Working the Steps “LACK OF POWER, that was our dilemma.” “Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power.” When I wasContinue reading “Willingness to Grow – Grapevine Article July 1985 by S.M.”
Category Archives: Amends
Living Amends – Grapevine Article December 1955 by J.E.
ONE of the deeply disturbing things about the Twelve Steps, taken as a whole, is that they never let an alcoholic off the hook, though sometimes they may appear to temporarily. Take the so-called “house-cleaning” steps, for instance. You’ve been through the wretchedness of Steps Four through Seven, and then Step Eight comes along andContinue reading “Living Amends – Grapevine Article December 1955 by J.E.”
Unzipping the Steps – Grapevine Article September 2004 by Linda B.
Necessary protection during emotional free fall A man who had begun drinking again after a long period of sobriety spoke in a meeting about how he “had worked the Steps in reverse.” First he quit doing service (Step Twelve), then he let go of his spiritual life (Step Eleven), then he quit taking a dailyContinue reading “Unzipping the Steps – Grapevine Article September 2004 by Linda B.”