It happened again. Those two simple words “I’m sorry” did their miracle. Two words so simple but so hard to say. An immediate change, from night to day, from misconnection to connection, from resentment to love, after just two simple words. It amazes me every time it works, as if it’s a totally new concept. Why shouldn’t it work? How can two such simple words do such a powerful healing?
Among many other gifts, SA hands me the most wonderful toolkit to use in recovery. The essential tools are meetings and telephone calls, working the Steps and Traditions, and contact with God as I understand Him. A daily contract for sobriety and a gratitude list are two other important tools. I generally use them only once a day. There is one tool, however, which I estimate I use 20 to 30 times every day and night. That is prayer.
I have now been released from prison and am very happy to be back to my SA group in Kansas City again. I now have 26 months’ sobriety and it feels great to have a choice of whether I want to act out or not (which I don’t want to today), and remembering that it’s for today only. Tomorrow will be today when it comes and I will ask my Higher Power (God) to help me stay sober for that day only.
I received the materials you sent last month and I wanted to write and thank you for sending them. Does SA have something like a Pen Pal Program between those in SA? It would help if I had someone from SA on the outside to help me get started in the fellowship in these early months.
I was disappointed to find that there is no SA here, but I expect to meet with the institution’s sex offender group next week and perhaps I may find persons interested in starting SA here.
Even though my work schedule does not allow me to be available for regular group service, I do ask to lead meetings whenever I am there. I “fill up” on meetings when I am home. At work overseas, the time is spent studying the Steps and developing my relationship with God. The fact that SA works in spite of such a schedule is a testament to the power of the Twelve Steps.
We remain small with 6–8 regular members. It got kind of bleak over the winter when there often were only two of us at a meeting. However, we continue to draw new people. Many of them don’t return, but some do and that’s encouraging. The sharing is good and sobriety continues to grow — one day at a time.
Another quarter has passed and the Portland Thursday group is still alive and well. This past quarter enjoyed celebrations of two annual sobriety anniversaries: one year in January and four years in February. Cake never tasted so good! Attendance averages 12–16 people with newcomers every week.
At the San Diego International Conference business meeting, the Central Office Oversight Committee reported that the committee meets monthly by conference phone call. There have been nine such meetings. Each meeting has an agenda and is limited to one to one-and-a-half hours. The COOC has managed Central Office business since the departure of Roy K. as administrator.
The SA conference in San Diego gave me a strong sense of fellowship and a great hope for our future in recovery and growth. Something that struck me, however, was an experience which brought some questions to mind regarding our commitment to the Twelve Steps as an ongoing foundation for recovery.
