That Damn Tenth Step Again

"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."

"When we speak or act hastily or rashly, the ability to  be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot."

"Our first objective will be the development of self-restraint."   

"And when we were wrong promptly admitted it."

"It is a spiritual axiom that every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is  something wrong with us."

As this is the Tenth Month our Daily Reflections collection is basing the readings on our Tenth Step: "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it." 

 

I definitely like the reminder that we "continue" to take personal inventory.  Most of us are so relieved and full of our selves about the progress we're making that after we complete our Fourth and Fifth Steps we think there's nothing left to do.  Not so fast, buster.

 

I like the reminder that this is a "personal" inventory.  We have quit inspecting and correcting the defects of others, no matter how glaring and obvious they are.  The phrasing is definitely not "continue to take your inventory," no matter how delicious a prospect that is.

I like that the Step says "when" we were wrong.  It definitely does not say "if" we are wrong.  It assures us that we have been wrong, we will be wrong, and we're probably doing something wrong right now.

I like that we're asked to be "prompt" in our admission of our faults.  Now.  Not later