Step Ten

[toad]

My sponsors wife is quick to spot self-pity in the women she sponsors, and because she is my sponsor-in-law, she is quick to spot the character defect in myself. One of her sayings is, "Poor me, poor me, Pour me another one." As I think about times when my emotions seem to be directed inward, I come to the realization that as Bill W. called it, it is a form of "subtle and elusive self-righteousness." My prayer today is that in my daily inventory, God may nudge me gently when my inward thoughts of myself are self-righteous. When I remove these thought from my inventory, God is able to do for me what I could not do for myself.........toad





"We were depressed and complained we felt bad, when in fact we were mainly asking for sympathy and attention.

This odd trait of mind and emotion, this perverse wish to hide a bad motive underneath a good one, permeates human affairs from top to bottom.

This subtle and elusive kind of self-righteousness can underlie the smallest act or thought.

Learning daily to spot, admit, and correct these flaws is the essence of character building and good living.

An honest regret for harms done, a genuine gratitude for blessings received, and a willingness to try for better things tomorrow will be the permanent assets we shall seek."

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 94-5