Daily Reflection

NOVEMBER 25
A POWERFUL TRADITION
In the years before the publication of the book, "Alcoholics
Anonymous," we had no name. . . . By a narrow majority
the verdict was for naming our book "The Way Out" . . .
One of our early lone members . . . found exactly twelve
books already titled "The Way Out" . . . So "Alcoholics
Anonymous" became first choice. That's how we got a name
for our book of experience, a name for our movement and,
as we are now beginning to see, a tradition of the greatest
spiritual import.
"A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED," pp. 35-36
Beginning with Bill's momentous decision in Akron to
make a telephone call rather than a visit to the hotel bar,
how often has a Higher Power made itself felt at crucial
moments in our history! The eventual importance that the
principle of anonymity would acquire was but dimly
perceived, if at all, in those early days. There seems to have
been an element of chance even in the choice of a name for
our Fellowship.
God is no stranger to anonymity and often appears in
human affairs in the guises of "luck," "chance," or
"coincidence." If anonymity, somewhat fortuitously,
became the spiritual basis for all of our Traditions, perhaps
God was acting anonymously on our behalf.