Many people living in one day at a time recovery know the reality of using the banister. The banister guides us up and down the steps of recovery. This is more than a reality to people following the realities of 12 step recovery. They admit to the complete defeat and the unmanageability caused by addiction. They come to believe that their mental functioning will be restored by a power greater than themselves. They make a decision to let go of self-will and subscribe to doing the selfless will that they find in recovery guided by the reality of a God of their understanding. They inventory their history and they admitted to God, themselves, and another human being the exact nature of their wrongs. They became entirely ready for God to remove all of their character defects and they humbly asked this God to remove their short comings. They then made a list of all the people they had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. They made direct amends wherever possible except when it would harm these people or others. In addition to this they continued to take a personal inventory and when they were wrong they promptly admitted it. They also sought through prayer and meditation to improve their conscience contact with God as they understood God to be praying only for knowledge of God’s will for them and the power to carry that out. To complete these steps they believed that as they had a spiritual awakening as a result of these step they tried to carry this message to addicts and to practice these principles in all their affairs. Their reality is that they participate in using these banisters to the best of their ability. It all begins with the gift of desperation. These banisters are tried and tested realities. They have worked for many, many people. Peace.
