Birthday at Home Recently, I had the privilege of celebrating both my twentieth OA birthday and the twentieth birthday of my OA home group. I met OA for the first time at this group’s very first meeting. For this event, we asked our intergroup to invite other OA groups to join and celebrate our journey toward recovery. We had more than double our … Read More
Could and Would For thirty years, I was bulimic, but I have not purged in almost eight years. When my weight reached an all-time high of 293 pounds (133 kg) at 5’11” (180 cm) two years ago in February, I decided I’d had enough and was going to get weight-loss surgery. But the surgery center didn’t want to operate on me because of … Read More
Breakup Note Overeating, you were in control of my life for a while. You ruined my life, took away my friends, isolated me, made me sick, knocked me down, destroyed me . . . and I let you. I didn’t fight back. I welcomed you every chance I got and let you hurt me, and I actually enjoyed it for years—until the day I … Read More
Virtual Gifts The gifts of this program are incredible. Once, I was in the food and in a relationship with a partner who hated what I adore: the people, language, and country of France. Now, I’m abstinent. I was able to leave that relationship, and I’ve moved to France for a year. God has truly turned my hopeless, trapped existence to one … Read More
New Language Two years ago today, I took a plane to Brisbane, Australia, with two bags and a lot of dreams. The bags held clothes to last six months, the time I planned to stay. When I arrived, it was amazing: a new country, new culture, new language, and new life. But I was the same person, so one of the first things I … Read More
Knit Together I recently finished knitting a hat for my sponsor. It’s a “dancing ladies hat,” an old Norwegian pattern with ladies kicking up their heels as they make a circle. They make me think of our meetings, learning the Steps, and finding joy in OA unity. Knitting is my meditation. I do a bit every day, and things get finished. During this … Read More
Fish Tale The fish flips, flaps, and fights within the tangled mass of netting. It thrashes about, struggling, getting more entangled with each attempt to release itself. It rests, exhausted, for just a few minutes, then begins its futile attempts again. This goes on repeatedly for a long time. Eventually the fish hovers between awareness and half-consciousness. A cupped hand reaches down, cradling … Read More
Titanic Transformation “I hate meetings!” I exclaimed when it was my turn to share. “But I know I need to be held accountable, and I think OA is where I should be.” I was disgusted with myself for the umpteenth time in my life. Over the last three years, I had gained back 36 of the 82 pounds (16 of 37 kg) … Read More
Give Love A Chance When I attended my first OA meeting, I was beyond nervous, and I was overwhelmed with debilitating shame. Overweight since age 7, I had tried every diet and magical fix available. Each failure chipped away at what little self-esteem I had, and the “mean girl” in my head would remind me that I was worthless and ultimately unlovable. As I … Read More
One Meeting A light bulb went on in my head. I got it! After reading the Twelve Steps, I realized my stress and my worries were causing my overeating. Now I put all of that in God’s hands. I don’t worry anymore. It’s wonderful! It’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I now get Lifeline, and I’m very aware … Read More