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"If we have been thorough about our personal inventory, we have written down a lot. We have listed and analyzed our resentments. We have begun to comprehend their futility and their fatality. We have commenced to see their terrible destructiveness. We have begun to learn tolerance, patience and good will toward all men, even our enemies, for we look on them as sick people. We have listed the people we have hurt by our conduct, and are willing to straighten out the past if we can."

Alcoholics Anonymous
How It Works
Page 70

This Step is where the rubber meets the road. The guiding principles are thoroughness and honesty. Everything should be put down on paper. When we've finished, we go back and put down those things that we don't want to write about (and everybody has something that doesn't make the list the first go).

We're preparing the foundaton for a better way of life. I'm reminded of an experience I had putting up new wallpaper. I first stripped off the old paper and then prepped the wall to put up the new. I thought I did a pretty good job of getting all the old paper off, but it was difficult, tedious work. The old paper had fused with the drywall and was difficult to remove.

I was anxious to get the new paper up. When I finished removing most of the old paper, there we still small areas where the paper or glue still stuck, but they were slight imperfections and I figured that the new paper would certainly cover them.

I couldn't have been more wrong. The slight bumps were magnified by the new paper and looked as though I had papered over pictures still hung on the wall. So, it is with our inventories. If we leave anything undisclosed, if will become a huge issue and occupy our minds, nagging us to take action. It's much better to get it all out the first time.


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