Tom Adams
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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!
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.
Editor’s Note: This week I am joined by Lorraine Hogan in expanding the story of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon. Lorraine is a longtime volunteer at The Wilson House in Vermont and is part of the team that presents the Female Founders Retreat held there annually.
History has a way of not always telling the whole story. Women’s History Month is a great time to celebrate two women who changed the world humbly, not seeking credit or recognition. Anne Smith and Lois Wilson whose birthdays occur March 3 (Anne) and March 4 (Lois) are unrecognized world changers.
Writing a book is full of surprises – some that are delightful and others that are what you might call challenging growth opportunities. Beginning with this post, I will share some of what I have learned. By far, the greatest joy is the many people I have met and their generosity in sharing their experiences and wisdom. Each of them enriched my life and I hope to add depth and light to the book, A Marriage That Changed The World, for readers. (Now available on Amazon.)
Editor’s Note: Our guest contributor today is Joy Jones, my friend, collaborator and co-author of A Marriage that Changed the World: Lois and Bill Wilson and the Addiction Recovery Movement. Joy shares some of her many lessons from co-authoring this book. We’re delighted to let you know A Marriage that Changed the World will be available in paperback on Amazon by Friday, Feb. 7 and e-book now for pre-order with delivery Feb 10.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a powerful force for good in the US and around the world. Over the years, I’ve known and worked with many people whose lives have been positively transformed through their involvement with AA and other addiction recovery movements.
When I first began to confront my misuse of alcohol, successfully sober people told me things that seemed either irrelevant or naïve. Why would they invite me to “keep coming back?” What in the world does it mean that “the first drink gets you drunk?” or “God can do for you what you can’t do for yourself.” Perhaps the most puzzling was: “We’ll love you until you can love yourself.” What does loving myself have to do with getting sober? It was 1980. I was 31 years old, and I didn’t think my drinking problem was that bad. Then a near calamitous auto incident led me to question how my drinking was impacting my family. That led me to attend a few Twelve Step meetings where I pronounced myself “not that bad.” Fear got me there and fear kept me there long enough to realize my drinking was bad enough. It could be that the most compelling thing they told me was that misusing alcohol is a progressive illness. My drinking and its negative consequences will get worse.
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.