Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 58)

Utterly, absolutely, without reserve —
completely…completely give myself.
Like marriage? Like becoming a nun?
Like volunteering for the military, at least
wholly for the term of enlistment.
Completely give myself to this simple…
Simple. Uncomplicated, straightforward,
elementary, easy as ABC, piece of cake?
Oops. A piece of cake isn’t simple.
Not in the making, not in the consuming,
at least for folks with a compulsion
about sugar, an allergy to it, an addiction.
But isn’t that simple, too? An addiction.
If you’re allergic to peaches, don’t eat them.
If you’re allergic to bee stings, don’t go there.
Allergy equals no. Simple, unadorned no.
Completely give oneself to this simple program
means an absolute “No, keep out of my life,
I don’t do that!” to the allergen.
Honest to goodness, honest to God,
honest to ME, “get thee behind me!”