WHAT WE KNOW BEST
Recovery Einstein's Big Book perspective on the AA Daily Reflection for October 23.
In recovery, we come to rely on what we know best: our own experience with this perplexing malady. The Big Book teaches that every alcoholic is an expert on their own condition—not from textbooks, but from living it. As it says, 'We know that the alcoholic who is still drinking is suffering from an illness' [Page 30], and we alone truly understand the obsession and the allergy that drives us. That shared knowledge becomes the bedrock of our message. When we carry the message to another suffering alcoholic, we don't need theories or eloquence—we simply share what we know best from our own journey [Page 89]. Our stories, our struggles, and our newfound hope are the most powerful tools we have. That is why the program works: it is one drunk talking to another, passing along the desperate truth we know best.
What is one thing you know best about your own alcoholism that you could share with a newcomer today?
Start each day with Einstein's Big Book perspective — a quiet moment before the world gets loud.
This is Recovery Einstein's original Big Book perspective on the day's theme — not the official AA Daily Reflections text. For the official reflection, follow the aa.org link above. Page references are to Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), 4th Edition.
Quick answers
What is the AA Daily Reflection for October 23?
The theme for October 23 is “What We Know Best.” In recovery, we come to rely on what we know best: our own experience with this perplexing malady.
What is one thing you know best about your own alcoholism that you could share with a newcomer today?
That is why the program works: it is one drunk talking to another, passing along the desperate truth we know best. (Big Book: Chapter 3, pages 30-31; Chapter 7, page 89)