[nandm]

Day 3

Making Peace

"All men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why." James Thurber

Step Nine allows us to clean up our lives and get rid of the stumbling blocks that have prevented us from reaching our highest good. It allows us to make peace with ourselves by making peace with those we've caused pain and harm.

Even if they don't respond to us positively, we know we've done our share. We know we've tried to set the record straight---and that in itself is an enormous plus.

Like the ancient mariner, we've been carrying an albatross on our shoulders that's been weighing us down and feels like an impossible load to dump. But dump it we do. And in the doing, we find renewed respect for ourselves.

Certainly more than one of us has been fearful of making these amends. But in overcoming that fear we know we've strengthened our resolve to live free from these old feelings of impending doom.

When we have no more secrets, and nothing to hide, we can go about the daily business of living with renewed optimism. Free from the constraints of being afraid to face others, our own sense of self takes on a new and positive aspect.

Today's step: I lay down my burden of guilt gratefully as I make direct amends.

Step by Step. Muriel Zink