Recovery I Am Home Isolation and hope stand out to me today, in part because of the Voices of Recovery reading on isolation and fellowship (p. …
Traditions Trust—Tried and True Just what are “trusted servants?” We read Tradition Two every week in our meeting. It states in part, “Our leaders are but t…
Traditions Always Rewarded Unity plays a role for me in going to any length to recover. My sponsor told me to attend OA events, and not only was it goo…
Traditions Common Interest Solidarity is the Principle behind Tradition Six. It reminds us, among other things, we are all equal in this program and we…
Recovery Birthday Share As I celebrate my twentieth birthday of abstinent recovery in OA, I am filled with gratitude, joy, and hope. Prior to Februa…
Service Quick Calling When I used to exercise compulsively, I had a saying I would use to keep hydrated: “When you think, drink.” Now that I am ab…
Traditions Building Balance For me, the beauty of unity is realizing I’m not alone in this disease of compulsive eating. I never knew that others had th…
Abstinence Other People’s Programs I entered OA in the fall of 2008, miserable, steeped in my addiction, and knowing there was nothing I could do about it. At …
Spirituality Accepting All Bill W., co-founder of AA, said, “We are people who normally would not mix. But there exists among us a fellowship, a friend…
Fellowship Recovery Uncategorized Stepping Up Attending World Service Business Conference as a delegate, I discovered how much responsibility is involved in shaping and m…
How OA Changed My Life Recovery True Freedom When a fellow OA member suggested I reflect on what true freedom looks like for me, I discovered I could probably write a book. Before OA, I truly felt I already had it in the form of a solid career, … Read More
Higher Power Spirituality Stepping-Stones, Nuggets, and Gems Spirituality is the solution to our problem of powerlessness, and we find this solution in the Twelve Step program of recovery. I’ve experienced three stepping-stones in this process: Amen, Amends, Am… Read More
The Road Narrows My twenty-ninth birthday in OA is approaching, and it is cause for renewed reflection about my program. I spoke to my sponsor a week ago and mentioned to her that I was thinking of not taking a candle this year. Other OA members on their birthdays pitch about life changes: weddings, kids, jobs, financial gain, or acquisition of cars. I … Read More
Share It: Powerful Shares, Joyful Reading, Pages and Prayers Powerful Shares I wanted to share how sad I am to hear about the discontinuation of Lifeline. It has literally been a lifeline to me. I am one of the ones who answered your 2018 subscription appeal, and I recently renewed my subscription and will cherish every last issue. Thank you for the articles about “The Joys of Retreats and … Read More
Recovery Beyond Measure In a few days, I will celebrate thirty-eight years of recovery in OA. Today my goal is health, sanity, and wellness, not a size 8. Physically, my body has been a normal size for many years. G-d has removed the compulsion for what I call “the hard stuff”—the stuff you see at the grocery checkout counter. I have reached a … Read More