A Dozen Steps

The Tablemate - Discussion No. 3 Inventory and Restitution Part III

by Mark on June 16th, 2008

As a reminder;

The Tablemate was an early A.A. set of beginners lessons entitled ‘Alcoholics Anonymous: An Interpretation of the Twelve Steps,’ put out in the form of a little pamphlet. It was (and still is) the most successful set of A.A. beginners lessons ever devised.

And I’m drawing content from the Hindsfoot site, laboriously prepared by Glenn C. and others… We moved into Discussion No. 3: Inventory and Restitution Part I then Inventory and Restitution Part II, and now, Inventory and Restitution Part III.

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Step No. 10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

In coming into A.A. we usually will have a pretty big inventory to work on, as in Steps Four, Eight, and Nine. But even after that, we will not be perfect. We have a long way to go. We will continue to make mistakes and will be inclined to do some more wrong thinking and wrong doing. So at intervals, we continue to take inventory. Here the purpose is to check on our progress. We certainly cannot be perfect, so the need for regular inventory is apparent.

These inventories are personal. We confine the inventory to ourselves. We are the ones who need it. Never mind the other fellow! He too is probably troubled and will have to make his own inventory.

When we make these inventories, probably the best way to start is to go over (one by one) each of the twelve steps, and try to discover just what (in these steps) we are not following.

The businessman has to make a physical inventory from time to time. We have to make a personal inventory of ourselves from time to time if we want to recover from a serious mental illness.

Character Defects and Vices

So much for the inventory steps - - now look at some of the things we would do well to cover in an inventory:

1. Selfishness - - the common vice of all alcoholics.
2. Egotism - - who is without some of it? Self-Importance, Mr. Big.
3. False Pride - - too big to admit a fault or an error.
4. Impatience - - the spoiled child in a grown man.
5. Resentments - - an alcoholic usually is sore at the whole world. Everybody is wrong!
6. Lack of common honesty - - usually fooling ourselves and trying to fool others. False pretense, sham.
7. Deceit.
8. Hate - - the outgrowth of anger and resentment.
9. Jealousy - - just wanting what the other fellow worked to get.
10. Envy - - a sure-fire cause of discontent and unhappiness.
11. Laziness - - just plain laziness.

And so on through a long list.

Conversely Our Inventory Could Show a List of Virtues

which we very definitely lack and should go to work on to develop such as:

Honesty
Simple Justice
Fairness
Generosity
Truthfulness
Modesty
Humility
Honest Pride in work well done
Simplicity
Patience
Industry (go to work and really work)

And so on through a long list.

Then Consider a Few MAJOR Virtues

FAITH - If we have lost faith we must work desperately hard to get it back. Ask God to give us faith in him, our fellow man, and ourselves.
HOPE - If we have lost hope we are dead pigeons. Only those who have been cruelly hurt and in desperate need can know the wonderful sense of security that lies in hope for better things.
TRUST - Since our own self-sufficient conduct of our own life has failed us, we must put our trust in God, who has never failed.

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The Tablemate - Discussion No. 3 Inventory and Restitution Part II
The Tablemate - Discussion No. 3 Inventory and Restitution Part I
The Tablemate - Part I
The Tablemate - Discussion No. 4 Active Work
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