A Meeting-Room Joke About Honesty in AA Recovery
I have a Ph.D. in M.S.U.
My AA friend said, “I have an advanced degree in M.S.U.
I have had years of training in Making S*^t Up. I am not an amateur; I am an expert. I have a post-graduate degree.”
We had a good laugh.
But underneath the laughter, there was a serious point. A point that goes to the heart of recovery.
When we make s*^t up, we are not honest. When we read “How It Works” at AA meetings, honesty is emphasized repeatedly; honesty is a critical part of recovery.
I need to be honest:
- with myself,
- and about the world.
Self-Honesty, Character Defects, and Powerlessness
I make s*^t up about myself.
When I am honest with myself, I can see and define my character defects, which is essential if I am ever going to remove them, or allow God to remove them.
And when I am honest with myself, I better understand powerlessness. That deeper and expanded understanding allows me to reach deeper levels of acceptance and forgiveness.
AA Recovery and the Stories I Invent About the World
And I make s*^t up about the world. Making it up about myself is bad enough, but with the world as my canvas, I can paint much larger pictures and really make s*^t up.
- I can imagine things you said or did, whether or not you said or did them.
- I can fear things that are yet to come and might not come.
- I can be angry over slights and harms that are not real, only in my mind.
- I can anticipate and create goblins, ghosts and monsters with no evidence at all.
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FAQ
What does M.S.U. mean in this AA recovery reflection?
M.S.U. stands for the author’s joking phrase, “Making S*^t Up.” He uses the imaginary advanced degree to describe how practiced he has become at inventing stories about himself and the world.
Why does the author connect honesty with character defects?
The author says being honest with himself helps him see and define his character defects. He considers recognizing them essential to changing them or allowing God to remove them.
How does self-honesty relate to powerlessness in this reflection?
The author describes honesty as helping him understand powerlessness more deeply. In his experience, that understanding opens the way to deeper acceptance and forgiveness.
What does the author mean by making things up about the world?
He means imagining what other people said or did, fearing events that might never happen, and becoming angry about slights that exist only in his mind.
What two areas of honesty does the author identify?
He identifies being honest with himself and being honest about the world. The reflection explores how invented stories in either area can interfere with seeing clearly.
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Spiritual Maturity
Dishonest Motives
