Self-Inventory: Is "Sensitivity" a Defect, Asset, or Both?
I find when doing/taking my own inventory, there are a few traits (if not more) that could *generally* appear in either the Defects (shortcomings, liabilities) list as well as the Asset List.
Honesty is one such character trait, as I can be honest about representing myself justly to others, yet I can be harmfully honest about what I think of a particular situation or, more harmfully, a particular person.
“What seems to make the (not initially) major difference, is how much my ego is involved, which dictates my motives.”
Alcoholics — as in mentioned throughout our A.A. literature — can be famously sensitive people. I have written sensitive in both my Defects and Assets columns/lists.
What seems to make the (not initially) major difference, is how much my ego is involved, which dictates my motives.
If I'm sensitive to what other think of me, I'm in ego — I'm thinking primarily of myself.
But if I'm sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others, I am — finally — being selfless, and, often without consciously realizing it, being in the service of others.
It took a "thorough and searching", honest look at myself to attain the "wisdpm to know the difference."
(Ironically, it was the honesty from my sponsor — that I at first thought was selfish on his part, but eventually realized was genuinely selfless — that helped me to this self-realization.)