August 19

“By being willing to identify instead of compare, we not only break the bonds of our own isolation, but we help others.”

Tools of Recovery, page 30

In the Twelfth Step we acknowledge a spiritual awakening as a result of the steps and try to carry this message to other recovering sex addicts. We also seek to apply these principles in all areas of our lives.

The mirror’s reflection is a good analogy for the identification of one addict with another. In the face of every newcomer, I am given the chance to see myself as I have been. Because I have been down that treacherous road, I can readily identify with the struggles of my fellow travelers. I can relate to the pain, the fear, the shame, and the despair. I am humbled by the recognition of my own potential for relapse if I do not rigorously work the program. I need to stay in touch with my own powerlessness.

I can also share my experience, my strength, and my hope. I can model through my own stories and behavior a method for transformation. I can share gratitude for the opportunity to see progress through the pain.

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I give thanks for the opportunity to see myself in the reflection of a twelfth-step call.