1981-2021: 40 YEARS OF ESSAY
Dear ESSAY
Dear Essay, When I read the Oct issue about our old-timers, I thought of our founder Roy K.
Editors’ Corner
Dear Essay readers, Could Roy K. have imagined how Essay would look like when he wrote a letter to the fellowship in 1981? Gradually his letters turned into a newsletter containing sobriety insights and comments, as well as sharing from other SAs, and information on new groups, conventions, etc. Our 1990 book Recovery Continues contains twenty-four of Roy’s reflections from the early Essays.
SA CFC
Dear Essay, I am an incarcerated member due to my lust/pornography addiction, sober by the grace of God and SA since Dec 11, 2019. I have been very blessed to remain in contact with my SA sponsor allowing me to complete the Steps and start working on the Traditions. Many sexaholics in prison are not as blessed as I am.
Discussion Topic
The Essay has given this EMER Delegate the opportunity to read about others’ joys and victories, trials, and challenges—and also to throw in some of his own.
Accessibility Committee
There are no unique sexaholics, but there are members and sexaholics who experience barriers to accessing the SA message. Our Third Tradition states, “The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop lusting and become sexually sober.”
SA Belgium Was Started by Members Who Needed to Move to the Last House on the Block
In Belgium, some fellows were attending meetings from another S fellowship since 1997, but after more than 10 years no one was able to stay sober for longer periods of time, even while trying to stay sober according to their own sobriety definitions. In July 2008, one very desperate member decided to go to an international convention in the States and the first one he found on the internet happened to be an SA IC.
SA Egypt Plays a Leading Role in the Arabic-speaking World
The very first SA meeting in Egypt was held over Zoom in 2014 by a few members. Later on, in 2015, the first face-to-face meeting was held in Cairo. Today, there are seven weekly face-to-face meetings all over Egypt and six weekly online meetings including two women-only meetings.
The International Committee
Serving on Trustee Committees of SA is one of the most rewarding ventures I have experienced in recovery. Why? It promotes humility in me, as relatively few know of what the Committees do (low attention to self). No awards or pins for years of service (little room for self-exaltation). But there ARE rewards for service on the Trustee Committees.
SIM 2021–A Recovery Braindate
Thousands of sexaholics all over the world tuned in to find out how numerous speakers and panelists do just that. One speaker compared it to showing up to the emergency room: everyone is there for help, regardless of culture, age, gender, religion, education, or any other distinction.
2021 Newcastle Convention Was Very Powerful
The Nov 14 Newcastle Convention was one of the most powerful experiences we have ever had. It was face to face as well as online. Hal and Scott related how they took many people through the steps the old way, the way Bill and Bob did it.
