Daily Reflections-Step 1

[CarolD]

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*

THE 100% STEP

Only Step One, where we made the 100 percent admission we were powerless over alcohol, can be practiced with absolute perfection.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 68

Long before I was able to obtain sobriety in A.A., I knew without a doubt that alcohol was killing me, yet even with this knowledge, I was unable to stop drinking. So, when faced with Step One, I found it easy to admit that I lacked the power to not drink. But was my life unmanageable? Never! Five months after coming into A.A., I was drinking again and wondered why.

Later on, back in A.A. and smarting from my wounds, I learned that Step One is the only Step that can be taken 100%. And that the only way to take it 100% is to take 100% of the Step. That was many twenty-four hours ago and I haven't had to take Step One again.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
__________________

[CarolD]

I could have written this myself

[cloud8]

100% perfection? what is that . Yes i know without doubt that im powerless over booze before durring and after the drink, also that when i drink my life is completly unmanageable,,i can give countless exzamples of both.. does that mean ive done the 1st step perfect..its always been my beleife that there is no such thing as perfection..but hay maybey im wrong on this..just curious..

also now sober a couple years, i have found i do have power and my life does have managability,,not over alcohol but over my choicese and decisions,,the outcome is in gods hands so i guess ive also been restored to sanity, no more trains for me..lol the steps work, me, seemes that way /

define perfection??

[CarolD]

For me.....
in the context of Step 1....perfection means ....
I accept the fact I am an alcoholic ..no reservations.

On that trueism ...I base the AA solution....

[johnmc]

What does it mean to admit i am powerless over alcohol?

If i do not know how can i take this step?

Do i understand the illness of alcoholism? Do i or did i suffer from it?
(The things i can change)

Do i understand what makes a person an alcoholic? Is that me?
(the things i can not)

Do i understand the difference?
(wisdom-knowledge)

I can only admit to being powerless when i fully understand what an alcoholic is and can then fully concede to the fact that i am one. I can only do this when i understand what the symptoms of alcoholism are and the difference between being an alcoholic and suffering from alcoholism and thus what the implications are for me as an alcoholic.

Ever considered the fact that as an alcoholic the outward signs of alcoholism may not be profound, an alcoholic could even be so without suffering from the symptoms of alcoholism,YET, a progressive illness!

Why do you reckon people struggle fully conceding that they are alcoholic? they confuse what it is that makes them an alcoholic with the symptoms of alcoholism. They compare their progressive illness and its symptoms with other alcoholics symptoms and where their illness has progressed to and decide that they are not that bad and therefore not alcoholic. They confuse alcoholism with being an alcoholic.

Only when we understand the difference, only whenwe fully concede to being an alcoholic and understand the fatal nature of our illness can we admit to being Power-less over alcohol.

Then we can take the step 100%, then we can smash the delusion we are not like other people, only then will we have no lingering doubt that one day we might be able to drink again. Only then will we seek help with the desperation of a drowning man. Being powerless means that i will drink again if i do not get some power and not of the human variety.

Maybe we will then stop saying that you have taken step 1 the minute you walk in the rooms....thats why so much of the program are devoted to step 1, we can admit when we understand, until then........

love to all

John