Discussion Topic
The writer of Every Moment Is A “Given Moment” tells how his life in 12 Step recovery hit a slump at 14 years and how going to SA completely changed his life.
Dear ESSAY
From the bottom of our hearts, the Trustees thank you for your years of service as editor of the Essay.
Editors’ Corner
Dear Essay readers, We thank our retiring editor David M. for his long and devoted service to the Essay, and his example to us. We start this new chapter off with an international editing team consisting of an Irish, UK/Israeli, Australian, 2 US and a Belgian/Spanish member.
We Found The Way
First quarter results were promising. Fellowship contributions were back to budget levels. Literature sales were returning to normal. Then the Corona Virus struck in mid-March. There was no warning, no ramp up, no play book. Our meeting room lights were shut off, not dimmed, but just dark.
Toward A Happy Life In The Home
For two days last March, 54 brothers and sisters in recovery from all of the face-to-face meetings in Mexico, came together to share how we live our lives in sobriety.
The Room
I wrote this poem way back in ‘92. I go back to it often, and thought I might share it with my SA community.
A First Step: Recognition
Surrender. I was too strong for that. Too many people were counting on my strength. Too many people would be horrified and hurt if they knew what I had done. So many lies in those few thoughts.
Daily Writing On Step 4
I do try to use the tools of the program in my recovery. But, on a given day, when it comes to actually sitting down and getting started, I can barely bring myself to do it. Overwhelmed by guilt and by the fear that my sponsor will fire me, I used to manage a slow start into Step work maybe once or twice a week.
Came To Believe In A Power Greater Than Ourselves
(1) Can I see that lack of power is my problem? As long as substances, lust, sexually acting out, and people are my higher power, I am a slave to them. I call it King Lust, but even clearer for me was King Marijuana which was my most dependent relationship of them all. He controlled my moves and was running the show completely wherever I was.
Drifting Off The SA Path
Over the years I’ve called my sponsor many times to surrender a woman’s body part or some annoying euphoric recall. He would respond, “That’s what we do. We are sexaholics and we are vulnerable to lust. It’s what we do next that matters. The key is surrendering our right to lust to God.”
