Serenity is Not the End Goal
Completing Steps Four through Nine does not insure that our lives will now be totally serene and free of problems.
I had a misconception that completing the Steps would lead to a life free of all problems—a state of perpetual serenity. The quote clarifies that completing Step Nine does not insure that our lives will now be totally serene and free of problems. This realization prevents the catastrophic thinking that occurs when a problem inevitably arises. A problem is not a sign of failure; it is a sign of life.
Step Ten allows me to manage my expectations. It grounds me in reality. My life will still have friction, loss, and difficult people. The difference is my emotional equipment. I stop looking for total freedom from problems and start looking for freedom in the midst of problems. My sobriety is measured by how I handle the inevitable rough times, not by the absence of them.
I will stop talking and start listening. I will sit in silence for two minutes, trusting that God's guidance is often not a shout, but a whisper that I can only hear when I quiet my own noise.
