Dear Reader
What on earth is a ‘moral inventory’? and as for ‘fearless’!! I could never have faced the work I needed to do in Step Four without the strength and courage I now had from working through Steps One, Two and Three with my sponsor and putting them into practice on a daily basis. Yes, I have to do the work – and with the support of this amazing Programme, my Higher Power, my sponsor, my Fellows - it’s all doable. The biggest revelation to me was that it wasn’t me (or even others) that I hated, it was my behaviours (and those of others) that could be so disturbing. It takes great courage and strength to shine a light on those areas, but a thorough Step Four really does open the door to a wonderful new way of living – which now includes a daily inventory of what has gone well and where I can make positive changes to ensure my continued spiritual growth.
One of the most useful pamphlets I have is the Traditions Checklist. It really does help me focus on where I can incorporate our Traditions into my daily life. Relationships can be challenging for me and referring to the checklist has been a massive part of my recovery. For example, in the checklist for Tradition Four, it asks, “Do I share my knowledge of AA tools with other members who may not have heard of them?” Over the years I have found writing down how I feel can be a useful tool in ‘letting off steam’, particularly when I’m going through a period of feeling a bit down, and I just don’t want to talk to anyone about it. I just put pen to paper and vent - letting all the emotions and feelings just flood out, holding nothing back. I do this on a daily basis until I feel my serenity returning and then I just shred it all.
Don’t forget to write and send that article you’ve been thinking about – especially if it’s on Gratitude for our June issue.
