Dear Hossein,
It is always good to hear from you. Your latest news and reflections always make my heart soar.
I am looking forward to viewing the videos that Shani is working on. Such short videos can be a powerful means of reaching people who we could not otherwise serve.
The photos from the second travelers cup were wonderful. I hope in the next year to add a photo gallery to my web site and I would like to work with you to do a Congress 60 section of the gallery where we can tell the story of the lives transformed within Congress 60 through the medium of photography. You have sent me so many vivid and moving images to choose from. It will be hard to make selections, so I would like your guidance with the selection and placing captions on the photos. What do you think of this idea?
Thank you for your response to my question about your approach to working with people coming to Congress 60 using licit or illicit methadone. This was very helpful in clarifying my thoughts aboout the potential of the DST method with methadone-dependent individuals.
I have been thinking more recently about the fact that we are aging and that we need to continue to nurture leaders who will carry our work forward when we are gone. We have discussed this before, but I would like your thoughts on how such potentially senior leaders are being developed within Congress 60. For my part, I have worked these past several years to help others in the addictions field here develop as counselors, lecturers and as writers. I have also tried to recruit some younger professionals to do historical research in the field. This has been a difficult but rewarding process even though not all of those I had hope to develop have remained in the field or followed through as I hoped they would. Some, however, have exceeded my expectations, and I rest easy knowing there efforts will continue as mine inevitably decline. My children have not been involved in the work in the same way yours have so I do not have family members who can carry my work forward. The involvement of your children in important roles in Congress 60 must be a source of great confort and pride for you. I have also been concerned about how to maintain the quality of our work as we age. As an example, I have decided to reduce the quantity of what I write in hopes I can work on preserving its quality. I feel some of my energy and mental powers slowly declining so am more conscious of the need to pace myself and choose my projects carefully. Like the athletes of Congress 60, I want us to be able to finish strong and then cheer others on.
Please continue to extend my encouragement and best wishes to member of the William White legion. I have the legion pin over my writing desk and it is a source of great inspiration to me.
Rita and I will be quite busy in the next 2-3 weeks with Troy’s wedding so pardon any brief respite in our communications.
Friends and Brothers Forever,
Bill