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Here we are at the second part of step number eight. The words I would like to talk about our, “and became willing to make amends to them all”. I know that it can be much easier to sit and write a list of all those persons. I know because I did it. Writing the list was easy compared to becoming willing to make amends to everyone on that list.

But this really means is that we try to recollect, as much as possible, those folks who, during whatever behavior we exhibited, or was our problem, were heard because of it. This is not just mean physical or monetary hurt. Sometimes it can be even more important when we heard their feelings. It can be more important when we heard the relationship that we have with them. These are really the important things that I am becoming willing to make amends for

Let’s say I borrowed money when I was drinking from a friend of mine, say, $50. It is a lot easier to think about giving them $50 back then talking to them, and explaining why I needed that $50 and that at the time, all I could think about was drinking some more. I might say to them that I am truly sorry that I was dishonest with them. This is making amends on a feeling level and trying to restore the alliances that I had in the past. In this situation it may be that I don’t even have the $50 available to give them yet. Maybe I can give them $10 as a start, or maybe I don’t even have that. It is still important for me to communicate with them about what I was going through and that I would like to make things right with.

Some of the things we did are not as simple as giving somebody 50 bucks back and making amends. Sometimes the people or institutions we need to make amends to are not willing to accept our reasons for having harm them. In these cases, we may need the help of an intermediary, or even a lawyer. Each of our cases is different, and there is no way to offer advice to everyone. The thing is, that they while back we have made the decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. Everything we do in life, after that point, is done, hopefully, by trying to follow the direction of our Spirit. It is not easy! Quite often we need to do whatever it takes to try to manifest our new way of life in all of our behaviors. We have to remember that we have the power, the unlimited power of God, to help us with our dealings in life. Nothing is more important in our relationship with our Holy Spirit. We will always know the right thing to do. The question is, are we willing to do it?