Fred said it in the BB in the chapter More About Alcoholism. That he learned that all his problems could be solved by spiritual principles. That too has been my experience.
How did that happen? First it came about by putting the 12 Steps into my life. But it also was helped by what my sponsor and those old timers taught me. First was to think with my head and not my heart. I remember them telling me it was “I” over “E”. Intellect over the emotions. In other words to stop letting my emotions run my life. To use my head. To grow up and become an adult.
That started to become a reality, when I was working the Ninth Step. The promises started to come true. Especially, we’ll intuitively know how to handle situations which formerly baffled us. I found that I didn’t have to go around looking for trouble, as I once did. I learned that life was going to give me all the problems I would ever need. But, just like Fred said, I learned that, if I would apply spiritual principles to them that eventually they would go away. Emotions run riot would not only delay the solution, but would just complicate my life even more.
None of this has been perfect in my life. I can still find myself letting my emotions creep in, when I lose my awareness of my character defects. I know, when that happens, it’s time to apply the spiritual axiom in the Tenth Step. Whenever I’m disturbed there is something wrong with me. I can point the finger of blame at someone else, but the truth is that it’s me that’s the problem.
In that Ninth Step I finally arrived at that point, when I had stopped fighting everyone and everything, even alcohol. The resentments I had carried around for so many years were gone.
That was the beginning of the spiritual solution. I had that new freedom and a new happiness. The spiritual awakening had begun. I was being restored to sanity.
Today I know that I can experience peace and serenity in my life, despite what’s going on around me. I’ve learned that the choice is mine. All I have to do is to remember it’s I over E. And, of course, to depend on my higher power. Always.
Again, it’s all about sobriety.