AA’s Third Legacy is a topic hard to narrow down to a couple of paragraphs. Personally, I believe it to be a lifelong goal to learn, experience, and grow through the never ending process of truly learning AA’s Third Legacy. Simply put, the Third Legacy is the “sum total of all [AA’s] services…” as written by Bill W. in the What Is The Third Legacy? article in the July, 1955 AA Grapevine. In this publication, he explains that “AA service is anything whatever that helps us to reach a fellow sufferer – ranging all the way from the Twelfth Step itself to a ten-cent phone call and a cup of coffee, and the AA’s General Service Headquarters for national and international action.” We perform these services as individuals, groups, intergroups/central offices, areas, nationally and internationally.
Our current version of “The A.A. Service Manual” has grown from Bill W.’s “Third Legacy Manual” that was initially drafted in 1951. (That alone is an amazing discussion topic.) This manual describes everything from general service to our trusted servants. It explains the Structure of the Conference (the upside down triangle), the Group and its GSR, the District and its DCM, the Area Assembly, Area Committee, the Delegate, the Annual General Service Conference, Conference Committees, and the General Service Board. There is also great detail about the Board, A.A. World Services, A.A. Grapevine, and the General Service Office. And that’s just the first half of it!
Recovery is often related to the Steps as Unity is to the Traditions. The Concepts are associated with Service and are “described in th[e] Manual [as] an interpretation of A.A.’s world service structure.” As we meet with our fellow alcoholics at our home groups and meetings to achieve and (by the grace of God) maintain sobriety, I find great peace in knowing that we aren’t just thrown together to figure this out on our own. We have these carefully thought out structures that we can use to not only help ourselves in our own recovery, but that we can continue to help the still suffering. Because it is in service that many of us have been able to maintain our sobriety and fulfill our primary purpose.
With Gratitude, Nicole J. DCM 32
dcm32@area72aa.org
