It’s the trickle-down effect, but in a good way. I’m attempting to work Step Seven whenever I get out of my car, walk into a room, store, office, environment.
Step Seven: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
I’d often saw Step Seven as the first of two bookends; the second being Step Ten. Seven would start the day and Ten would cap it. It would therefore stand to reason that the better I get at Step Seven, the less there is to report in Step Ten.
Not that I don’t use Step Ten more than once a day. I do, but it’s the clean up if Seven isn’t applied properly.
I don’t recite the Seventh Step prayer before embarking on another encounter, mainly because I haven’t memorized it yet. Any time there can be a break achieved before the next thing; a space where I can remind myself that I’m an alcoholic and need to apply special care before proceeding. It’s a little like cheerleading, but on the inside. That seems like something I should get on.
For today and onward: memorize the following (the same thing I promised to memorize four days ago (W.I.P.)):
My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me the strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.
12 the hard way 