Page 105 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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84 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
word serenity and we will know peace. No matter
how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how
our experience can benefit others. That feeling
of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will
lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our
fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole atti­
tude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people
and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will in­
tuitively know how to handle situations which used to
baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing
for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not.
They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly,
sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we
work for them.
This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests
we continue to take personal inventory and continue
to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We
vigorously commenced this way of living as we
cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of
the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understand­
ing and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter.
It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch
for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When
these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them.
We discuss them with someone immediately and make
amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we
resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help.
Love and tolerance of others is our code.
And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone—
even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have re­
turned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If
tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We