When a tightrope walker steps out onto a wire suspended hundreds of feet in the air, they don’t look down at the ground, and they certainly don’t look backward. They fix their eyes firmly on the wire right in front of them, calculating exactly where to place their very next step. If they let their minds wander or lose focus for even a second, disaster follows. Our recovery journey requires the exact same level of thoughtful steadiness. We don’t stay sober by accident. We stay free by giving careful thought to our daily choices, taking a regular inventory of our attitudes, motives, and reactions. When we wobble—when we snap in anger, lie to save face, or act selfishly—we must admit it promptly before we lose our balance entirely. Daily honesty is the balancing pole that keeps our footing secure. | 
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