Hope for Today 9/15

[lildee]

One of my most notable experiences of the power of making amends as described in Step Nine came not from amends I have made to others but from amends made to me by someone in the fellowship. I remember feeling confused, fearful, and defensive when this person asked to meet with me. In the past we had had a difference of opinion about how to accomplish a task and had not parted on particularly cordial terms. Although I tried to keep an open mind about our meeting, I felt some uneasiness. When I realized my fellow Al-Anon wished to make amends, I was amazed. I was deeply moved by this demonstration oj humility and courage. This person had exercised great patience and open-mindedness in coming to understand and accept my point of view. I realized that I had received the precious gift of being heard and accepted without being judged. I also was given the opportunity to see what making amends looks like and how it can be done, which is a valuable frame of reference for me to use in making my own amends.

Thought for the Day

The process of making and receiving amends invites new acceptance and respect in all of my relationships. "Now I know if I make amends to someone, he probably will think a lot more of me for it, and I'll feel a lot better when I'm with him."

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions for Alateen, p. 19 ~

[lildee]

For me having someone make amends to me is a gift. Not because it shows that I am right or better or anything like that. It shows that I was acknowledged. That the words that I said were thought about, contemplated, and listened to.

For example ..... Hubby has been burning the candle at both ends. With sponsoring, committments, H & I, work and family. I gave him a gentle warning that he would burn out and put himself in jeopardy if he continued at this pace, or do a half- axx job, or hurt someone's feelings. He knew I was right , feeling all beat up from pushing too hard and made his amends, to try and stay in the now and try to find his balance. I am lucky that we can dicuss recovery and "working it" . But knowing that you are being listened too is a gift that comes with our unified recovery.

[caressa222]

When I read this I was reminded of being in a coffee shop with a sponsee, who has since past.

A woman wanted to go to the washroom and said to us, would you watch my purse (had several parcels from shopping too) and we agreed. I said to my sponsor, that is a huge compliment that we looked trust worthy. I said, "I don't think would have been willing to leave her possessions with of us if she new we were recovering addicts. For one thing, people don't here the word recovering and I like to think actions speak louder than words. Her thank you when she returned was a gift but we owed her an evan bigger THANK YOU for her test. I think I had 6 years clean and my sponsee had 18. She was a real gift in my life as we had several issues in common that we could apply the steps to.