I remember way back several things the old timers would say over and over. The first was that this is an action program. The second was that it was about the solution and not the problem.
The first statement and the second were about the same thing. Taking the action to put these 12 Steps into our lives. In other words, working the Steps. I can remember being told that nothing was going to happen to change my life until I did just that. Of course, I finally did what was suggested and my life did change for the better.
One of the things I have found is that spending time on the “problem” for me is a waste of time. I have found that, if I spend my time on the solution, that my problems, whatever they might be are reduced and eventually solved. I have also found that the solutions, in my experience, are always spiritual. It doesn’t matter how they appear to me. They might appear to be financial, or relationships, or whatever, but behind each one of them is the hidden reality for me. They are almost always spiritual.
Someplace in one of the Steps is the answer. If I am patient, take a step back, take a deep breath, and don’t act in haste and compound the problem. The answer will come. Not always on my time. But eventually, if I am patient, the answer will appear.
My problem is that I might feel anxious and overwhelmed with fear. Or even anger. Self pity. My emotions might drive me to project into the future with a negative outcome pending. Of course the answer is to look into what I’m not doing in the Steps. Particularly for me the 2nd Step and the 11th. Not ignoring the 3rd either.
My dependency on my higher power has to be front and center. Without that I know I’m always going to take a misstep. Once I’m God centered and not self centered it’s safe for me to do what’s apparent and then leave the rest in His hands. To learn to trust that I will get what I need, not necessarily what I want. Not only have I learned this from my own experience, but by observation of those around me. The evidence I see in others over time. Their experiences. Being willing to talk to them and then listen.
Listening at the meeting today and talking to others brought these thoughts to mind. A reminder of how grateful I am for being an alcoholic and able to find my life restored by this program.