It is important that we remain anonymous because we are too few, at present to handle the overwhelming number of personal appeals which may result from this publication. Being mostly business or professional folk, we could not well carry on our occupations in such an event. We would like it understood that our alcoholic work is an avocation.
- Avocation is an unusual word
- The following meanings are from the OED
- Its original meaning (attested in 1617) was the calling away of a person from their employment, although that meaning became obsolete
- It also meant (1646) the condition of being called away or distracted
- The third meaning which arose (attested in 1642) was whatever did the calling away, hence 'A minor or less important occupation, a by-work'
- What is curious is that the business that did the calling away was often one of equal or greater importance, so the word came to mean (1660) an ordinary employment, a usual occupation, a vocation, or a calling
- The authors of the Big Book are clearly using it to mean a by-work or less important occupation
- There is a spiritual truth to the fourth definition, however
- I spend most of the working day working at my job
- This takes up most of my time arithmetically
- However, what occupies my spirit most effectively is the work with other alcoholics, sharing at meetings, and other forms of service
- What started out as a by-work, the carrying-the-message part of Step Twelve, has become the vocation
- This may not be visible to the outside
- But outward appearance is not inward reality
- It's Step Twelve which creates the channel to the Higher Power, which keeps me sober
- And it is the Higher Power that gives me the direction and strength to perform all other tasks in my life
- If I did not spend a large chunk of time and energy on Step Twelve, I would not stay sober
- If I didn't stay sober, there would be no 'me' to perform anything