Dear Essay,
I am an incarcerated SA member due to my lust/pornography addiction. By the grace of God and SA I have been sober 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. I know many sexaholics in prison are not as blessed as I am.
First of all, I want to thank you so much for providing meetings in print via the Essay magazine which is a wonderful resource! Congratulations with your 40th Anniversary.
Second, I want to make a request for the sake of all incarcerated SAs everywhere. Please send letters, short notes, cards, whatever works for you, to an SA in prison!
Close your eyes and imagine having to be apart physically and emotionally from loved ones, friends, and involvement with SA. Not just for days, weeks, or months, but for years! Being alone with strangers in jail or prison just trying to survive. Again, think of not being able to touch, hold, hug, kiss, talk to, or socialize with your wife/husband, kids, grandkids, brothers/sisters, mom/dad, friends, other loved ones, and/or SA members/groups at all, or only for extremely short amounts of time.
Now, think about receiving a letter, note, or card from someone you care about. Think about the connection you feel with that person or group. It brings joy and happiness to what otherwise would be a “down” day. Specifically, with SA you feel a connection with the fellowship, the group, the program; you don’t feel so cut off and distant.
I have to admit that before I was incarcerated I probably wouldn’t have written to an inmate. Not because I was selfish, but because I’d “forget”, or get busy, or think it wasn’t important, or “someone else will do it”, or “inmates probably get enough letters”, but I would have been wrong on all accounts! It is important. Others don’t do it and inmates don’t get many letters, especially from great SA members like YOU!
Don’t forget. Take 5 or 10 minutes to write a short letter, note, or card to an incarcerated SA today! It may not seem like much, but it means a ton to us on the “inside.” It sustains us and helps us to keep working the program, and it is a great opportunity for you to serve another sexaholic.
Thank you so much and God bless you all.
Jim D., Wisconsin, USA
