SEP 23, 18 .. STEP NINE

September (the 9th month) has arrived and it is time for a few words about Step 9.

Step 9 : Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

The 9th step discussion in the Big Book begins on page 76.

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING / EXPERIENCE

Below is an example of a Spiritual Experience.

As a direct result of working the 9th step, I had the following spiritual experience.

IF (and this is debatable) I have anything original to contribute to Step 9 it is this :

IF you have gone through the Amends process of Step 9, there is a good chance that some of your amends have been uncomfortable. 

Speaking for myself, I feel that as human beings, most of us do not like to do things that are uncomfortable. 

And what on this good earth does this have to do with Step 9?

To quote Doctor Bob, "If you love everyone in A.A. you have not been going to enough meetings!"

And the day came when I was facing one of the unlovable-ones and I wanted to 'let-him-have-it' with both barrels. I wanted to 'sock-it-to-him'.

Then the thought came to me :

"If I say, and If I do, what I want to say and to do, then (at least if I am honest with myself and if I want to work a complete program) I will have to make an Amend to him. This (make an Amend) I do not want to do to this sorry-s.o.b. So I will just shut my mouth, say nothing, and walk away a free-man."

And I did just that.

The above actual experience is an example of a Spiritual Experience.

Instead of telling this man off, I kept my mouth shut so I would not have to make an amend to him. This is a change in my behavior and Appendix II of The Big Book talks about this change in ourselves being a spiritual experience.

What a learning experience actually living these steps is for us.

Doctor Bob's last words to Bill Wilson were : "Remember Bill, let's not louse this thing up. Let's keep it simple."

I wonder if everyone knows that, on the very day of his last drink, Doctor Bob made the rounds of Akron, Ohio, and made his Amends to those people he felt he needed to come-clean with.

In June of 1935 there was no Big Book. There were no steps. There were only two Alcoholics working with each other trying to stay sober.

I personally don't recommend that anyone do this (go out on their first day sober and make Amends) but the process certainly can proceed a tad quicker than many people make it.

I have one friend that basically did just this. To his regret, some 15-years later, he and his wife still have serious and severe issues with what he said to her about his conduct while an active alcoholic.

Step 9 : Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

In his hasty process, my friend certainly injured his wife.

Bottom Line : Have a Sponsor. Work closely with your Sponsor.

Good luck. Enjoy the promises that come with the 9th Step (pages 83 and 84 in the Big Book).

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through. It means halfway through the 9th step.