September, the 9th month, brings us to Amends both in the 9th and 10th steps.
If you study our great Program of Recovery, you will see that very little of what we have was created and originated by A.A. or is carried forward only by A.A.
These are "Universal Principles".
However, it has been my own personal experience that, we in A.A follow them much more diligently than do most other programs.
Below is a good example of this "Universality".
NATIONAL TODAY, is the source of much of the below information.
https://nationaltoday.com/forgiveness-day/
Back on June the 26th, NATIONAL TODAY looked at the below topic of Forgiveness.
We make amends in both the 9th and 10th steps for ourselves, not for the other person.
No! We are NOT asking for forgiveness when we make an amend.
We are cleaning our side of the street.
But in so doing, we greatly benefit.
The practice of forgiveness can be traced back thousands of years with mention being made in numerous religious texts. It may seem like a difficult task, but it is merely letting go of anger, hurt, or a desire for vengeance.
Forgiveness has been linked to many mental health benefits including reduced stress, anger, depression, and anxiety. Positive relational health – including improved social support and marital quality – comes with forgiveness. It also leads to an array of physical health benefits including lowered blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health.
As we make our Amends, then we can begin the process of forgiving ourselves.