Sweeping Off Our Side Of The Street

Under no condition do we criticize such a person or argue. Simply tell him that we will never get over drinking until we have done our utmost to straighten out the past. We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do. His faults are not discussed. We stick to our own. If our manner is calm, frank, and open, we will be gratified with the result. Big Book, p77-78

This is difficult to do without saying the word "but".  Whenever I would try to do this on my own, without my Higher Power, I found that I would start cleaning up my side of the street only to say after, "but, you did such and such".  I found myself still trying to justify my actions.  How cunning, baffling and powerful is this disease!!   Often I found that cleaning up my side of the street was born out of guilt and not out of love.  When I turn to my Higher Power first I pray something like, "God, please don't let me hurt anyone and please give me the words of your choosing.  Let me be an instrument for healing and not self-centered scheming".  There have been times when I was waiting on someone I was supposed to meet and the moment I said the prayer, they called or texted me and canceled our meeting.  I can only assume that God didn't want that person subjected to more of my garbage.  And sometimes, the time felt right to me and I didn't say but.  I am grateful that many relationships have been repaired and that my Higher Power gives me exactly what I need for today.

Thank you Higher Power.  Thank you for aligning my will more and more with the principles of AA.  Thank you for all you have shown me through experiences and through my fellows.  Thank you.