Tom Adams
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Last Tuesday, June 10th, was the 90th anniversary of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous and the topic of my post. My co-author Joy Jones, and I had the privilege of attending the Founders Day weekend in Akron last weekend. This week’s post offers all readers – in recovery or not – a taste of the amazing energy and magic we experienced.
Today is the 90th anniversary of the June 10, 1935, meeting of two men with serious drinking problems. Alcoholic drinking for decades led Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith to despair; it was a physical, economic, and spiritual bottom that was destroying them and their families. From this meeting, Alcoholics Anonymous was born. Today’s post celebrates this miracle and all its good that has changed the world over the past 90 years.
Last week I began to think about writing a post about the pain the Appropriation bill passed by the U. S. House of Representatives on May 22, 2025 will cause, if it becomes law. I experienced an attack of deep sadness; I lost all energy to do anything for a day. This post is about the challenge of learning about and feeling the pain in the world. How do we hold on to faith, believing that all will be well?
Geraldine and I spent three days in Cedarburg, WI last week. It is an amazing historic town founded in 1885. Its early days were as a mill town along Cedar Creek. It maintains the character of a small mill town and is full of life, arts, music, and fun. Geraldine’s brother and wife settled there over thirty years ago and raised two outdoor loving and artistic daughters.
Editor’s Note: Writing A Marriage that Changed the World with Joy Jones has brought me many gifts and graces. Among them is Joy introducing me to her friend Debbie Jackson’s partner, Bill Lammers. Bill has been involved with addiction recovery for decades and shares two deep insights I found helpful and important: addiction and recovery are about relationships and community and there are many pathways to recovery. There is broad application to Bill’s message. Enjoy!
This is a lighten up post. I appreciate your willingness to read my ramblings about racial justice, addiction, recovery and spiritual growth. As the title of this blog indicates, Critical Conversations, I consider them important topics. I am grateful for your interest in those posts. It’s a big world and we are all but grains of sand: precious, important, and in the big scope of things small. What makes us big is our capacity for love and joy. And that comes from a lifetime willingness to grow, change and learn.
Editor’s Note: Today’s guest contributor offers a unique perspective on the lesser-known co-founder of Al-Anon Family Groups, Anne B. Claire R. provides us an on-location view of how Lois Wilson and Anne B. connected in Westchester County and worked together to start a Clearing House for Family Groups that became Al-Anon Family Groups, a world-wide Twelve Step fellowship for families and friends of people with drinking problems. In respect for the principle of anonymity, Claire uses last initials only. She refers to her sponsor, a person who guides a member of a Twelve Step fellowship through the Twelve Steps.
Easter Monday morning brought me and many the sad news that Pope Francis had died overnight. While expected and unavoidable, the fear of the leadership of another world institution becoming more conservative is real. And a nightmare in a time when the United States is led by a commitment to chaos, cruelty, and building wealth for the wealthy.
Editor’s Note: Last week I wrote about the need for spiritual practices to anchor us in these unsettling and oppressive times. This week’s post is by guest contributor Shirin McAuthor and focuses on lessons from Holy Week for Christians and others relevant to today. Shirin is a writer, editor and spiritual guide.
Chaos theory is being tested to its maximum in the United States these days. The pain, confusion and social and economic disruption caused by the Trump administration is hard to imagine in a free democratic country. Yet, it is happening and shows few signs of ending.
Tom Adams writes and speaks on topics vital to the intersection of our personal lives with our community and global lives. He has for decades been engaged in and written about nonprofit leadership and transitions, spirituality and spiritual growth, how we each contribute to a more just and equitable world and recovery from addictions and the Twelve Step recovery movement.