“Happy the one who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding! Her profit is better than profit in silver, and better than gold is her revenue.”
-Proverbs 3:13-14
I cheated on my taxes. It was not while I was drinking, but when I was 20 months sober. What I did was claim my young son as a dependent on the year when my ex-husband got to claim him. I had a job as a wedding coordinator at a casino and they didn’t tax my commissions correctly, so I ended up with too little withholding and a giant tax bill of $4000. I was making a fairly small income, and I panicked.
One day about 6 weeks after I filed, working as a substitute teacher because I had been fired from that casino job, I got a call from my ex-husband. He had tried to file his taxes and it was rejected because he had rightfully tried to claim our son. I was mortified. I told him immediately that I would make this right, and I did. I refiled and got an extension. I made amends to my ex-husband and made a payment arrangement with the IRS.
I ended up getting a full-time teaching job at that school for a very good salary and was able to pay off the IRS in a year. We can continue to make big mistakes in sobriety when we are driven by fear. That was a big mess I had to clean up, but at least I was willing to do the right thing. I felt a great deal of shame as I had to tell my sponsor what I had done. She did not judge me. This program works. Even when we screw up.
Today’s Prayer
God, I am having financial fear again. Please remove this fear and help me to do the right thing when I am tempted to cheat. Honesty in money is important to you. Help me take responsibility for my own finances today.
Good morning and happy first day of meteorological spring to all of my readers. March is always a messy month here in the Midwest, so there is no better time to talk about our Tenth Step. I wish you speedy amends as you are awakened to any new harms done this week. I continue to be so grateful to all of you.