When we decide who is to hear our story, we waste no time. We have a written inventory and we are prepared for a long talk. We explain to our partner what we are about to do and why we have to do it. He should realise that we are engaged upon a life-and-death errand. Most people approached in this way will be glad to help; they will be honoured by our confidence.
We pocket our pride and go to it, illuminating every twist of character, every dark cranny of the past. Once we have taken this step, we are delighted. We can look the world in the eye. We can be alone at perfect peace and ease. We begin to feel the nearness of our Creator. We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience. The feeling that the drink problem has disappeared will often come strongly. We feel we are on the Broad Highway, walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe.
Returning home we find a place where we can be quiet for an hour, carefully reviewing what we have done. We thank God from the bottom of our heart that we know Him better. We ask ourselves if we have omitted anything, for we are building an arch through which we shall walk a free man at last. Is our work solid so far? Are the stones properly in place? Have we skimped on the cement put into the foundation?
If we can answer to our satisfaction, we then look at Step Six. We have emphasised willingness as being indispensable. Are we now ready to let God remove from us all the things which we have admitted are objectionable? If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing.
When ready, we say something like this: “My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.” We have then completed Step Seven.
Reprinted from the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, page #75-76, with permission of AA World Services, Inc.
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DNA Newspaper Mumbai Edition Published Date: May 29, 2012
