Aug. 23, 2015 - Readings in Recovery: Step by Step

The Serenity Prayer

Step by Step
Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015

"Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitude." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, "They Stopped in Time," Ch 17 ("Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict"), p 449.

Today, grant me understanding and accept that my alcoholism or addiction and my recovery depend on ME to make fundamental changes internally - and that those changes will not come by the world changing to accommodate me. If I have not yet accepted that I must live life on life's terms or if I have not accepted or surrendered to the basic truth that I am powerless over alcohol, I am undoubtedly going to stumble not too far out of the starting gate. I cannot expect the realities of life to change any more than I would change myself to comply with someone else's expectations of me; thus, for the basic changes that I must make for as quality a sobriety as I can in the Program, I have to look inward to begin making those changes. Today, I scrap my expectations of the world and everyone else to meet MY standards; instead, I ask if maybe the problem isn't ME. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2015