Literature Momentous At my first OA meeting, a kind soul offered to buy me a book of my choosing from the OA library. I had no idea what I was even doing there, and every piece of reading material looked foreign and, quite frankly, just weird. I rifled through the stacks of books, and one caught my eye like a beacon in … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Reel Comedy “Come on in! We’ve been waiting for you!” That’s what I heard as I walked through the doors of an OA meeting in 2015. Two ladies were sitting in the meeting room, both long timers. One of them had moved to our small coastal town a year ago, found no OA meetings, and decided to start one. I struggled to … Read More
Fellowship Overgreeters Anonymous My first region convention was quite an adventure. I was nervous and apprehensive but knew I needed to volunteer for service, so I volunteered to be a greeter for the first evening. My thought process was that it would be hard to mess up that job. I reported on time for my service and found I was partnered with a … Read More
Anorexia & Bulimia Fellowship Higher Power Working the Program OA Shorts Dear Mr. Merriam, dear Mr. Webster, I write to you as a humble requester. I propose a new spelling of a certain word; The change would be seen but would not be heard. The word in question is now spelled “serenity.” I suggest changing it instead to “surrenity.” If one “surrenders” using “humility,” One can achieve a sense of tranquility: … Read More
Working the Program Keep Pedaling When I was young, learning to ride a bicycle seemed like a monumental task—exciting, but difficult to learn. I wanted to do what the other children could. Riding a bicycle looked like fun, and I wanted to have fun. My mom held my seat and ran behind me while I pedaled. When I wasn’t looking, she let go. The scariest … Read More
Fellowship Tools & Concepts Sponsorship I reach out my palm and you touch my heart. Together we make a valiant start. We guard against any halfway measure As we embark on this journey together. We’re raising the banner for spiritual living, Changing our actions from taking to giving. Our hands and our minds retreat from the fridge; The past becomes water under the bridge. Taking … Read More
Newcomers Tools & Concepts Nurturing is Our Nature One of my self-care activities is to spend time with the beautiful wildflowers that we are blessed to have in Tennessee. One of the first wildflowers to announce the coming of spring around here is the bloodroot, and I took pictures just as some were beginning to blossom. As I looked at the small cluster of flowers (right), I thought … Read More
Newcomers Telephone Happy Dialing When I first came to OA, I was in an emotionally desperate condition. After decades of stuffing myself with food, I was highly motivated to avoid feelings. Fear of reality ruled my life, but suddenly the substances I used to numb out were gone. I was in the toddler phase of learning to live life on life’s terms. Pretending I … Read More
Working the Program Can Do At my first OA meetings, I recognized myself in the shares of others. Defensiveness, excuses, blaming, rationalizing, self-loathing, failure—all those alcoholic thoughts and actions described in the Big Book—all were familiar to me around food. I’d eaten volumes and screwed up dieting every day for years. Every night was one last huge supper and a swearing off, but by breakfast … Read More
Higher Power Closer When I Speak At my first Overeaters Anonymous meeting, I was scared, embarrassed, and nervous, and I felt very alone. Those same emotions made me into what I was that day: obese and unhealthy. Eight people genuinely welcomed me. I didn’t understand the entire program (I still don’t), but I went home after that meeting and haven’t touched any sugar since. I learned … Read More