The first vow leading to serenity and sobriety. It means generously giving of oneself without expectation of reward, and practicing it can lead to powerful transformative experiences.

The vow and virtue of learning that the problem of immediate gratification (known as the PIG) leads to unskillful behavior and fuels our addictive tendencies. By cultivating patience, we learn to dial down the demands of ego and accept "life on life's terms."

Ironically, humility may be the greatest vow of all. By realizing that our own clinging, grasping ego is not the center of the universe, we become willing to be vulnerable and open to change that allows us to value, empower, and serve others in ways we could never manage while pursuing our self-centered addictive behaviors.

Courage. Determination. Persistence. Fortitude. Grit. Tenacity represents and crystallizes all of the qualities that lead to success in any effort, including the challenging and sometimes scary journey of recovery. In short, it means "NEVER GIVE UP!"

One vow to rule them all! As the "bottom line" of our rejection of the destruction and chaos brought by addiction, Sobriety (meaning a permanent commitment to total abstinence, one day at a time) is ultimately the only thing that can restore our twisted and tortured lives and lead us to a greater Serenity than we have known before.