Below is the second in reflective meditations on steps 8&9 from my dear friend Wassie,

‘Dear Charles, Namaste! Hearing the voice of recovery provides us the awareness that “we give away our peace of mind and serenity when we allow other people to control us through the resentment we have toward them.” Pass-It-On: The message of the Freedom Steps of 8 and 9 is, “as we turn to our collective Higher Power for the willingness to make amends, we release ourselves from the power of old resentments which have held us in bondage.” God, in his mercy, forgave us and saved us even in the depths of our control-madness and soul-sickness. Now we must become willing “from the heart” to forgive and be reconciled with others. We are blessed for being rescued before it was too late… I use the slogan, “Let It Begin With Me” to empower me with compassion and keep forgiving myself for harms done while sick and
suffering. In doing so, I become willing to forgive others with compassionate understanding that, “we are all victims of victims of an intergenerational family disease.” Longtimers reminds us, “we are the first beneficiaries when we choose to practice detachment, forgiveness and love.” Take care my friend and stay well. I love you. Happy to be alive, the rest is a bonus. Gratefully, Wassie’