I got the idea some time ago at an SA International Convention to try giving up movies. I could see people getting all excited about going to them, and I began to suspect that something was wrong. As far back as five years old, when they cost less than ten cents, I remember them as being a welcome change from the emotionally impoverished family environment in which I lived. For that reason, they had always been an important source of relief.

The first SA meeting was held here in El Paso recently. At first it was very disappointing. I was the only one there. At first I thought, “I’m the only one with this problem.” Then I remembered ‘Group News’ in the Essay and thought no, I’m not the only one. I’m not all alone.

The SA Conference in New York was absolutely tremendous. I got so much out of it. I have also come to a decision to serve SA on a national or international level by serving on the Loners’ Committee. I am really excited about this and I know it will help my sobriety.

Since the Vancouver International Conference in July 1992, the COOC has met on the telephone about every six weeks and at the conference in New York. COOC members are Betsy T. (Mid-Atlantic Region/Chair); Larry M. and James M. (New England/Special and Finance); David M. (Southeast/Secretary); Sylvia J. (South Central/General Service Board); Jim O. (North Central/Finance); Dave B. and Dan N. (Southwest/Special and Central Office); Harry B. (Northwest/Essay).

[The following ideas resulted from a group inventory done on the problem of continued slipping. These ideas are put forward simply to stimulate discussion and action. Please feed back from your experience.]

Every morning, whether at home or traveling, I take five to ten minutes to complete my daily readings. Like other rituals for my sobriety, such as a daily contract or gratitude lists, this developed in response to a suggestion from my sponsor.

When I began my sobriety in recovery in SA over three years ago, I listened to the Tenth Step as it was read at every meeting. At that time all I could hear was the reflection of my guilt, my shame and my pain. I thought that this Step meant that I would have to quickly proclaim to everyone all the screw-ups that I make in my life. I had enough difficulty revealing my past screw-ups!

Once more it is time for the semi-annual SA/S-Anon International Conference. This July it will be held in Nashville, Tennessee on the 9th, 10th and 11th. Our theme will be “Tools of Recovery.” On behalf of SA and S-Anon here in the Music City, I cordially extend an invitation for three days of growth, fellowship and fun.

After a misunderstanding here in Quebec City, the definition of abstinence is now being transmitted more clearly and it makes me feel very good. I feel safe in SA. It is the real SA, just the way I need it. After a slip last September, I now have complete abstinence. Abstinence has prevented me from doing things and entering relationships that would have brought me a lot of pain, like in the past.

It is with true gratitude that I take this opportunity to let you know that our group is growing in real sobriety with a third member having one year of sobriety. Right now we average around fifteen members per meeting on Sunday night and it is common to see two to three months in length of sobriety. Our group was founded on February 11, 1990.

In the September ’92 issue of Essay you reprinted a letter from the West L.A. Group that was not quite representative and was misleading in what we are doing. Many people read it to mean that we don’t support our intergroup. The fact is that we are the second biggest contributors in our region, even after we divide our second basket in half for our outreach program.

Truly we rely on God, working through our fellowship in our program. We take nothing and no one for granted. All is gift — and we thank the God of our understanding daily for keeping us alive, for our sobriety one day at a time, for enabling us to speak our minds honestly and with love. We realize we must be able to receive help as well as to help others.

A good response was noted at the SA International Conference in New York to an appeal for volunteers to serve on service committees. The following is from a report of the conference business meeting, held on January 9, 1993:

Since the Vancouver International Conference the COOC has met about every six weeks. Major issues have included the following: exploring areas of SA service such as translations of our literature and outreach to imprisoned or isolated SAs; organizing a special meeting at the next conference to encourage such service opportunities; utilizing our COOC replacement process following the resignation of Harry B. from the Northwest region; maintaining our literature stocks and considering handling audio tapes of talks and conferences; and assisting the Long Island SA Conference in publicizing the conference.

Facing the Slipper Syndrome
1. It is important to recognize that the real problem is lust, not sex, and thus acknowledge that the problem is spiritual in nature.

The wording of the Third Tradition in SA is different than in most other Twelve Step programs. The Third Tradition in AA is: “The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.” In SA, however, the Third Tradition is: “The only requirement for SA membership is a desire to stop lusting and become sexually sober.” I believe SA’s formulation of the Third Tradition involves a two-part membership requirement — a desire to stop lusting and a desire to become sexually sober — and that both parts are equally important to the spiritual health of the fellowship and the quality of meetings.

Earlier this month our local area intergroup held its annual one-day marathon, an all-day series of break-outs, speaker meetings and fellowship for our region. The theme of the Marathon was “Came to Believe.” There was powerful sharing by members on the role of faith, in helping to face overwhelming and sobriety-threatening circumstances and emerge with recovery.

This proposal calls for SA meetings where we can relax the rule against crosstalk and allow feedback. Members could invite some SA friends together and outline a problem they are having — how to make a difficult amends, for instance, or what to tell the children — and ask for feedback.

The A Team concept is an idea we have put to use a few times to help some fellow suffering sexaholics. Until now each case has involved someone struggling to get started with sobriety, but it could conceivably be used for other purposes, such as a crisis in someone’s life. It is really a simple application of Step Twelve in which we join forces with others to help the sexaholic who still suffers.

I wish to extend my appreciation for the book that you sent to me. The information that I have gotten from the book has shown me that your program would be a big plus in my future. I will notify you upon my release.