October 6
Waiting to Be Asked Again
We have already accepted a responsibility, but we keep waiting for someone to tell us exactly what to do. If no one gives instructions, nothing happens. Later we can honestly say that no one asked. There is safety in that position: we cannot be blamed for a decision we never made. The work, however, is still waiting.
Some hesitation comes from unclear expectations and deserves clarification. Some comes from fear of owning a choice. Being trusted can be unsettling when we once depended on either rebellion or obedience to tell us who we were. Service offers a chance to develop judgment between those familiar positions. We can gather the information we need, ask for guidance, and act within the responsibility we accepted. The decision may need correction later. That possibility does not make perpetual waiting a more faithful response to the trust already given.
Where am I waiting for permission that my responsibility already includes?
A considered beginning is possible.
For the A.A. nerds: Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concepts II and III.