Easy Does It

There are so many slogans in AA. Some make me smile no matter how many times I hear them. Others make me bristle when they challenge my stubborn character defects. "Easy does it" is one AA suggestion that I have wrestled mightily. It is a cornerstone of sobriety that helps protect against relapse, but it also happens to contradict deeply ingrained societal values such as "work hard, play hard" and "no painm no gain." Over time I have learned how important "easy does it" really is, and why my self-will has fought so hard against it.