Sometimes Steps Ten through Twelve are called "maintenance steps." Steps One through Nine are similar to repentance steps, and now we are trying to maintain sobriety. I would rather think of Steps Ten through Twelve as growth steps.
AA Step Ten: "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it."
LDS Addiction Recovery Step Ten: "Continue to take personal inventory, and when you are wrong promptly admit it."
LDS Addiction Recovery Key Principle for Step Ten: Daily Accountability
King Benjamin: "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30).
For me, one of the main reasons for the success of Alcoholics Anonymous is the principle of once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states, "We are like men who have lost their legs; they never grow new ones" (Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 3). In a later chapter it states, "It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our activities" (Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 6).
Daily accountability keeps us on track. We can make smaller course corrections before it's too late--before our newfound sobriety is in jeopardy. King Benjamin's wording is consistent with the Step. We must "continue" taking inventory of ourselves and "continue in the faith." King Benjamin gives us three areas to watch--our thoughts, words, and deeds. Many addicts in recovery will do a sort of mini inventory at night before retiring for the day. It's a good time to reflect on the things that went well, to express gratitude for the many blessings God has given us, and to look for improvement. The sacrament is another opportunity to take inventory and contemplate areas that could use correction.
As I have expressed with many of these steps, my early days found me thinking I would only have to work each step once and be done and graduate from the program. Twenty-seven years later, I'm still trying to work the steps. I will share one personal experience.
One cold January morning I went outside to our garage. I can't remember what for; probably to get the snow shovel. Sitting in the garage next to our car was what my sweetheart would term a fine piece of antique furniture. I believe it was supposed to be a desk. I did not share the same opinion. I thought to myself, that has to be the ugliest piece of furniture I have ever seen. I wondered what it was doing in our garage and why I didn't know about this. I marched into the house and asked what this blankety blank thing was, and was informed that she received this from her sister and it was going upstairs in one of the bedrooms.
I just got madder as I thought about this. How dare she bring something like this into our house? And especially without asking me. I should have heeded the Big Book which says resentments are like poison to the alcoholic. But I didn't. Instead I went into insanity mode and my mind raced and jumped to conclusions. As I looked at this piece of antiquity, I wondered if I would be able to get my lawnmower out of the garage since it appeared to be blocking the way. Despite the freezing temperature, and snow on the ground, and despite the fact that it would be at least three months before I would need to use the lawnmower, I decided to attempt the feat of moving the mower. Just as my brilliant observation supposed, the mower got stuck and it was probably one inch shy of clearance.
Now I was really frustrated. I was wearing some winter boots and so I went over and gently tried to push the desk with my foot to slide it over just a bit. It wouldn't budge. Now this is where it gets into a point of disagreement with my wife (who wasn't there). She says I kicked the desk. I say I just pushed it more firmly with my foot. Whatever the case, I then noticed a small crack in one of the drawers where I tried to push it with my foot. Okay, I kicked it.
Knowing I was in trouble now, I walked back into the house and informed my dear wife that as I gently tried to move her fine piece of furniture, I accidentally cracked one of the drawers. Her immediate response was, "You need an AA meeting." I humbly followed her advice and provided entertainment at the Lunch Bunch Meeting for all my addict friends.
But at least I didn't have to get drunk over it!
By the way, this "beautiful desk" is still in the bedroom. She won. But I get to stay married and sober.
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