August 12
A Small Repair
We forget to bring what we promised. The meeting manages without it, and someone kindly says it is no problem. We could accept that kindness and say nothing more. We could also turn the mistake into a long apology that everyone must interrupt to reassure us. Between those reactions is a plain acknowledgment: we forgot, and somebody else had to make an adjustment.
Ordinary service gives us modest opportunities to practice accountability. We can thank the person who covered, replace what is missing, and consider whether we need a better reminder. The mistake need not become a judgment on our entire recovery. Nor does the group's goodwill remove our part in setting it right. Learning to repair a small lapse without hiding or dramatizing it may be one of the less celebrated gifts of having a simple responsibility among people who know us.
What would a proportionate, honest response to my latest small mistake look like?
A small repair can be enough.
For the A.A. nerds: Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Steps Ten and Twelve.