I have a sister who wrote me off and has had nothing to do with me for several years even though I have made amends and attempted to have a relationship with her. Today I got an email from my niece her daughter saying that my sister is not doing too well. Mostly because of depression. We are the only siblings in our family left and our parents are both gone. She said she hoped and felt a call from me would help her mother get out of her funk. I emailed her back and told her I would make another effort and give my sister a call tomorrow. I am cautiously optimistic maybe we can be a family again. God works in wondrous ways.

RubyTues wrote:

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I really needed something to push me moving ever forward in my program, and today this was it. 

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Awesome. I remember making an amends to one of my harshest critics. He used it as a reason to gloat. I quickly learned how invaluable that amends was. It was my way of moving forward, just like you said. No reasoning, no shouting, just a little effort and some 'blessed' reassurances. The rest I'll leave up to God. Thanks, again for the reminder

Made direct amends where ever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.  9 for me has been on going and I've followed its direction pretty well as it was and is important to me both the front and the back of it.  Some of the amends were early and straight forward without expectations.  Having no expectations gave it all balance as it permitted the persons I was making amends to the opportunity to be honest if they responded.  Other amends and apologies took longer because as my memory cleared I began to remember events I created which were unacceptable and also illegal which had to be taken care of; amended.  One of those took two 5200 mile air miles each and then it got done.  My victims mentioned that never in their lifetimes would they ever imagine a process of atonement coming in that manner...they lived with the memory of what I had done for 22 years plus until I retuned to take responsibility.  One of those victims thought that it was his fault and had never found the reason for what I had done.   He never would have had I not entered the program.  I have one more which I have left in development between my HP and myself...to be directed is it is to be done at all because "except when to do so would injure them or others".  In my self centeredness I used a person to put margin between me and the legal system in a foreign place.  That it would disgrace her family and herself made no count with me.  I have no idea how deep the pain went and I do know that it touched their local law enforcement and judicial system.  I once saw a tee shirt obviously worn by one of us which said, "Instant asshole...just add alcohol" and I came to understand my former portrait more clearly.   I thank God for the program and the fellowship and sponsorship with the opportunity to make right what I did so wrong.   Thanks for letting me share.