February 1
The Part Nobody Sees
We receive too much change at a counter. The amount is small, and nobody appears to have noticed. For a moment the question becomes surprisingly complicated. We remember times we were overcharged, how hurried we are, and whether saying something will embarrass the cashier. A simple matter has acquired a whole committee of explanations.
Private conduct gives faith a place beyond the way we describe ourselves. Returning the money may bring no feeling of spiritual growth and no appreciative audience. It may simply keep a small dishonesty from becoming part of the day. That ordinariness matters. We are developing a way of living that does not depend entirely on being observed or applauded. Nor must one correct action become a certificate of goodness. We can be grateful for the chance to do something plain and let it remain plain, without making a story of our own virtue.
What changes in my conduct when I believe nobody will know?
The quiet choice still belongs to my life.
For the A.A. nerds: Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Step Twelve.