Who’s Keeping Us Sober?

I’d like to say something about SA birthday celebrations. I think we’re carrying it too far, going the wrong way with it. For example, in a recent regional SA convention, applause, whoops and whistles weren’t enough, there were horns. Razzmatazz. Is it a popularity contest? Who registers highest on the applause meter? Is this putting principles before personalities or personality before principle?

What are we doing? Giving glory to a person for staying sober? Did they really do it? If they did, what am I doing agonizing over steps and God and surrender? What am I doing in SA? I’m still sober today—by the grace of God—and am deeply grateful for every day, month, and year others have. “By all means, let’s keep our laughter and joy.” But something feels wrong about all this, for us in SA, I mean.

Also, hugging is enough of a problem for some of us, why make it standard SA birthday ritual? I’ve been in meetings where the hugger had years less sobriety than the one getting the chip or no sobriety at all! What kind of sickness is this? Plus, this seems to put the person giving the chip in a superior position!

On the constructive side, what would happen if we came up with something more suitable for our own SA situation? What if we acted in truth and used birthdays as an opportunity to somehow thank God together for that person’s sobriety? What if, instead of giving in to the “star” system or personal glorification, we tried to make it more of a spiritual thing?

More Representation, Please

I believe it would be quite helpful if there were a section in the Essay where delegates from the various parts of the country would give us a short statement about what is going on in their area. I believe it will be very important for the Essay to be more representative of the country at large.