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December 1964

I have heard certain members of AA say that they were able to make the program without feeling the need for a sponsor. Others contend that they have never played the part of a sponsor, although they admit to being active in other ways. These are honest statements and represent a large number of AAs, perhaps even a majority, who have been able to find sobriety either without knowingly picking a sponsor or being picked, or both. However, I believe that sponsorship may also be an unspoken phenomenon—a natural result of the newcomer’s need for guidance and the older member’s sense of responsibility toward the newcomer.

A newcomer will almost always encounter at least one older member whom he likes, looks up to or respects. He will listen to him, discuss problems with him and even try to emulate him. At these moments sponsorship is taking place without the word sponsor ever having been mentioned. In many cases the new member may not even be aware of what the word means, if in fact he has heard it at all, until he has reached the point in his recovery where he no longer really needs a sponsor in the academic sense.

I believe that we should never insist on a formalized sponsorship. If a newcomer learns to rely too heavily on any one member he may become too one-sided in his thinking, or he may become overly dependent on his sponsor. As I see it, proper guidance in AA must come from a group rather than an individual; the newcomer is cheating himself if he allows any one member to dominate his thinking. A newcomer should learn to stand on his own feet and eventually take his place in the group, independent of any outside influence except the Higher Power.

J. S. C.

New Hartford, New York