August 2021

Supporting Women in SA

Dear ESSAY

I read with great interest the May issue on What Makes Meeting Strong? It made me reflect on the importance of SA meetings for my recovery, especially when the global lockdown could potentially have shut down SA meetings. Fortunately, our fellowship has responded strongly by using virtual meetings.

By |2024-08-23T14:29:57-05:00August 20, 2021|Comments Off on Dear ESSAY

Editor’s Corner

Dear Essay readers, I was asked to introduce this special edition, as I had the wonderful privilege to chair last May’s worldwide online event “Supporting Women in SA.” You may have wondered why it is necessary to support women in SA or thought it is an outside issue or a controversial topic. Well, then this issue of Essay is for you.

By |2024-08-23T14:28:58-05:00August 20, 2021|Comments Off on Editor’s Corner

Why a Convention to Support Women in SA?

SA is my home today, but it hasn’t always been like that. I came into the fellowship in 2008, after a few ineffective years in two other S-fellowships and with a lot of “over my dead body” ideas. I wasn’t even sure SA was for me, because I couldn’t identify with the strict boundaries of Sobriety Definition.

By |2023-09-19T14:29:56-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Why a Convention to Support Women in SA?

Working the Steps in Order to Dissolve My Spiritual Clots

I brought a friend into the program, and encouraged her to feel free to share anything with her sponsor. She said, “Anything?” And I answered, “Yes, anything and everything.” Then I shared more of my experience, strength, and hope with her. She asked if I could be her sponsor.

By |2024-08-23T14:37:44-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Working the Steps in Order to Dissolve My Spiritual Clots

Step Four Helped Me to Face My Wild Elephant

Lust corrupted my childhood. I was violated when I was very young—an inappropriate act that distorted my perception of sexuality, reality, and love. For years afterward I went around with an aching, infinite emptiness inside me. I bandaged the pain with a blindfold and contented myself to live in darkness, like someone living down a deep water well.

By |2024-08-23T14:37:30-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Step Four Helped Me to Face My Wild Elephant

Serving Others Has Brought So Much Joy

As a pre-school age child, I learned how to use a vibrator as a sex toy. That’s how it all began. I had never heard the word “sex” and knew nothing of sexual intimacy. But I knew what felt good, and was immediately hooked.

By |2024-08-23T14:36:47-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Serving Others Has Brought So Much Joy

The Promises Are Real

I was exposed to men’s magazines at the age of seven and didn’t realize it was abuse. At the age of nine, I was sexually abused by another girl, who was 10, and experienced a lot of confusion. The confusion increased when I was sort of forcibly converted to Catholicism at the age of 11, which led to a whole load of guilt.

By |2024-08-23T14:36:21-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on The Promises Are Real