May 5, 2022
Dear Hossein,
It is always a pleasure to receive your latest communication. I appreciated the many photos you shared with me of Congress 60 gatherings during Ramadan. After the prolonged isolation of people during the pandemic, it was a delight to see people coming together again in a spirit of fellowship and love.
I am pleased that your research, presentations and publications are all moving forward. The day is coming when the reach of Congress 60 will extend to the far corners of the globe, and that day will be hastened by the research and educational efforts you are now doing.
I appreciate your response to my question about the use of the DST method without other recovery supports found within Congress 60. My concern was that countries or organizations would see the DST method as a technological fix and implement it in a diluting and lower cost form without the vibrant recovery culture and supports that exist within Congress 60. My further fear was that the lower outcomes produced by this diluted treatment protocol would be used to discredit the work of Congress 60. My great hope is that this will not happen and that all discussions of the DST method will emphasize the importance of your broader teachings.
Thank you also for your responses to my other questions. Your responses help me to better understand the methods of Congress 60 and to also communicate these to my readers.
You asked about Alisha. She is doing quite well, having completed nearly all of her planned treatment. She is feeling good and has returned to full-time teaching at the university. She and her husband are planning to visit us here in Florida during July, which will be here first trip here in two years due to the pandemic and her cancer treatment. Rita and I have visited them at their home in Illinois, but we are quite excited about their coming visit here to our home.
I have returned to blogging again after a few months of respite, and have been reflecting on what other writing I may want to do in the coming months. I am at an age where many of the colleagues I have worked with over the decades are passing, so I have been writing tributes to the contributions these individuals have made to the treatment of addiction. Seeing many of my peers pass away adds a further sense of urgency on what ways I can contribute in helping people seeking recovery from addiction. The time has passed so quickly; we have both become elders of this field seeking ways our work can be extended by others far into the future. I continue to be inspired by how much you are doing.
Please extend my warmest regards to your family and to all members of Congress 60. Please update me on the activities of your children when you can.
Friends and Brothers Forever,
Bill