OPENING NEW DOORS

Opening new doors in recovery is about the promise of a new life that the Big Book describes. On page 83, it says, 'We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.' This doesn't mean we forget—it means we stop being prisoners of shame. The door to the past stays open behind us, but we're free to walk through new doors ahead. Chapter 6 promises that we will 'know a new freedom and a new happiness' [Page 83]. That freedom comes from working the Steps and carrying the message to others. Each time we help a still-suffering alcoholic, we open another door—not just for them, but for ourselves [Page 89]. The daily reprieve we receive [Page 85] is only as good as the action we take to keep walking through those new doors. So opening new doors means trusting that God, as we understand Him, will show us which door to open next—and having the courage to step through.