Step 2 Men’s Gazette

Remembering David K.

There is a dark pall over Lambeau Field and The Step Two Men’s Group Office. It is with a heavy heart that I report that our dear friend, David K. has passed away at the age of 82. David was the Chairman of the Saturday Group at McKinley Park.

Born in Milwaukee in 1941, David had a tough time as a kid. His father died when he was 8. Afterward, his mother had her struggles with Life and David was in and out of St. Aemilian Orphanage until he was 14.

At that time, David’s fate turned with move out to Santa Barbara, California to live with his older brother Charles. Once settled, David attended and graduated from Bishop Garcia Diego High School. Out in California, David developed a very close bond with his other brother, Jim and sister, Lois. Throughout, David kept his loyalty and allegiance to the point of fanaticism to the Packer Green and Gold.

On a blind date at Murphy’s Hotel, David fell in love with his wife Suzanne. They were married and had two children, Lisa and Matthew.

David found sobriety about 17 years ago. Eight years ago, he moved to Sacramento and began attending the Step Two Men’s Group. We remember David as a little cantankerous, a little opinionated, and funny as hell. It’s a wonder, given the open mindedness, seriousness, and almost saint like opened arm loving of our senior members that David fit in so well, so quickly. He did though. That’s what we are going to miss so much.

David was a genuine, true and loyal human being. He gave his time and efforts to this Program. He was, of course, generous in opinions on how I should approach being in the Program in any capacity. That’s why I loved him so much. I didn’t do everything he said. Maybe 40%. Or 10 %, I forget. I admit that for David, because he would laugh vociferously if he could read it.

David mentored us all and was particularly generous with new members. He was a good sponsor and advisor. He helped his son in law, Steve, with the Program. He helped us all. Fare Thee Well, Dear Friend David. We will miss you and remember you always.

Contributed by John M.

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Breezing Up

It’s important to attend meetings because you never know what wisdom will be imparted by one of the members. Case in point, Bob pointed out at a breezy Saturday morning meeting that he does a 4^th Step Daily. Or, he follows the 10^th Step. Take your pick.

The significance was that he uses these steps as a tool to measure his spiritual growth. Not spiritually with a church or specific religion, but for his own personal growth. I might have most of what he said screwed up, but what I thought I heard was that he uses Step 4, in the morning, to plan for his day. He begins by taking his inventory.

Once his inventory is complete, Bob can then bring this newfound awareness into his daily practice of the 11th Step. By incorporating the insights gained from the 4th Step into his thoughts, Bob looks for guidance on how to grow and change. Bob can look at his character defects identified in his inventory and for any strength or skills to improve being a better person.

I pass that on because many of us do not meditate well or have a strong conscious contact with a Higher Power. This is despite effort to do so. As an example, I start most mornings with a stretch. A lazy man’s yoga. I call this my meditation period, but it is hardly. I do think about what looms out in the day ahead. I sometimes think about whether any of that will afford me any improvement.

I briefly review conversations I may have had with my Ex or my daughters from the previous day. I have even briefer moments contemplating contacting them with explanations or apologies. Previous experiences have proven to be like going into a steel reinforced concrete room where a revolver lays on the table with a boron carbide bullet next to it. On a wall is a sign that says, “Load Bullet, Spin Cylinder, Shoot Randomly and See What Happens”.

Consequently, I have many mornings and days where it’s like sailing a single sail dinghy with the centerboard up. I’m adrift. I’ll just see what happens.

That is why I need the Step Two Men’s Group. It is my intermittent anchor.

Still, I do set aside a little bit of time when I first get up to think about this Program and where I am going with it. I am very fortunate to have been honored with some responsibilities with the Group.,

As I have said, being in service, any service, keeps my head in the Program. Being of service often lays out what I must do that day, to be successful in having a good sober day. The point is, there are many ways to work on an 11^th Step. The important thing for me is keeping a commitment to working on it. Let me see now if I can get this centerboard down.

Contributed by John M.

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Short Form:

“Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.“

Long Form:

“No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues — particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever.“

Tradition Summary

Outside Issues Can Tear Us Apart

What is an outside issue? An outside issue is anything outside of my relationship with God through sobriety.

The tenth tradition is rather clear as it applies to A.A. We have prospered by having no opinion on outside matters and not being drawn into controversy. For instance, A.A. has avoided the outside issues that tore apart the Washingtonians. A.A. has never become crusaders or taken stands on important but outside issues, “particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion”. (See the long form of this tradition)

Bill Wilson differentiates the responsibilities of the A.A. member and the A.A. group in this tradition by saying on p. 177 of the “12 & 12” that the tenth tradition does not “mean that the members of Alcoholics Anonymous, now restored as citizens of the world, are going to back away from their individual responsibilities to act as they see the right upon issues of our time. But when it comes to A.A. as a whole, that’s quite a different matter. In this respect, we do not enter into public controversy because we know that our society will perish if it does.”

Step-Tradition Parallel

The relationship of the tenth tradition to the tenth step is this: I can be at peace and avoid outside issues by taking my inventory and not yours. I avoid controversy by taking stands with the attitude of a peacemaker. The tenth concept of service takes the process one step further and specifies what kind of inventory I should be writing about: The responsibilities for which God has given me authority.

The tenth step poses the question, “How can I survive successfully in the world by taking my own inventory and promptly admitting it when I am wrong?” The tenth tradition supplies the answer; “I survive by being a peacemaker with you because I am at peace with myself through my own inventories.”

From an idea by George T.

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