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We are all together

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

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Okay, now these steps have taken to meddling. Let’s not bring anybody else into this. This is my own personal struggle. I can handle this myself, thank you. Bring someone else into this process and it becomes painfully real that I can’t operate in a vacuum. None of us can.

We like to think we can, but we cannot. We cannot isolate our actions from each other. What we do affects those closest to us first, and then it creates a wider swath, sometimes affecting people we don’t even know. That’s because we are all together.

Many of the young students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida who survived the recent school shooting that took the lives of 17 of their friends and teachers have jumped into the highly controversial political debate on gun control, except that for them it is not political. They could care less about politics. This is personal. They are fighting for their lives. One isolated act has affected thousands.

The creators of the Twelve Steps are sneaky with this one, but I’m onto this. They want me to make another list and just be willing to make amends at this point. Bu I know they’re not going to leave it at that. I read ahead. They’re going to make me contact the people on my list that I have harmed and make restitution. Fifteen people so far and I know I’m not done. They’re only asking me to be willing at this point. I guess I can go that far. That’s why these are steps.

 

We Are All Together

by John Fischer

Adam stood in the garden

And thought that

No one was watching

And he was free to do whatever he pleased

No one would see

But he failed to see that he was

Part of one humanity

And all who came after

Would suffer for his own selfish ways

All of their days

You can’t imagine that you have the right

To lived your own life

Thinking you’re the only one

And no one will care what you do.

 

You don’t live alone

We are all one in the Lord

You don’t sin alone

We must all bear the same load

You don’t live alone

We are all one in the Lord

You don’t sing alone

We must all sing the same chord

 

Don’t you know that we are all together

Don’t you know that we are all together

Don’t forget that we are all together

Remember we are all together

In the Lord

“We Are All Together” is track #9 on the album “Still Life” available for purchase or live streaming at https://johnfischer.bandcamp.com/album/still-life.

4 responses to “We are all together”

  1. Sandie

    My heart breaks every time I see another special news broadcast – not just because of the close physical proximity – but because it hits hard in my heart. You see, I worked in a high school, dealing with the segment that was hell-bent on destruction for themselves and others. (Though things are much worse now; one of the reasons I resigned was the increasing danger, while those in charge tried to wish it away). Nikolas would have been one of my students for sure. Because my kids went to the same school, I knew all their friends and team-mates. I worked closely with principals, teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists, indeed every level of staff. I would have been expected to put myself in harm’s way (without a means to defend myself); kids and staff would have looked to me, because that was my training. I would be at the school door, waiting to greet those coming back – there would be a lot of hugging and crying. I was thinking this morning of the psychological toll this will take from everyone in that school – survivors’ guilt, increased risk-taking, fear, anger…I would have to put my issues aside to help my kids, as this staff will have to do. I would have to carry someone else’s pain as well as my own.One person’s actions; like a stone dropped into the ocean…where do the ripples stop? Do they ever stop? I tried to instill that in my kids…at the high school, at the Boys and Girls Clubs, as a Youth minister. Truly, no man is an island – what we do – good or evil – will resonate through countless lives and years. Doing harm makes it easier to harm the next time…but thank God the opposite is true…doing good makes it easier to do good the next time. I don’t know how far off the rails I’ve gone, but this is personal for me…I have known all these kids – even though they have different names…and I will never forget them.

    Reply
  2. Jesus Aguilar

    Hi, Jesus Aguilar by the Grace of God the Father and through His only Son Jesus Christ I am sober today.
    Step eight is the step that the alcoholic finds more difficult with because of the remains of ego that is fighting with all it can to protect is identity.
    This step threats the very survival of ego. We must humble ourselves and make this list, be willing to continue what we started, this step as all the previous steps requires the loving guide of our sponsors.
    Here our sponsor indicates to go back to our fourth step and get our list out, look at the first column and transfer from there all the names to the eight step. Look at the list and see if any has to be added and if not write it down.
    Now the step eight is complete.
    Hope this is of any help with loving thoughts Jesus Aguilar

    Reply
  3. Rick Gillespie

    When I went through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults to become part of the Catholic Church over 30 years ago, this step was part of my process. I wrote three letters to people to whom I had caused the worst harm that I could remember, and I continued to carry the memories of it. The results were amazing for me. I heard from all three and they were shocked that I still had any thoughts of the events. Even though each of them remembered what I had done, they had forgotten it and completely moved on-I was the one who hadn’t! I was forgiven by each (thankfully) and it was a tremendous burden lifted from my mind.

    Reply
  4. Jesus Aguilar

    Let’s not get confused. Step 8 and step 9 are two different steps.
    Step 8 is: We made a list, we do not says that we make amends.
    Step 9 is where we make the amends.
    Step 8 is a preparing ourselves to take the action indicated on step 9
    God bless all

    Reply

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