Steps
A slogan that never fails to make me cringe is "meeting makers make it." Don't get me wrong, I love meetings and the love and support that's available there. But I don't believe that meetings alone will keep me sober. I'm not going to get sobriety by osmossis, just sitting in meetings.
We often hear "Everything in AA is only suggested." This is not entirely true. Beside the word "must" being used frequently in the Big Book (about 50+ times as I recall), if I'm committed to recovery through AA, I must do the steps - not optional. No one can tell me how long to take, any more than they can insist that I believe in a god of THEIR understanding. But do them, I must, and I'm well advised to take direction from those who've already been where I want to go. "Don't drink and go to meetings" is IMO a recipe for relapse. The program is the steps. If I don't do the steps, I'm not doing the AA program. I'm doing the zbear program: there's that self will again. LOL
And if I expect help and guidance from my sponsor, I need to let go of my old ideas and just follow along. We don't have guides just so we can wander off on our own. Self will: EGO! The great deceiver. Ego ALWAYS lies to me, and it's favorite lie is "I know."
AA is not the only way. But if I claim membership in AA, but refuse to do the steps, I'm just deluding myself (nothin' new about that, either) <G>
Bless all who come here
zbear