Read this a bit of time ago. "The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense.His defense must come from a Higher Power." Blue Book p. 43.
Wayne, Oh yes, I love that sentence. Until I put something in it's place- I had to drink- I had no choice. I lost that ability. My HP, AA & the Steps has replaced that mental defect with a choice. Live a spiritual life or die an alcoholic. Seems like a simple choice, but one that took some time for this alcoholic. Grateful that I choose a spiritual path.
What I love about the Steps themselves is that they don't ever expressly talk about *us* *stopping* drinking. They tell us that a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity and set out a road map for how the HP can do that for us.
I take the insanity that is removed to be the insanity the compulsion to take that first drink and the believe that it will be different this time. To me it makes it clear that the power greater than ourselves, whatever we may believe that to be, is the one doing the restoration. Nothing to do with us.
Yes, a great spot in the book. And the word 'must' is in that particular sentence . I must rely on a Higher Power.
Im so thankful I learned with daily practice how to rely on God and I continue to do so one day at a time.
I believe also that in step 2 it is really the insanity of that first drink. I was never really considered legally insane. My thinking was tho when it came to me thinking that I could take just one drink and stop. That rarely happened.
