The 12 Steps as Characters

After reading J. Ruth Gendler's Book of Qualities, I thought about what the 12 Steps, which I teach regularly, would be like if they were characters.    Let me know what you think.

The 12 Steps as Characters

One crawls onto the stage, shirt torn, mud under fingernails, thirsty and in need of a haircut. He’s been alone so long that human touch is an immediate balm. He eats and rests so deeply the restoration seems miraculous.  He’s actually been wanting this for some time.

Two walks barefoot across a lush grassy yard, tentative at first, with head up, amazed at the sunshine and blooming flowers. She’s curious, her heart is tender, and she holds the hand of a wise elder, a stranger perhaps, who already loves her.

Three is a student who buckles down to study. While always smart, he realizes this time he has to do things in order, and that people can see through his glib responses. To get where he wants to be, he’ll have to be more disciplined than ever and work with a level of consistency that will be challenging. He decides to give it a try.

Four is a savvy businesswoman who sees clutter and doesn’t look away. She’s pulled everything out of the junk drawer then tosses some items in the trash and finds the proper place for the rest. When she’s finished, she takes a deep breath, the first one in years that truly feels free.

Five is on his way home from school and doesn’t yet know a plate of cookies and a listening ear await him.  He bursts through the door ready to share some details, reluctant to tell other stories, but because the kind person waiting is eager to hear it all, he tells it all.

Six is a middle school girl alone with the door closed standing before a mirror. She’s happy with her eyes, mortified by her nose, yet sees it all clearly--the blemishes and circles she tries to hide from the world. She remembers her friends are envious of her hair and smiles.

Seven is a baseball player ready to be coached. He has a pretty good pitch and swing but it could be even better and he needs help to get there. He signs up for lessons, shows up on time, and faithfully practices because he believes he can improve, with help.

Eight is a mother about to see her son get married. She reviews their years together and wonders about some of the moments—was she selfish? Did she push him too hard? Did she encourage her young man’s emotional intelligence or worry about him fitting in? There’s not a moment she’s forgotten, and she takes out each memory to see it from a new light, the perspective of letting it go in order to see who he is today.

Nine is a police officer who used too much force in his last interaction and needs to go back into the community to make it right. He gets out of the car and walks the neighborhoods without a gun, listening to people’s stories, receiving their complaints, and asking what he can do to restore trust and right relationship. He’s open, non-defensive and ready to learn and grow.

Ten is a night nurse, intuitive, wide-awake, and wise. As she does her rounds, she pays attention to anything out of the ordinary—sounds, movements, irregular breath--and then moves without hesitation to make the necessary adjustments to return things to optional operation.  She’s good at this because she’s experienced and never cuts corners.

Eleven is a farmer who daily puts her hands into the dirt, welcomes the rain, and turns like a plant towards the sun. She greets the wind, the grain moving, and the brook through her property as friends. When she learns what needs to happen next, she doesn’t hesitate to do it. This life depends on her listening and acting in alignment.

Twelve is a troop of boy scouts volunteering at a soup kitchen. They arrive smiling and do whatever is asked of them. They do the work with happy hearts because they are having fun together. Their laughter and occasional singing fills the shelter with light and soon everyone else is smiling. They’re eager to come back next week.

JoAnn Campbell-Rice, May 2017