speak was named Vern. Vern has been a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for nearly thirty years. He admitted that he was very wild when he was younger. As a matter of fact, when he entered the military, he was placed in a group that commanders called the "wild bunch" because their psychological exams showed that he had a tendency for extreme outbursts. It was not until his dishonorable discharge that Vern decided to make a change in his life. Just like the other members, Vern had difficulty coming to grips with the second step. "When I was young, I grew up in a very religious family. However, I never was involved; I just went because my parents told me to do so. Because of this, most of my young adult life was pretty much a rebellion against my family and God."Vern once again mentioned the word "insanity" in reference to discovering a higher Power. The words he used were: "I came, I came to and now I believe." To me, it seems as though the first phrase was easy. "I came" is basically just coming a meeting and understanding what AA is about. "I came to" is the difficult part. This is the process that most members have a difficult time coming to grips with because of their lack of spiritual belief. Vern dealt with this process through his sponsor. He said after weeks of talking with his sponsor, he was taken to an area chapel. It was at that point where he realized that he was at peace with himself, but he never knew why. According to Vern, two words summed up that visit to the chapel: "I believe." Just because someone believes does not mean that someone completely believes in God. It just means that a person's mind has been cleansed and is accepting of a higher Power saving them. It was not until listening to Vern that I understood what "insanity" in their terms meant. Here is my definition of insanity: A person's life is so impaired by alcohol that his or her mental processes can no longer de...
