Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

STEP SEVEN

newcomer in Alcoholics Anonymous is told, and soon real-
izes for himself, that his humble admission of powerlessness
over alcohol is his first step toward liberation from its para-
lyzing grip.

So it is that we first see humility as a necessity. But this
is the barest beginning. To get completely away from our
aversion to the idea of being humble, to gain a vision of
humility as the avenue to true freedom of the human spirit,
to be willing to work for humility as something to be de-
sired for itself, takes most of us a long, long time. A whole
lifetime geared to self-centeredness cannot be set in reverse
all at once. Rebellion dogs our every step at first.

When we have finally admitted without reservation that
we are powerless over alcohol, we are apt to breathe a great
sigh of relief, saying, "Well, thank God that's over! I'll never
have to go through that again!" Then we learn, often to our
consternation, that this is only the first milestone on the new
road we are walking. Still goaded by sheer necessity, we re-
luctantly come to grips with those serious character flaws
that made problem drinkers of us in the first place, flaws
which must be dealt with to prevent a retreat into alcohol-
ism once again. We will want to be rid of some of these
defects, but in some instances this will appear to be an im-
possible job from which we recoil. And we cling with a pas-
sionate persistence to others which are just as disturbing to
our equilibrium, because we still enjoy them too much. How
can we possibly summon the resolution and the willingness
to get rid of such overwhelming compulsions and desires?

But again we are driven on by the inescapable conclusion
which we draw from A.A. experience, that we surely must