In my last home there was a sump pump in my crawl space to remove excess storm water. It was a real piece of work — the wrong type of pipe was used to install it, the backflow prevention device didn’t work, several supports were missing causing the pipe to sag in places, and somebody had wrapped a broken 90 degree fitting with electric tape to try and stop a leak. The pump still worked, although inefficiently. I was an apprentice plumber at the time, and these glaring issues irked me to no end. When it came time to sell the house, I finally got to fix it. I tore it all out — every bit of pipe and support — and installed a new system with the correct pipe and fittings.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson about my own recovery: My “self,” after getting initial sobriety, was, for all intents and purposes, just like the old piping of the sump pump. Being sober helps me better see the reality of my spiritual state. With the help of my Higher Power and other recovered addicts, I’ve begun to discover which of my inner parts are functioning inefficiently, and which need a total overhaul. Diseased attitudes and beliefs need to be replaced by healthy ones. And when they are, my spiritual system will work like it’s supposed to.