Step 10 Admissions

Step Ten reads, “Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.”

The style of the meeting was ‘Step and topic.’

The Step for the week was Step Ten, and one of the topics was, “What does it mean to admit?”

There were some terrific insights as we went around the room.

One fellow described admitting a wrong as “owning it.” He described how ownership and accountability meant he accepted the consequences. The next fellow shared that admission of a wrong suggested “honesty” and that he could not admit something until he was honest about it. Another fellow said that admitting a defect was an “awakening.”

All good shares.

Then, near the end, a fellow said, “Admitting a defect means two things. First, admitting a defect means my action does not align with what I should be.”

Then he dropped a bomb on the room.

“Second, admitting a defect means that my action aligns precisely with what I am.”

Wow, an admission of wrong action is an admission that our behaviour aligns with our character. If the actions are wrong, our characters are wrong. Our actions announce to ourselves and the world what we are.

My little mistruths show my dishonest character. My bad temper shows my selfishness. My judgement shows my self-centred pride. All these defects align with what I am.

The lesson cannot be shrugged off; I have clear evidence of my character, which is not good.

I don’t like what I hear at some AA meetings. That is for sure.