I Dare You

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. ~ Alcoholics Anonymous, page 58

It's right there, the Big Book dare.
You doubt it? Fine! Prove it wrong.
Thoroughly follow our path!
How, you ask? Admit you're without power,
you can't manage life. Realize you're not
the end-all, the be-all, the top of the heap,
that some power, some force higher up the chain
might could make you sane, lucid, balanced...
normal. Decide that might not be a bad idea,
letting that force/power/higher-up try it.
Get honest. Look at what and who
you're angry about - how it threatens you
and what you did to cause or prod it.
Then introduce the you you met
to someone else and your force/power.
Look a bit at what you've learned
of who you are and what you are
and what whats make you less
than the who you want to be,
then ask your force/power to take away
those whats, not from a sense of entitlement
but asking a favor. List the people harmed,
and be willing to make things right with them.
Use good sense, borrowing that from someone else,
talking to a wise person, an experienced being,
a calm head, then in right ways at right times
make amends, redress each grievance
if you'll not be harming someone else.
Keep on doing this, day by day,
as you get closer to letting the power/force
have control. By then you've lost the bet —
have not failed — and with the freedom
found by now, dare other people
to walk the steps you've walked,
to find the way.