"You will remember that episode back in our living room on Clinton Street. That was the time when my group told me I [Bill W.] could never become an A.A. professional. With nearly every Tradition much the same thing has happened. At first, I obeyed because I had to; I would have lost my standing in A.A. if I had not. After a while I began to obey because I saw that the Traditions were wise and right. While I conformed because it was right to do, I still resisted inwardly.
This was particularly true
of anonymity. Today I hope I have come to a time in my A.A. life when I can obey
because I really want to obey, because I really want the Traditions for
myself as well as for A.A. as a whole."
2001 AAWS, Inc.
Alcoholics
Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 136