Bill W. referred to the First Step as the only one we could work perfectly. That leaves a lot of room on the other eleven steps. At one time he said that we would settle for as much perfection with which we could get by.
I know for myself that, when I step back and take an assessment of my activities on the other eleven, I fall far short. Take, for instance, yesterday. I lost my temper big time. I exploded and a shouting match ensued. Afterward, when the dust settled, there was a period of withdrawal and a gradual hangover. And worse, I sat on the back porch, catching my breath and there was a lot of beer parked on various tables, which I had never paid attention to before, courtesy of my family and their friends. I was alone and I thought to myself, “This is a very dangerous place.” I didn’t want a drink, but I could see how so many have fallen before.
What I would have ordinarily brushed aside and walked away blew up in my face. I was ill prepared and off guard. I had settled for as much perfection as I could get by with. Pride and arrogance had replaced attention to the day.
Anyway, I was thinking about this today. It truly amazes me how close alcohol can be to us on any given occassion, yet we are all still sober. Now, that really makes me grateful.