Dear ESSAY
It has been way over a decade since our founder died. Roy K. died on September 15, 2009 at the age of 82. He died with approximately 33 years of sexual sobriety.
Editor’s Corner
Hi fellows. In this edition of ESSAY, we look at relapse prevention. “We never knew there was another option—surrender” (SA 84). In this quote from the chapter, “The Third Option” in the SA White Book, Roy K. reveals the key to stopping, and staying stopped! He stayed sober from 1976 until his death in September 2009 by practicing surrender. An oldtimer from Chicago explains that surrender is not some complicated, abstract process; it is simply, “executing the suggestions of the sponsor.”
SA CFC
Entering the 2023 IC Cracow hotel I walked straight into the welcoming arms of a Polish fellow who is a regular attendant of the Sponsoring by Mail workshop. First time we met face-to-face. It was meeting a brother. The entire weekend we couldn’t stop smiling when we worked together or bumped into each other. A real connection. All the troubles of traveling by train vanished at that moment, in hindsight.
Coming Next
Holistic Recovery—Healing Had to Come About in All Three In the December issue, members share what “Holistic Recovery” has come to mean for them—how working their SA programs has led to recover the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of their lives.
Poland Convention Report
We were very honored to host the July 2023 “In God We Trust” IC as well as the very first in-person General Delegate Assembly outside North America. The beginning was difficult. We had first planned to organize the convention in our capital Warsaw, but found out that we couldn’t afford a venue suitable for this kind of event there.
Coming Next
In the October issue, long-term sober members from around the world share how to stay sober and serene.
What’s Going On in SA
Board of Trustees: July has been an eventful month for our Trustees. Three Trustees rotated off the Board after having served the fellowship for their full four-year terms; one other was not reaffirmed by the GDA. In the meantime, our Nominations Committee has been busy recruiting and interviewing new Trustee candidates. One new Trustee was approved by the GDA at the Polish Convention in July.
God Makes Amazing Things Happen
Just before I came to SA, I hit my personal rock bottom. On the outside, it was not so obvious that my life had become unmanageable. I was still married with children, had my health, a home, a job and a community. But inside I was at my most desperate and darkest hour.
Music As a Spiritual Experience
CONNECTING WITH A HIGHER POWER Two of the best tools in my “spiritual toolkit” for connecting with the Divine Intelligence (along with working the Steps, attending meetings, talking with my sponsor, and service work in the SA fellowship) are singing and playing (or listening to) music. Music is a lifelong passion for me and an important component of my recovery.
Not So Unique After All
Back around 2003, at my old home group in Philadelphia, we developed an orientation meeting for newcomers. We had written to a number of intergroups around the world, asking if they did orientation meetings for newcomers. Many wrote back sharing their orientations, and we combined ideas that we received in order to create one that we felt worked best for us.
