Back, when I was a youngster, a long time ago, I belonged to the Boy Scouts. I thought about that this evening. I wasn’t what you might call a success at being a Scout. In fact I violated the primary principle of that program. That of being prepared.
Nothing new to someone like me, who not only hates reading directions and instructions to anything, but whose Scout career was shortened because I wasn’t prepared. That was pretty much the way I thought and acted, especially during my drinking career.
But all that changed, when I started to grow up in this program. My attitude toward life has changed. I now can see and believe in the reasons for following suggestions and directions. I have learned to depend on others and the God of my understanding, instead of myself. To me that’s part of the restoration to sanity I so desperately needed.
Today I now know that I need to be prepared every day. Prepared to renew my commitment to stay sober and practice these spiritual principles I have learned from following the directions in the BB and from my sponsor and all those old timers I came to know.
Each day that I arise, I know I need to prepare myself for the day ahead. First through renewing my commitment, which I find in the Third Step Prayer. To try to improve my conscious contact with the God of my understanding. Asking for the directions and help I need to live this day sober. Then I need to go to a meeting and get in contact with others like myself in this program. To listen to the directions and renew myself once again. And finally give thanks for all I have been given.
All this to me is part of being prepared.