Step Eight "Made a list ...

of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all."

Making the list was easy. I just referred to my fourth step and thought a little harder and maybe added a couple of more names. Many people have businesses and institutions to put on their list, but this was not my experience.

Becoming willing to make amends. Well, first my sponsor made sure that I knew the AA definition of amends. He said it was not an apology. Had nothing to do with apologizing. He said I'd probably done that enough times already during my lifetime. No. He said an amends is (1) making right a wrong (2) an assurance that I will change my future behavior.

Well, that would make for quite a challenge. But I was supposed to become willing to do this thing. Was I ready to go to any lengths to stay sober? Yep.
Before long, I was ready.


todAay i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I continue to attempt to live up to the amends I made to my partner. I relapse into old behavior at times and I'm always quickly aware of it. Thank God for Step 10.

that I'll probably never know of some of the people to whom I could have made an amends to

that the Peruvian authorites have Joran van der Sloot in custody and I really hope he never sees the light of day again (I rarely comment on news issues here, but this guy is a real monster)


You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.
- Chinese Proverb