September 23

”The manner in which it is given is worth more than the gift.” Pierre Corneille

A topic in a recent meeting made me reflect on how I found the program. After several episodes of leaving a trail to my acting out that were found by my partner, I finally had enough awareness to admit that I had a problem and needed help. A newcomer asked in this recent meeting about disclosure, and as I listened I could not help but recall how things had gone when I had been “put on the spot” to divulge everything that was going on. I know being unprepared and unsure what or how much to say did not help in my own personal circumstances. Some good advice and suggestions were offered by those present. Try and have some recovery under your belt to better understand the consequences and be prepared to face them. Talk with a sponsor and/or therapist about what to say. Try to have the conversation in a controlled environment with a professional – sponsor, therapist, or clergy – to help guide the emotional reactions. All good ideas for someone who has the luxury of creating the opportunity to reveal their secret. In the end that is what disclosure is all about. The program clearly shows that we are only as sick as our secrets. The only way to not have secrets is to share them with someone else. This is a key step in recovery and in become honest with ourselves.

Affirmation I will be aware of any secrets I may still have and find the right time, place and person to share them with.