One year, four months and fifteen days clean from methamphetamine. I started my 2nd semester just 2 weeks ago and am challenged daily in classes and by myself. I want to talk about how to make amends to people that I have harmed, stolen from, lied to, abandoned, insulted…hope you get the idea. The idea of making amends is really a cornerstone of the 12 steps program, which I love to hate and hate to love. Step 4 - writing down your amends, Step 5 - share that brutal information with God and another human being and Step 6 - getting rid of the baggage and let the Universe take its course. Amends are made to clean your soul, a confession of sorts, Christ it tells us to, “Admit to God and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs”. This cleansing is a great idea for a recovering addict; it gives us a blank canvas of which to start anew. Making amends is probably the most difficult step(s) because this action step involves someone who you may have thrown up on, literally, emotionally or both. Sometimes I have a difficult time recognizing what is right and wrong; I’m looking through my lens so my take on a situation may be skewed. Sometimes the situations are not difficult and rather easy, OK I know I was an asshole; I apologize for being an asshole. Some people will accept your amends and some people will not. This is the hardest part of amends, whether the person accepts the amends or needs time to think about it or just never wants to hear or see from you. Yes, this has happened to me and it is painful to accept and it also brings up the notion of this amends proposal. I have a pretty good track record on amends making 90% have embraced me and 10% have said see ya. The notions of making amends I think is a good one, timing is important and give people the space they need. As an addict and now as a thriving student I have made mistakes and hope to take positive actions to save friendship, whether they are friends or family. The end cut has to be that I gave it my best which is not always easy.