A CLEAN SWEEP
. . . . and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of
the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of
ourselves, we may develop the best possible relations
with every human being we know.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS , p. 77
As I face the Eighth Step, everything that was required
for successful completion of the previous seven Steps came
together: courage, honesty, sincerity, willingness and
thoroughness. I could not muster the strength required for
this task at the beginning, which is why this Step reads
“Became willing. . . . ”
I needed to develop the courage to begin, the honesty to
see where I was wrong, a sincere desire to set things
right, thoroughness in making a list, and willingness to
take the risk required for true humility. With the help
of my Higher Power in developing these virtues, I
completed this Step and continued to move forward in my
quest for spiritual growth.