I Regret NOTHING!

Regret:  To feel sorrow or remorse over (something that has happened, one's own acts, etc.).

"We will not regret the past or wish to shut the door on it."

This was the excellent, excellent topic at today's meeting.  Whenever I'm asked at the last minute to chair a meeting I usually flip to The Promises.  As a Problem Guy I like anything that makes me work on The Solution - which is the main thing, after all - and takes me further away from The Problem - which is where I tend to spend way too much of my time.

It's important for me to remember that The Promises are found in our literature after a discussion of the The 9th Step amends work.  The implication is that I really begin to get some incredible relief after I do some significant work.  I can say this today and mostly be telling the truth: I am not afraid to look at my past and I do not feel remorse for what I find there.  Sure, I cringe sometimes remembering some of the things I said and did,  and I wonder how my life might have turned out if I had made different choices; but it's almost as if I'm watching a movie about some other poor SOB.  When I turn off the reflections I can easily re-center myself right in my very normal and very excellent present.

This is why we do The Steps.  We decide, with the help of others, who we need to apologize to; we apologize, with our heads held high, unashamed, straightforward; we try to the best of our ability to change our behavior from that point on, failing often but never wavering in our determination to do better.

No more groveling.