By Stefano, Renascent Alumni
Step Two – Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves, could restore us to sanity.
My name is Stefano, and I am an alcoholic addict. On June 7, 2015, I desperately sought out an institution (Renascent) to have something other than myself, manage my powerless life. On June 6, 2015, I had considered taking my life or having the police take me away. Instead, the police lovingly drove me to my doctor’s, setting in place my journey to safely arrive at Renascent on June 15 2015. Finally, I was ready to take Step One. I admitted I was an alcoholic and addict, and that my life was unmanageable.
From my very first day at Renascent, I knew that if I did everything that my councillors suggested, I would live. And that I did. My early concept of God was one that God was simply to be none of my business. I did not know who God was, how and why God worked in my life. Quite frankly, I was to stay an agnostic.
With my early concept of God set in place, I was able to take Step 3. Taking Step 3, where I “turned my will and my will over to the care of God, as I understood Him,” saved my life. I was finally able to get through the deep step work required of me to achieve sustained sobriety for 7 ½ + years now.
I was afforded another opportunity, gift, to practice Steps One and Two when my marriage fell apart one and a half years into my sobriety. I realized that no human power could avail me of my unmanageable feelings over my crumbling marriage. I realized that God could and would if I were to seek him, by taking Steps 2 and 3.
The results were incredible. God brought me to Akron, Ohio, because God chose to bring people into my life who wanted to go down to Akron to celebrate Founders’ Day (the day that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as we know it was founded – June 10, 1935). Founders’ Day in Akron, Ohio revealed to me the big power of God through the fellowship of AA. My belief grew like never before.
It is now January 22, 2023 and I have long since realized that it is a gift – a blessing – to take Step Two. I have taken Step Two many times in my life, in areas of my life where powerlessness and unmanageability lie. In recent times this has involved facing unmanageable feelings within me, specifically with work reorganizations where I fear my livelihood being lost.
Today, I have truly come to believe every time I take Step Two. I am immediately jettisoned into the fellowship of the spirit that keeps me clean, sober, serene, and alive to do the next right thing. That is, to be of service to the next, still suffering alcoholic or addict, as well as my family and friends.
I close, by expressing my deep gratitude to God for continuing to place me with the people he wants me to be with, in the places he wants me to be in, doing the things he wants me to do. Today, I know that every time I take Step Two, I get that much closer to the heartbeat of my God, the heartbeat of AA, and the heartbeat of my soul.
Thank you so much for affording me this opportunity to write on Step Two.
Much love
Stefano
P.S. I humbly share the gift of what Step Two means to me. It is illustrated by this telling excerpt from Joe McQ – The Steps we Took.
