The stranger

My first attempt to consciously work the Steps was a selfish one. I was seeking relief from the terrible guilt I felt about the harm I had caused someone. So I decided to try my hand at one of those Ninth Step amends I’d heard about. At the time, I had no sponsor, I’d only successfully completed the First Step and I had yet to crack open my Big Book. My logic was that if I could just make this person understand how bad I felt, then I would feel better. Needless to say, neither one of us was smiling at the end of my efforts.