Sponsoring Tools & Concepts A Grateful Goodbye My first sponsor, M., passed away last month. He was one of the first people I met in OA, but it was a year before he became my sponsor. He was one of the few men I’d met and one of very few OA members who identified as a sponsor. I wrote down his number, but at the time, he … Read More
Relapse Slipping & Sliding A Slow Surrender I am powerless over compulsive overeating and abstinent since September 13, 2014, by the grace of God. I joined AA on March 19, 1988, and OA shortly thereafter. I try to practice unconditional love and abstain from abusing foods that induce cravings, especially fat, sugar, and salt. I promised long ago that once I had recovery, I would do all … Read More
Atheists & Agnostics Feeling Supported Longtimers used to say, “Either you’ll get the God-thing, or you’ll put a gun in your mouth.” At a recent meeting, some men shared about having suicidal thoughts. I had been a part of that misanthropic club, so I may be a terminal case, but I’m not unique. The God-thing must be easier for religious folks. I can’t buy a … Read More
Gratitude Recovery Blessings Count As a child, I was taught that if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all. Now that I’m a member of Overeaters Anonymous, that axiom takes a different slant: if I have nothing nice to say, it’s time to count my blessings. So here is today’s gratitude list: I am grateful for the people in my life. … Read More
Diversity Newcomers Looking Forward I spent the past three years mostly unhappy. I lost both my parents, my second marriage failed, and my children had issues with the separation. I avoided any intimate relationships and, in spite of three years of therapy, still didn’t have a firm idea about why. I also hit my all-time-high weight of 285 pounds (129 kg). I was bingeing … Read More
Meetings First-Meeting Gifts I went to my first OA meeting on a Saturday in March 1979. I was coming off a food binge of almost two years; it had started when my fiancée told me she didn’t want to marry me. The next day I’d gone off to the races. I gained over 100 pounds (45 kg) in a year, and didn’t see … Read More
Relationships A Lead Counsel’s Deposition Surrender . . . surrender to the program, surrender to a Higher Power—for some reason, I have found it very difficult to surrender. I am a man. I am an attorney. No one becomes an attorney by accident. It takes years of hard work and dedication. My profession is filled with strong-willed people who want to be in control. I … Read More
Relationships In Losing, Men Win In my three years of coming to the rooms of Overeaters Anonymous, I’ve been moved by the profound ways I see the power of God working in the lives of my brothers. As a former church worker, I thought I had a corner on the God business. Was I ever wrong! Whether I’m in my Sunday morning men’s meeting or … Read More
Service Available Tools I was working outdoors the other day and noticed several branches in my trees needed pruning. I went to my garage, selected a handsaw and lopping shears, and headed into the yard. The work was going well, but I found a couple of large limbs that needed to come down. I stretched way up and started sawing with the handsaw. … Read More
Higher Power Self-less Recovery I’ve been in and around OA for twenty-four years. In my mid-twenties, I weighed about 250 pounds (113 kg). When I was 30, I weighed 173 pounds (78 kg). My denial weight in OA was 225 pounds (102 kg), and seven years ago, I weighed 185 pounds (84 kg). I’m 70 years old now, and in the last two years, … Read More