Rigorous honesty is the gateway to recovery in SA. At first, I thought that admitting the full extent of my problem and sharing my real history were impossible. What would others think? During Step Five, I confessed a long-held secret to my sponsor. I had expected an overly dramatic moment, but he didn’t overreact, and I also didn’t feel an overwhelming sense of relief. Instead, I felt the simple peace that comes from straightforward, honest disclosure. Through consistently practicing rigorous honesty, I finally found lasting sobriety and peace.

Dear ESSAY,

I wanted to compliment you and your staff on the October Issue. Well done!

The graphics are outstanding, and the composition of text and graphics is very impactful. The representation of our fellowship with articles from mixed sources, women, men, and international contributors is impressive and encouraging. It really is an impressive magazine. Again, well done!

My sponsor suggested that I periodically follow up with the professionals to give them an update on how the Fellowship is doing. Sometimes, this meant calling them again to give them a verbal update, but often it meant sending them an email update. I use the BCC line for these group emails. Again, I give permission to share these emails with anyone who needs them. I have gotten calls from potential newcomers in other parts of the state who were referred by a professional who had my email forwarded to them.