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This short, but powerful, story was written by John P. and appeared only in the Second Edition, which is why most AA’s have never seen it. John enumerated four paradoxes of the AA program and why they are so important: 1) We surrender to win; 2) We give away to keep; 3) We suffer to get well; and 4) We die to live. He also wrote a poignant update to his Big Book story for the July 1967 issue of the Grapevine. With the perspective of 12 years of sobriety, John said: “…in A.A. we don’t just quit drinking. We learn to change our self-centeredness, to stop running away from things we don’t like, and to remove or at least adjust our emotional shortcomings. We do these things by taking seriously and honestly our Twelve Steps, the nearest thing to a ‘cure’ for alcoholism that anybody has yet discovered.” He went on to say, “We learn to do these things not by just memorizing the Steps (though that is a good idea), but by attempting to live and act them each day or our lives. And eventually, often when we least expect it, we discover that as a result of all this we are happy and contented and full of thanksgiving — something I once knew (or thought I knew) I could never be, without drinking.”
“The Professor and the Paradox” is story 3 in part 2 of the Personal Stories section of the Second Edition of the Big Book published in 1955.
Howard L, sober since January 1, 1988, presents this inspired reading of the Big Book and encourages listeners to revisit earlier podcast episodes that feature the main chapters and stories in the First Edition of the Big Book. Enjoy listening on our website, BigBookPodcast.com, or download and subscribe to the podcast for free at Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. If you have a minute, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Also join our facebook group, Big Book Podcast Listeners, where you can share your thoughts and experiences with fellow listeners.