The 12 Step Program is truly America's unique gift to 20th Century Spirituality. Upon some reflection, however, I found that, in my own life, there were really 24 Steps!

1) I noticed how others were powerless over their compulsive behaviors --that their lives were making my life unmanageable.

2) I came to believe that a Power greater than myself could change these people and restore them to sanity.

3) I urged these people to turn their wills and lives over to the care of God as I understood Him.

4) I made a searching and fearless moral inventory of my relatives, neighbors and coworkers.

5) I pointed out to God, and to anyone else who'd sympathize, the exact nature of my relatives', neighbors' and coworkers' wrongs.

6) I was entirely ready for God to remove all of their defects of character.

7) I begged God continuously to remove their shortcomings.

8) I made a list of all persons who had harmed me and am waiting for them to apologize and make amends to me.

9) I expect them to make direct amends to me in any way possible.

10) I continued to inventory others' shortcomings and when they were wrong, promptly told anyone who'd listen to my criticism, condemnation and complaints.

11) I sought to improve others' contact with God as I understood Him, praying only for others' knowledge of my view of God and their power to carry out His (and my) will.

12) Having gotten nowhere as a result of these steps, unable to change all of these other people or to enable them to practice such principles to my satisfaction, I started this 12 Step Program from scratch and focused on changing myself instead of others.

13) We admitted we were powerless ...

Happy New Year!
jb