"Alcohol was only a symptom of much deeper problems of dishonesty and denial. Now it was a matter of coming to grips with a Power greater than myself. That was very hard for me. How could all these white people even begin to think they could understand me? So they brought a sober Indian woman up to work with me for a day. That was a very powerful day. That Indian woman cut me no slack at all. I will never forget her. She convinced me I was not unique. She said these white folks were the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Where would you be without
them?" she asked. "What are the alternatives? You got any better ideas for
yourself? How many Indians do you know who are going to help you sober
up?" At the time, I couldn't think of any. I surrendered behind the tears of no
answers and decided to do it their way. I found the Power greater than myself to
be the magic above the heads of the people in the meetings. I chose to call that
magic Great Spirit.
2001
AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition
Alcoholics Anonymous,
pg. 467