October, 2020 Volume 51, Issue 10 Experience, Strength, and Hope in Orange County A Spiritual Experience of the Educational Variety At the age of forty-three, I had been drinking 24/7 for many years. Mis- “moment of clarity” that could only have come from that Spirit of erable and tired of running the show, I was the Universe, who I eventually called God. out of answers. I was probably headed for disaster, but I had no idea how to fix me. That next day I was driving down the freeway I was pretty sure I was not an alcoholic be- at about noon when I noticed a highway patrol cause I had never gotten a DUI or suffered any car in my rearview mirror. It didn’t really both- of the tragedy that I saw in my father’s life. I er me; I was driving the speed limit and follow- had custody of my two kids, a struggling busi- ing all the rules of the road. Ten minutes went ness, a decent apartment and had the love of by, and that car was still in my rearview mirror. a really good woman. How could I be an alco- I decided that it might be wise to exit the free- holic? Alcoholics lost jobs due to their drink- way and shake this guy. ing. They got arrested by the police, lost their wives and children, were constantly embar- As soon as I moved to the exit, his lights went rassing the family and were obviously very Original artwork by April G. on. I got really scared, and yes, I had been drunk on most occasions. I never really felt drunk, just drinking in my car out of my favorite red coffee cup. As I mildly numb. Truthfully, alcohol was my medicine, and I couldn’t imag- pulled to the side of the road, I was so nervous that I spilled scotch ine life without it. Life is hard. Why would I ever try to stop drinking? on my pants. I understood then that I was going to be arrested. Continued on page 3 My former wife had called one night to speak to the kids, and she had told me that her husband, a medical man, had just gotten back from a treatment facility. She was attending Al-Anon, though I had no idea Inside This Issue what that was, and seemed to be getting help from that program. She even suggested that I might benefit from a Twelve Step program, which A Spiritual Experience of the Educational Variety 1, 3 struck me as odd. I was not an alcoholic. I assumed she meant some- Service Board Information 2 thing like a “church” thing, which I didn’t think was for me (I have since Our Principles 4 come to realize that churches do a lot of great work with alcoholics). Central Office Activity/Web Stats 6 Overcoming Economic Insecurity 7,15 It was about that time that I became aware of the fact that scientists Self-Knowledge or Spiritual Answer? 8 had identified several genes that can make one more susceptible to the Step One: The Awakening 9 disease of alcoholism. I had the realization that I, in fact, might be head- Diving Into AA 9 ed down the same road as my father. That really scared me because as a October Pamphlet of the Month 9 child I swore to myself that I would never end up like my “old man,” yet Sam’s Our Man 10 here I was drinking ‘round the clock. I later learned that I was having a Step Ten: Beginning of the Maintenance Steps 11 August Donations 12, 14 I later learned that I was having a “moment of clarity” Speaker Meetings 13 that could only have come from that Spirit of the When Will I Feel Like I Belong Here? 14 Universe, who I eventually called God. Statement of Income and Expense 15 Word Search 16 October, 2020 Volume 51, Issue 10 Welcome 2020 Public Information Committee: Meets the 4th Monday of the month at SERVICE BOARD 7:00PM, Central Office, 1526 Brookhol- low, Suite 75, Santa Ana Chair, Stacey A. [email protected] Group Relations Committee: Meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Purpose: The Lifeline Committee is a 6:30PM, the Costa Mesa Senior Center, group of AA members charged with the Vice Chair, Glen R. 695 West 19th St. (30 minutes before the responsibility of producing and distrib- [email protected] Intergroup meeting) uting the Orange County Lifeline. The [email protected] Lifeline Committee: Meets the 1st Lifeline is published monthly and is sup- Thursday of the month at 7:00PM, ported solely through contributions from Treasurer, John R. Central Office, 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75, the AA groups and members of Orange [email protected] Santa Ana (October will be via Zoom, ID: County. The Lifeline proposes to meet 949 463 6384, no password) the following needs of the Orange County