A Dozen Steps

The Program v. The Fellowship

by Anne W. on December 22nd, 2005

When I was new in Program, I took everything I heard at meetings as gospel. One day, when I was trying to justify something by quoting someone at a meeting, my sponsor pointed out that I could always find someone who would agree with me – but that didn’t mean it was based in the Program.

It took me awhile to really work it out, but I’ve learned there is a huge and significant difference between what’s said at meetings and what’s actually written in the Program. Don’t get me wrong, I love the meetings and the fellowship – and I’ve learned tons of valuable things with both.

But the truth is, what we say, and what we hear in meetings and over coffee is simply our stories. Our stories are important, but they are filtered through our opinion and experience. Stories can be helpful, but they can also lead us in the wrong direction.

For example, you’ll hear people at meetings say things like “I’m not ready to do my inventory.” It’s usually said as if there is some magic time when we are ready, and it’s usually said as an excuse for delaying the Fourth Step.

Yet, if you read the Big Book, you’ll discover Dr. Bob did all the steps (there were only six in the beginning, but they included everything our 12 steps contain) in a long afternoon and evening. In other words, there’s nothing in the Program (which I define as the Big Book, the 12 and 12 and As Bill Sees It) that talks about waiting to do the Fourth Step until “we’re ready.” We work the Steps because we must, and the sooner the better.

The Program is as close as we’ll get to gospel; the Fellowship is something else entirely, and it’s good to know the difference,

With love, blessings, and gratitude,

You may want to read the article, The Program v. The Fellowship

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POSTED IN: Experience, Strength and Hope