Principles Before My Personality

"My best thinking got me where I was." How many times, I wonder, have I heard that? Being a twenty-four-year-old, less-than-two-years-sober college student, every time I heard it was too many. However, this AA pseudo-slogan has led me to become very skeptical of my own "best thinking." Today I must think about things in depth and discuss them with someone else--usually, though not exclusively, with one of my sponsors--before I can act with any degree of confidence. One of the greatest gifts AA has given me is the ability to think before I act. This was no door prize, mind you. I had to work very hard to earn this gift (though unfortunately, I don't always use it).