What step are you working today?
At a recent meeting a woman suggested the above question as a topic for discussion. Not once in 37 years had I heard this suggestion as a topic. I was immediately intrigued. Actually, it stopped me in my tracks because it dawned on me that I had not been thinking about the steps, not a single one of them, in a very focused way. And yet, their constant value in my life can’t be overstated. After pausing for a moment, I acknowledged that without them, without every one of them, I might not even be here to reap the benefits of this very rich life.
No step is unnecessary to our journey. Not one of them should be pushed aside for lack of value. The founders of our fellowship were so wise. Their own struggles had resulted in “this blueprint” that has offered direction to the millions of us who have followed. How grateful I am for Bill W. and Dr. Bob. How grateful I am for the disease that led me astray a few decades ago. How grateful I am that I find a room full of committed 12 steppers every time I walk through the doors of a meeting. How grateful I am to be alive.
As our group pondered the topic at that recent meeting, I saw the question as a way to stay very close to my process of recovery on a daily basis. And I realized upon further reflection that working one step or another every day promised me a far better recovery. Do I need to do them in order at this stage of my recovery? I don’t think so. But I do need to keep them close to my heart and I do need to remember that if my day feels bumpy, there is a step that will help to smooth it out. And if one doesn’t seem to get to “the itch” that’s bugging me, go to a slogan. Perhaps This Too Shall Pass will offer the relief we want.
Just maybe the reason I have been a bit blue of late is because I wasn’t asking the question, “What step might I work today?” Posing it puts a very present-minded focus in my life. Am I facing a situation that I don’t want to be powerless over? Most of us can say “Yes” to that. Am I holding on to a resentment that is old and keeping me from the peace of mind I deserve? Have I resisted making an amend that would offer peace to my troubled heart?
The directions we receive for a smoother life are clear, manageable, and worth adopting. Let’s begin with “What step are you working today,” and go from there.
