The Ninth Step Promises
There are really Twenty
There are actually about 238 total in the Big Book
1. We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do. (77:2)

2. If our manner is calm, frank, and open, we will be gratified with the result. (78:0)
3. In nine cases out of ten the unexpected happens. (78:1)
4. Rarely do we fail to make satisfactory progress. (78:1)
5. We must lose our fear of creditors no matter how far we have to …read more

From AA’s Twelve & Twelve, page 86;
“There can be only one consideration which should qualify our desire for a complete disclosure of the damage we have done. That will arise in the occasional situation where to make a full revelation would seriously harm the one to whom we are making amends. Or – quite as important – other people. We cannot, for example, unload a detailed account of extramarital adventuring upon the shoulders of our unsuspecting wife or husband. And even in those cases where such a matter must be discussed, let’s try to avoid harming third parties, whoever they …read more

Doesn’t [always] mean I am guilty…
Listening to newcomers at today’s Noon meeting I heard it again. What I sounded like with the same amount of “sober” time. Especially when I attempted to speak about what my father “did” to me to make me drink. That is until an oldtimer asked me if my father poured any booze down my throat.
From today’s Daily Reflections;
I Am Responsible
“For the readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts, and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine.”
“The very thing I fear …read more

From today’s Daily Reflection;
“Made direct amends to such people wherever possible”
This reflection speaks of not being able to make amends to those folks who were casual acquaintances. People who passed through our lives briefly or barely. Like those neighbors I used to live near who no doubt heard my late night yelling…
“The only amends I can make to those untraceable individuals, the only ‘changes for the better’ I can offer, are indirect amends made to other people, whose paths briefly cross mine. Courtesy and kindness, regularly practiced, help me to live in emotional balance, at peace with myself.”
Just a personal …read more

“Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”
First Things First – changing wherever to whenever gives a different meaning…
The Very Spirit;
“The readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts, and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine.”
Full consequences. Not partial, half, a little bit or just some. Full.
The only exceptions? Cases where our disclosure would cause actual harm.
Not delaying because we are afraid…
“Earnestly asking God’s help and guidance – meanwhile resolving to do the right thing …read more

It might be inevitable…
Those who don’t grow will inevitably go – back to drinking (drugging, overeating, etc.). Pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization.
Let’s take a shot (and I mean shoot at it lol) at complacency. From today’s Daily Reflection;
“Sobriety fills the painful ‘hole in my soul’ that my alcoholism created. Often I feel so physically well that I believe my work is done.”
Were we to leave it right there I’d imagine many would get a different idea. Sounds like we could be approaching finished doesn’t it? Then – that horrible word – however…
“However, joy is not just the absence of pain; it …read more

That’s right – “Steps Eight and Nine are concerned with personal relationships.”
Thought – if you’re new and having troubles with your personal relationships and thinking of drinking, don’t keep it to yourself and think perhaps you can solve it on your own! Meetings, sponsor, oldtimers.
Make note – From the 12&12, page 77;
“First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, …read more

Once upon a time when I was a car salesman I lost jobs because I was told I was too honest. Then, and now, I still see polls that show that one of the Top Ten Most Dishonest jobs is a car salesman. So, I’m grateful.
Naturally, I consider that, in “those days,” I was drinking so how honest could I have been? I suppose only my customers could say…
When working an Eighth and Ninth Step there is a lengthy discussion in the Big Book about just exactly how honest we ought to be. The answer, for me, is on page …read more

As a reminder;
The Tablemate was an early A.A. set of beginners lessons entitled ‘Alcoholics Anonymous: An Interpretation of the Twelve Steps,’ put out in the form of a little pamphlet. It was (and still is) the most successful set of A.A. beginners lessons ever devised.
And I’m drawing content from the Hindsfoot site, laboriously prepared by Glenn C. and others… We moved into Discussion No. 3: Inventory and Restitution Part I recently, and now, Inventory and Restitution Part II.
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Step No. 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

An honest-to-God, real live drunk showed up at our meeting last night followed closely by the men in blue…
He’s been here before. A few years ago. He was disruptive then and he was disruptive last night – but not too bad, thankfully. Our meeting went along with just a couple of bumps, then the policeman showed up. It wasn’t over…
He’d shown up late. During the meeting we discovered he’d driven himself to the church because the officer popped into the room and asked who was driving a particular vehicle. What became apparent later was that there had been reports …read more