When we begin the Ninth Step, we have reached a particularly interesting point in our recovery. The disaster that has occurred in our lives is what led many of us to seek help in the first place. Now we have a chance to clear away the wreckage we've created, make amends for our past, and reclaim our lives.
We have spent a lot of time and put a lot of effort into preparing for this Step. When we came to NA, perhaps the last thing we were willing to do was deal with the mess of the past. We started this work by taking a personal inventory. Along the way we have shared this past with a few and trusted: ourselves, our Higher Power, and one other human being. We looked at our imperfections, which cause most of the problems in our lives, and asked that all these character defects be removed from us. In the end, we made a list of the fixes we owed, all without exception, and became eager to get them done.
Now we have the opportunity to make amends in order to free ourselves from the wreckage of the past. Everything we have done so far in NA has brought us to where we are. At this point in our recovery, the Ninth Step is exactly what we want to do. With the Twelve Steps and the help of a Higher Power, we leave behind all that has so long hindered our progress. We gain the freedom to live.
