The day began in a very interesting manner for me and someone else. We had the opportunity to talk about our problems and the answer to a number of these. And that began to open the door to the Tenth Step. But the truth was that most of this had to do with a Power greater than ourselves. God as we understand him.
Both of us were aware that we had to first deal with whatever it was that caused us to have to deal with problems we really didn’t know anything about. For instance coming up with a resentment and then discovering that I caused it, because of what I did earlier in the day.
And that opened the door to having to ask for help to rid myself of the negative emotion. And to admit and accept my part in all of this.
This happened a while back, but it was an example of what we were talking about. The need we all have to depend on a Higher Power. I know that, when I had to ask for help to make me to stop drinking, I needed a couple of things. One was I desperately needed hope, but I didn’t know that until someone did give me hope. That allowed me to turn my alcoholism over to the God of my understanding. A total surrender, which stopped me from drinking alcohol. I never ever want to forget that.
And then, when I came into this program, I was introduced by my old sponsor to the Second Step, where I had to learn that I needed to begin to live a spiritual way of life. And I still had not only the hope I was given, but I had the evidence that I was freed from the slavery alcohol had over me.
The next Step, the Third, put me into the process of turning things over to my Higher Power, which opened up the rest of these Steps. And that was the beginning of change within. The start of becoming honest with myself and being willing to deal with what I was starting to discover in myself.
And, of course, it allowed me to begin to freely give to alcoholics, who needed help, what was so freely given to me. To be able to learn to pray and meditate, and then go out and do what I had learned in here.
All of this, was what we were talking about. The gifts we had been given as a result of learning and doing what we needed to do on a daily basis. To stay sober a day at a time. That, of course, was the main gift I received. And that was followed by so many things. Peace of mind, serenity, a new freedom and a new happiness. All of this by putting this program into action and learning to have hope and faith in my Higher Power.
Anyway, as we talked we found ourselves looking at the same things, which caused us so many problems. And then the process which helped us to depend on a Higher Power, the program, and the people in these rooms, which helped us to change. Made both of us grateful and willing to continue to stay sober.