Let us all reflect for a little bit on 2020 and the pandemic’s devastating effect on life in our Area. As we contemplate the nature of COVID, does it not impact some people dramatically different that it does others? Some are seemingly not affected at all, some have significant complications from it, and for some it is actually fatal. Is it not true that everyone is inconvenienced by it, and in some form are we not endangered by the behavior of those who have it?
Does any of this sound strangely similar to the life we have all lived facing alcoholism? Some are impact-ed more that others, for some, alcohol is fatal, and certainly everyone around us is impacted by the behavior of those of us who are afflicted with alcoholism. Our program offers us a way to live life in spite of our alcoholism. What parts of our cherished program can we transfer to our lives outside of meetings in this pandemic world? Would Love and Tolerance help the world around us? Just as we love and care for the well being of any newcomer, can we learn to carry that same level of genuine care for another human being into the public world? We have been given some beautiful tools to utilize in our struggles with alcohol and our crazy lives. Can we not in turn try to extend our use of these tools to those about us in our respective hometowns, and in our Area? Surely our burden will feel lighter if we try to help others, and surely, the people around us could benefit from a gesture of kindness, and love, and tolerance from each of us. We can take what we know how to do and help make our world just a little better in 2021.
The 71st General Service Conference is fast approaching. By the time this is printed, I will have attended the January GS Board Meeting to assist in development of the Final Agenda Items. That list will be avail-able soon, and the full background material will follow shortly there-after. I invite each of you to involve yourself in the process and help pass along your feelings on the agenda to the Delegate.
Work continues at the GSO Treatment and Accessibilities to move forward with Remote Communities Committees Guidelines and a Work-book. Virtual meetings have been life saving during COVID, but there are tremendous applications for virtual meetings in the Treatment arena, the Accessibilities arena, and Remote Communities applications. I hope that each of us will find a virtual meeting or two to become a steady part of our individual meeting plans. If virtual meetings stay in place post COVID, there will be much value that we can provide. I invite each of you to consider supporting a virtual meeting as a personal service commitment so that is stays active.
I remain forever Grateful for the opportunity to Serve Area 46 as your Delegate. Thank you for allowing me to be the caretaker of this great responsibility for a short while.
In Love and Service,
Bill L.,
Area 46 Delegate