Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable
At the time of my traffic stop I remember the surrender to the officer that I had been drinking. I believe I knew my fate at that moment and thought at last the time had come to stop the madness
Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
The law is definitely a higher power this would serve the purpose for now
Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
The lawyer and all the therapy consultants I saw over the next few months helped to make all the relevant decisions in order to redirect my life for the next few months I do not believe in GOD per say
Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
Professional analysts prepared a defense for my case and after many consultations my story was put together for the judge or higher power to see
Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
Agreed to a plea bargain with the judge, the prosecution, and of course the defense and myself. We were all in agreement
Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
The judge agreed on a sentence including a 12 month suspension, 12 month probation, and to complete the 12 step program, surely while serving my penance within the confines of the 12 everything's I might even find 12 defects. A good number 12, I hope Tom Hanks can get a conspiracy movie out of it like angels and demons.
Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
Asked the judge for leniency with the plea bargain and to understand that I might change my ways with help from the program.
Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
I had already started doing this step before the incident maybe some preconceived knowledge of the events, the end is nigh, tempting fate, written in the tea leaves and all that sort of stuff. I knew my destiny. Nicolas Cage would like this plot for a movie maybe
Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
In my case long distance apologies are my only option and judging by the fact that I have gotten a response I think I am on the right road.
Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
Attending meetings everyday listening to all the suggestions and readings and applying it to my new lifestyle where applicable.
Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out
I don't believe in GOD! However I have been inspired by the beach meetings, seeing the sunrise on every Saturday Sunday morning. This has given me a new consciousness. In fact I am coming to the belief that my conscience maybe the higher power that I need to answer too. I now seem to be questioning myself on a regular basis with every issue of goodwill to all others and my tardiness, laziness personal cleanliness and general anal retentiveness. I see the laziness in myself and others as a real source to the problems we all have, I find links to every problem we talk about in the meetings, in the news, on the web in the world. Never mind the drugs and drink let's all get busy so we don't get the time to indulge in these problem pastimes.
Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs
If anyone agrees with these ideas or has any input please let me know? This is my interpretation and only applies to me. I realize this might not be for everyone else or in fact anyone else.
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