Diversity Newcomers One to Two, Gently By admin Posted on April 1, 2019 2 min read 0 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on Reddit Share on Pinterest Share on Linkedin Share on Tumblr I am a newcomer. I’ve been abstinent three weeks. For me, Step One has opened the path of “beginning to change.” Now that I have accepted something that I would never in a million years be willing to accept unless I absolutely had to—I feel that anything is possible. But if can’t do it on my own, then why not try what’s suggested? Step Two builds on Step One by laying out the possibility of a Higher Power. It seems Step One leads to Step Two very gently. Knowing I am powerless and that my life is unmanageable makes me look for something to help and guide me. Step Two is also good; it seems to quash arguments about why we wouldn’t want to believe. In the AA Twelve and Twelve, the Step Two chapter acknowledges that science is to be respected (pp. 26–27), which assures me that the Twelve Steps are not some cultish practice. I particularly like the bit on page 31 about praying for “the good things of life which we specified” and not getting them or meeting up with major calamity. And, on page 29, I noted this idea: wasn’t being a good person with good intentions and “simple rules of fair play and decency” (p. 29) enough? I can relate to these points a lot, and these readings seem to cover my queries about believing. Once I am willing to accept my powerlessness and unmanageability, anything is possible. Thank you. — Lucy