“The form and timing of our amends varied according to the circumstances, but our attitude in each case was the same: willingness to take responsibility for the consequences of our behavior.”

– Life with Hope, first edition, page 44

The Ninth Step is a series of actions I took in order to complete the work or process I began in Step Four: cleaning up the wreckage of my past. By the time I reached Step Nine, I had a good foundation for introspection, and was ready to take action. Step Nine is about accepting responsibility and cleaning up my side of the street. It is not done all at once. Sometimes donating to charity or working with others is all that is necessary.

Keeping in mind my side of the ledger is an important aspect of Step Nine. Empowered with an inventory of my resentments and fears, I could now go further and make amends to those whom I had caused suffering. Sometimes a simple apology was not possible, but it was always possible to make a living amends through right action. Donating time at institutions, sending out literature to the addict who still suffers, taking a service position in MA…are some examples of living amends. Turning it over and talking to my sponsor beforehand gave me the courage to face people I needed to speak with. I became a person of integrity.

Final thought: Today, I will remember that I can always make living amends by doing the right action.