Below is a youtube link to the televison interview that I participated in over in Irkutsk in August of 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPyhVfMRI-g
To say-the-least, to put-it-mildly, it was truly an amazing event for me. I was deeply honored to have had such an opportunity.
Leaving Irkutsk.
Lake Baikal.
Back to meetings in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Here in A.A., it is so important to actually do-the-deal, walk-the-walk and not just talk-the-talk when it comes to following our Design for Living.
When it comes to amends, we have two steps to turn to, Steps 9 and 10. In my opinion, the Step 9 amends are done in response to our work in Step 4.
When it comes to living our lives, one day at a time, when we get into a (call it) challenging situation and feel we need to get some relief or respite from something that we have done, then Step 10 comes into play, at least for me.
One of the key principles is simply this : In general, we make amends to help ourselves to clean away the wreckage that we have created.
Often this does NOT mean we did anything wrong. We can be 100% clear of conscience in that we have done absolutely nothing wrong or mean in spirit, yet we feel in our own heart that we need to make an amend if only to clear-the-air.
Below is an Amend Card that I have made and one that I use.
THE STORY BEHIND THIS AMEND.
Here is what happened. Recently, following the conclusion of a very small zoom online meeting that I attend (small : 5 to 7 men) I asked the other members if we could take a group conscience to discuss our meeting.
So far so good. We have not had a group conscience meeting in forever (years) and, with zoom changing things, I thought it would be a good idea to bat-around some ideas.
For one thing, I suggested that, as part of our meeting format, we allow the meeting leader to, at his discretion, read Big Book passages other than How It Works. As one example, I suggested that reading the first part of Chaper 3, More About Alcoholism, be an option.
At this suggestion, a fellow member exploded. In his passionate rant, he said that he personally and absolutely hated changes in life. In short, he was very upset and went on to verbally attack me personally.
After the meeting, in private, I spoke with each one of the other 5 members about what had happened. Each one said that in my calling a group conscience meeting and leading the discussion I had done nothing wrong and that there was no way that I had to make an amend. Several were furious themselves at his conduct.
And?
I made an amend, not for him, but for me because I wanted to get the matter out of my head and felt that an amend was the best way to do so.
Below is my amend to him :
