Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. ~ Alcoholics Anonymous (Kindle Location 1167)

A wise woman, my college Sunday school teacher,
spoke with disdain of those repeatedly born again
when they stopped there, never “grew up.”
Kind of like doing the 1-2-3-oops, 1-2-3-oops,
repeating, repeating, never moving to step 4.
There comes a time when we’ve been through,
worked the steps, run the course. It’s then we decide:
do we sit on our laurels, play the old-timer, spew advice?
Or do we keep on going, like moving through mountains,
the next peak after the last after the one before that,
higher, better, more startling, more glorious
as we realize it’s the steps but more – it’s love,
it’s honesty, it’s keeping on growing up…always.