Lesson for a Simple Approach I am currently three and a half years abstinent and working Steps Ten, Eleven, and Twelve to the best of my ability, one day at a time. During a recent morning call with a sponsee, I was listening to a Step Ten resentment she’d written about. When she got to the part of identifying her character defects and shortcomings in this … Read More
Unity, Community, and Recovery The OA-HOW structured meeting format says to avoid sharing with others the names of anyone who sponsors me or whom I sponsor. I avoid discussing with third parties particular identifying details of what other OA members share with me unless the member has given me permission to do so. If another member begins to mention in casual conversation an OA member … Read More
Sharing Ourselves Did you know that the opposite of anonymous is “onymous”? How different would our lives be if we were Overeaters Onymous? I believe that OO would not still be around if we published member lists and our before-and-after pictures or if we gossiped about meeting discussion. Sometimes, I forget the power of that little “An,” but it is easy to … Read More
Lending What Was Offered When I began OA in October 2000, I chose a sponsor who had what I wanted. She shared her experience of working through the Steps and Traditions of OA with her sponsor, and I began my process according to her experience, strength, and hope. I purchased OA’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions book along with its companion, The Twelve Step Workbook of Overeaters … Read More
Key Suggestions OA suggests that personal anonymity be practiced not only when we meet or talk about someone in the outside world but also within our Fellowship. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition clearly discusses the dangers of “setting certain members on pedestals” (p. 166) and suggests we take care not to “mention OA members’ names to … Read More
Small, Unobserved Service In the Big Book it advises, “Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 164). My ego tells me I need to do something spectacular, like curing cancer, so everyone can see wonderful me. But since I don’t have the time to cure cancer, … Read More
Faith and Trust Recently, I experienced having my anonymity broken. It was painful, but in working through it, I was guided by my sponsor to look inward and to HP, which led me to face some of my own choices. Do I gossip or tolerate hearing gossip? Do I walk away from situations where anonymity is being rejected or neglected? Do I nurture … Read More
No Monopoly on Recovery After not seeing a regular attendee at my home meeting for several months, I decided to call to see how they were doing. This person was really glad to hear from me but had decided to attend an outside support group for eating issues and reported having much success with abstinence and physical recovery. We had a great conversation, and … Read More
Humbled by Sponsoring I first became a sponsor in 2008 as part of working the OA program of recovery. I started sponsoring after experiencing seventy days of back-to-back abstinence, working the first three Steps, following the OA-HOW structured meeting format, and soaking up lots of love and physical, emotional, and spiritual healing like a dry sponge. I came to OA obese and full … Read More
A Particular Function Since coming to program in 2006, I’ve struggled with the idea of anonymity as a Tool of recovery: a Principle and Tradition, yes, but a Tool? The other Tools (a plan of eating, sponsorship, meetings, telephone, writing, literature, action plan, and sponsorship) have an identifiable action or directive I can take, plan, do, go, call, write, or read. Anonymity felt like … Read More
