Tom Powers of Hankins, NY (East Ridge) an Alcoholics Anonymous talk at Cleveland, Ohio [CD-ROM] History of Recovery

Description

Tom P is a very early AA Member who knew Bill Wilson very well.

   • He is mentioned occasionally in biographies of Bill Wilson
   • He helped Bill W edit THE TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS
   • He tells his story very well. How his overall disposition prior to drinking made him a natural for alcoholism.
   •  His drinking and the progression of his Alcoholism. His first trip to the Nut House.
   •  “Hit Bottom” but didn’t receive help.
   • The importance of the special knowledge possessed by AA to “Hitting Bottom” leading to recovery.
   •  The insanity of his drinking after his first hospitalization.
   • His second hospitalization, involvement is Alcoholics Anonymous, and recovery.
   • His relapse, how (why) it happened; the difficulty of recovering again.
   •  Finally able to recover again he feels himself to be truly part of AA.
   •  Though his contributions to AA are substantial and his friendship with Bill W was very close Tom P doesn’t mention them.
   • He tells what AA has done for him, not what he has done for AA.
   • Initially I had no idea the speaker in this talk was historically significant.