Daily Reflections reading August
28th
Lightening The Burden
Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worth while to us now. . . . the dark past is . . . the key to life and happiness for others. Alcoholics Anonymous, p.124
Since I have been sober, I have been healed of many pains: deceiving my partner, deserting my best friend, and spoiling my mother’s hopes for my life. In each case someone in the program told me of a similar problem, and I was able to share what happened to me. When my story was told, both of us got up with lighter hearts.
© Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on August 28th
Reading
Being responsible for the damage I did it was necessary to
clear the wreckage of my past so I could really let go of the past and move on
to my new way of life booze free, it was difficult to do, fear of the unknown
was always there, It's one thing to make a list of the people I hurt
as I did in Step eight that was painful enough, but to go to
those people in person and actually admit what I did and ask for forgiveness,
that just scared the hell out of me, then to try to make it right with my
apology and asking for forgiveness
Never mind some of the restitution I need to make for
stiffing some of my creditors, it was tempting to skimp on this step but I
thought that with everyone of them some of the people I harmed didn't actually
realize I had cause problems for them
I still needed to make those amends anything that bothered
me was an amend to make, there were times I could not apologize because to do
so would cause more harm, my sponsor was a big help he showed me the right way
to go in these matters of harms
Making direct amends could be a letter, a phone call, or
going around to see them, some letters went out, some phone calls were made,
some amends could not be made, but most of my amends were made at a personal
level it was the best way for me
My sponsor helped me to be honest as to who the amends would
hurt, its not about me, If I did not know how to reach some there was not much
I could do but stay willing, for me it was important to get this done as soon
as possible and doing it right
I had to get the bulk of my amends done as soon as possible
with out hurting anyone, my family my, friends, my co-workers, creditors, were
the first and easiest for me, confronting and making amends for my mistakes
freed me form that bondage of myself
God was with me every step of the way, I thank Him and my
sponsor for the strength to take these action in steps four thru nine, it
really set me free to start practicing all the steps in my daily life, to be
free to try to give some of this I have learned back to others
People I sponsor today I tell them not to confess to the
loved one about any affairs, as that could really hurt loved ones, so the key
there is willingness to make amends, that means that if I could go back and
change what had happened I would, I became willing
I tell them not to put their jobs in danger by telling the
boss they have been stealing, if you told a friend you had an affair with his
wife, that would drag her into your guilt hurting her, so in some cases just
become willing, why confess to something that could get you put in jail
You can do more good passing on the 12 steps than being
stuck behind prison bars, don’t let your amends be at the cost of other
people's security, dignity, and well being, in short say your sorry or like me
it was also to ask for forgiveness and give forgiveness If you can
If you cant go to someone just become willing to make the
amends, we are not perfect just try to be as honest and as humble as you can
be, try a change of attitude and a change of heart doing Gods will that is what
it is about
God bless you
Please feel free to mail
suggestions or comments
