“and to practice these principles in all our affairs” (Chapter 5, Big Book)
The various circumstances and scenarios in life in which I am enjoined to act (the ‘affairs’) require me to assess the facts, seek God’s will, and implement.
Imagine a chess grandmaster walking around a room in which are laid out a couple of dozen chessboards, behind each of which is an opponent. The grandmaster engrosses herself in the first board, forgetting all others, assesses the situation, makes the move, and then, forgetting that board, proceeds to the next board, to repeat the exercise.
I’ve been shown detachment as a combination of:
(1) Treating each situation as a technical situation to solve.
(2) Not thinking about each situation except when consideration and action are required.
(3) Not exaggerating the significance of any one situation.
(4) Recognising that I lie beyond all the games: if they all fail, I have not failed; if I seek and then attempt to do God’s will, I am fine.
“Each person is like an actor” (Chapter 5, Big Book)
If the roles disappear, the actor remains, and the director can be pleased, even if the show closes or the theatre is destroyed.
In practice, therefore, I need not be concerned or worried under any circumstances, provided I recognise my true role (actor) and the role of the protective Director.