Step 9

[Doug]

9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

[shellgirl]

also what does this mean. im new to the 12 steps. i have been sober for almost 2 years and i never been to a meeting. both me and my husband are sober, he has been sober almost 2 months longer then i. but he has been to meetings. we talk and educate each other on our recovery. thank god we have each other

[Gmoney]

Hi Shellgirl, Welcome to SR

So you want to know what the 9th step is all about, eh? Well...I could go into a long, drawn-out rendition of my understanding of this step, but since you're new to the 12 steps my 1st suggestion would be that you start attending meetings, join a home group, get an NA Basic Text and get a sponsor to guide you through the steps (starting with Step 1). The steps are written in a specific order for a reason, and to fully understand what step 9 is about it's important to have experience with the previous 8.

Here's a couple of hints: [1] Freedom from guilt & [2] Damage repair.

Whatever you decide...good luck.

[Wolfchild]

i am currently working on this step and i'm finding a deeper awareness that this way of life requires all of me to live. No reservations. i had thought that making amends would be something only necessary for this phase of my recovery. Silly me!! The more i open myself up to this step, the more i realize that making amends is an ongoing process. It's not a once and done thing. i look at the similarities of a repair man who undertakes the job of restoring an old house that has been neglected for a long period of time and the process God is working with me on to rebuild my character. A MENDING. How simple.

[dzander]

I really like how you look at this and apply it! It makes perfect sense!
Thanks for sharing!

[Missybuns]

I'm embarking on my first formal step 9 and I must say: at the moment, here today it seems like I will never get done with this step to move on to step 10

I'm over three years into this process. I realize I had the experience of having to change sponsors more than once at the beginning. I have been working with my current sponsor for 2 years to get to where I am today.

I am posting this mainly to express my feelings. I do not want to procrastinate on this.

Today it just seems like "will I ever get to step 12?"

anyone else get this at the start of step 9?

[Gmoney]

Just starting your 9th step, eh? Yes...I have felt as though I'd never "move on", so to speak, on this step or another. But what I found was that as long as I applied myself...little by little, I'd advance. Specifically, I'm talking about the formal aspect of step 9...not the actual application of making amends. I say that because I'm sure you already know that some amends will take quite a long time to make. So that doesn't mean we should put off continuing through the steps until they are made.

As step 9 says, "wherever possible" and very often opportunities don't present themselves as readily as we'd like them to. As my 1st sponsor would say, "The best amends we make is by living the program to the best of our ability." I agree totally with Wolfchild that making amends is an ongoing process that really has no set time frame or completion mark. We do the best with whatever we have in front of us.

Do I understand how you feel? You bet I do!! Trust me...just keep walking, it gets better.

[Puddy]

I'm living in 9,10,11,12. Move on and keep making the amends at the same time. The longer you stagnate your growth the greater chance of relapse.

[chasity]

hi my name is chasity i been sober for 7 months i really feel good about me today i love who i am as a person i accept me for who i am today.i am now working on step 8.

[Missybuns]

Welcome Chasity!