Great post! I would add to the subject of time - chronology and sobriety are not the same thing. There are all too many stories of folks who relapse after years of sobriety; my first sponsor did so after 17 years and told me the story when I only had a few months. I appreciate his honesty and have come to really appreciate how we introduce ourselves at meetings: "My name is Eddie and I am (emphasis mine) an alcoholic." The fact that my last drink was a decade ago doesn't make me any less of an alcoholic than someone sitting at the table still shaking from the last drink.
Last but not least... first word of the first step: we. Left to my own devices, I probably would not be here to write this today. Grateful for all the folks who share this journey regardless of how long they've been trudging or by what path they took to get here.