Reflections on Tradition One
When Eddie Rickenbacker’s plane ran out of gas over the Pacific during World War II, he and his crew were in a perilous situation. Adrift on the ocean with three rafts and four oranges, they had to pull together or die.
Our Common Welfare
Recently, I volunteered to lead a meeting in my home group on the topic of Tradition One. I felt quite confident of my ability to explain the Tradition. After all, I’ve been sober in SA for six years (I’m a member of another Twelve-Step fellowship)—and I can recite the Traditions by heart!
SA Unity
Arriving in SA, all my powers spent, I entered a new world: a world where meetings, the White Book, the Twelve Steps of SA, a sponsor, and fellow sexaholics were already there waiting for me. Through these tools I received the gift of sobriety.
Handling Disruptive Members
At our Monday evening group, we had an instance of a male SA being inappropriate with a female SA to the point where we had to ask for guidance. What an eye-opener to find out that there were no suggestions, no guidelines, no experience, strength, or hope that anyone I contacted had to share.
Sharing Recovery With My Son
After years in a dark place, God has given me the gift of recovery. One of the fruits has been the blossoming of my relationship with my son. It has been my privilege to be with him in his recovery.
A Safe Haven?
Despite having a strong SA community in my region, the Fellowship here is facing a serious problem that I believe could one day lead to disaster.
Suggested Items for Discussion
Under Traditions One and Three, each SA group has the right and responsibility to bring up issues that bear on membership, group unity, and meeting quality. The following are merely suggested for debate and feedback, supporting the idea that if we don’t look out for our unity — both group and SA as a whole — who will?
Principles Before Personalities
Many of us have also discovered that once we start going to meetings, certain things become apparent. Personalities want to predominate instead of the principles of the Steps and Traditions. We make all kinds of mistakes trying to relate (or not relate) to other members. All our defects come to the fore.
