE

6 LIST

7 READY

8 SEARCHING

9 ADMITTED

10 AFFAIRS

12 HARMED

14 OURSELVES

15 HUMBLY

17 SHORTCOMINGS

22 DEFECTS

23 INVENTORY

25 PRINCIPLES

26 EXCEPT

28 SANITY

29 FEARLESS

31 ALCOHOL

32 IMPROVE

34 PRAYING

35 POWER

36 AMENDS

HERE ARE

THE STEPS

WE TOOK