Secretary, Lance S. Special Events Committee: meets the AA membership: to inform AAs of service [email protected] 2nd Wednesday of the month at opportunities, events, and announce- 6:00PM, the Costa Mesa Senior Center, ments; to share experience in recovery, Central Office, Rosie G. 695 West 19th St. (1 hour before the Inter- unity, and service; and to report the ac- [email protected] group meeting) tions, finances, and meetings of the Or- South Orange County H & I meets the ange County Intergroup Association and Group Relations, Chelsea P. 3rd Wednesday of the month at other Central Office committees. [email protected] 7:00PM (new members’ orientation) and 7:45PM (business meeting), Laguna Beach Canyon Club, 20456 Laguna Canyon Road, Lifeline Editor: Jennifer J. Lifeline, Chris R. [email protected] Laguna Beach [email protected] Orange County H & I meets the 2nd ORANGE COUNTY Public Information, Marti H. Sunday of the month at 4:00PM and CENTRAL OFFICE [email protected] 6:00PM, Garden Grove Alano Club, 9845 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75 Belfast Drive, Garden Grove PublicInformationCommittee@oc- Santa Ana, CA 92705 aa.org (Orientations for institutions is at 3:15PM, followed by the Institutions meeting at Phone: (714) 556-4555 E-mail: [email protected] 4:00PM, Hospitals orientation starts at Special Events, Melissa A. Website: www.oc-aa.org 5:15PM, followed by the Hospitals meeting SpecialEventsOCAAIntergroup at 6:00—One year of sobriety required.) Office hours: Mon-Fri: 9AM-7PM; @gmail.com Saturday & Holidays: 9AM-1PM The Central Office Committee meets the 4th Tuesday of each month at Hospitals & Institutions, Tara E.& 6:00PM, Central Office, 1526 Brookhol- SOUTH COUNTY OFFICE low, Suite 75, Santa Ana 30011 Ivy Glenn Drive, Michelle R. H&[email protected] Suite 104 The OCAA Technology Committee Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 meets by Zoom on the 1st Monday of the Phone: (949) 582-2697 month at 6:00PM. Meeting ID: 159 765 Technology, Brian P. E-mail: [email protected] 117, Password: ocaatech [email protected] Office hours: Mon-Fri: 10AM-5PM The Orange County Intergroup Assoc. usually meets the 2nd Wednesday of the For information about General Service, month at 7:00PM, Costa Mesa Senior Cen- please go to the Area 9 website, ter, 695 W. 19th Street, Costa Mesa (This www.msca09aa.org. month it is via Zoom (ID: 616 903 638, Password: ocaa) For more information on any of the above committees, please contact Orange County Central office at (714) 556-4555. Thank you to our board and committee members. 2 October, 2020 Volume 51, Issue 10 Continued from page 1 A Spiritual Experience of the Educational Variety Incidentally, I had just seen a businessman in a coat and tie sitting on the curb, hands cuffed behind his back, as I drove by the mall in my neighborhood. The thought occurred to me that I never wanted my kids to see me like that. As I waited for the officer to approach the car, I lowered the passenger side window and waited. Then I rolled all the windows down immedi- ately to remove the smell of alcohol. The officer began, “Have you been drinking today, sir?” Immediately, I answered, “Why, no, officer, why do you ask?” He repeated his question and added, “Because as you exited the freeway, you crossed over the solid white line.” I replied, “Sorry; thank you for telling me. I didn’t notice.” He paused a minute and said, “Be more careful in the future.” I thanked him, and he drove away. I knew that I had “dodged a bullet.” I was shaken to my core. That afternoon, I called Alcoholics Anonymous. A sweet elderly lady referred me to a meeting Join the Lifeline Committee! in Canoga Park, which I attended the next day. I was scared to death and wasn’t sure that this was for me. I walked in, dressed in my “lame” white shirt and tie to see a crowd of very intim- Lifeline Committee members can help read, write, idating old “biker” types, “tats” and all. An old man asked, “Are you lost, sir?” I immediately said, “You know, I think I am.” I walked out the back door and was completely sure I didn’t edit, create, design or simply offer suggestions for belong there. I have since discovered that I was an AA “snob,” thinking that I was better than the Lifeline. The Lifeline Committee usually meets them. I have come to understand that if I had stuck around, those gentle “bears” would have on the first Thursday of the month at Central Office taken me under their wings and guided me to sobriety.