Ya know.... jest thinking over my morning coffee here....
I think a lot of people make this stuff a lot more complicated that it need be. And put undue fear into people regarding "
getting it right".
If someone already has a belief in a higher power, then all that's needed before jumping into step 4 is the following. First, a belief that if we pick up a drink, we're sunk; that we're no match for alcohol, and it will win. A recognition that alcohol has (or will) wrecked our lives is also a part of that.
Then we just need to be willing to trust in the guidance of the higher power we already believe in, ask for direction, and start putting one foot in front of the other. Be willing to trust god, trust others, and practice actively turning our life and will over to the care of god. It's a good idea to practice this for a while and get settled into it before jumping into 4, but I'm not so sure pages and pages and weeks and months fumbling about this stuff is all that necessary. Unless of course someone doesn't agree with what I just said about alcohol, and doesn't trust that a higher power can and will help them to be rid of the obsession to drink.
Moving onto the 4th step, if there's any fear or concern then one needs only to revisit step 3 and practice doing so until they can enter 4 fearlessly. The 4th is a good indicator for how succesful we're being with our application of the 3rd.
And if we miss anything in any of these steps, we have the rest of our lives to aim at perfecting them. And ourselves.
Finished my coffee.
