DDA Members Share their Experience on Step 9:
“Made direct amends wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”
“Making direct amends is something we’re doing primarily for us. Whether they accept, like, or hate the fact that we are making amends to them it is very much needed to help ourselves and provide them with an opportunity for closure on our mistakes with them.
We may want to think carefully about what we did and how it might have affected them, or how we would feel if they’d done to us what we did to them.
When we approach someone we need to make a direct amends to, we may want to give some thought on how we’re going to approach each amends. Lots of talking with my sponsor helped me with this and he had suggestions on how to approach each one.
Making amends is more than just an apology for our mistakes, it’s all about seeking to put right out mistakes in the way that brings them and us closure. So it was suggested to me that I should ask them what I could do to put my mistake right with them.
With willingness, humility and a sincere desire to put right our mistakes, we have come a long way.”