The Special Appeal is a tri-annual request from the S-Anon World Service Office for 7th Tradition donations. Please share this appeal with your group and consider making a contribution today!
Dear Fellow S-Anon Members,
As I finish my second term as the Southwest Regional Trustee, I am reflecting on what I have gained from this fellowship. I know so much more about myself and who I can be.
As a child, I always felt guilty when things went wrong. I lived in the shadow of my sisters and never felt good enough. As a teenager, I felt that my family would be better off without me. I gave up on my Higher Power, because I felt he was judging me, and I never measured up. In college I met a man who wanted to be with me and whose family made me feel like my own family never had. Even though I saw the warning signs of addiction, I married this man. For the first few years of our marriage, I participated in the addiction with him because I felt that was part of being a good wife. When I realized that he was acting out more than I felt was appropriate, I believed it was all my fault and tried even harder to make him happy. When I hit my bottom, I found recovery in the Twelve Steps. I renewed my relationship with my Higher Power of my understanding. I accepted that it was not my fault my spouse was acting out and unhappy. I quit trying to do everything to please him and started doing the things that I loved. I gained self-confidence and could finally tell myself I was good enough.
As my serenity grew, I became more engaged. When I was asked to be an Area Delegate, I had my doubts but said yes. My first year I felt lost and confused but did my best to serve my area groups. By the third year, I gained confidence in myself and was able to be an active participant in meetings and World Service Conferences. When I was asked to be the Southwest Regional Trustee, I stepped into that role with the courage to use my voice and my recovery to support the groups in my region. While I was a Trustee, I learned so much more about the committees and decision-making process of the Board of Trustees and the fellowship as a whole. I learned how to share my experience, strength, and hope and how to listen to others. I learned to place principles above personalities. I learned that it works when you work it.
I encourage each one of you as you work your program to support S-Anon through your Seventh Tradition contributions AND through service. Join a committee, share your story at local, regional, and international events, and then take a turn serving as an Alternate Area Delegate, Area Delegate, or Trustee. You can find information about these positions on the World Service Office member site member.sanon.org. Donations to the World Service Office enable it to provide resources to all those looking to find the serenity that we have come to enjoy. Contributions can be made online at https://www.sanon.org/donate, through PayPal at paypal.me/sanonwso, on Venmo to @sanon_wso www.venmo.com/u/sanon_wso, or via postal mail to S-Anon WSO, P.O. Box 17294, Nashville, TN 37217.
In humble service,
Pam M., former Southwest Regional Trustee