IDEA Activity: Pen a Principle

I have been in Overeaters Anonymous five and a half years and abstinent for more than eighteen months. I do not weigh myself, but the clothing I had last year still fits. I am so grateful for Overeaters Anonymous.

At our International Day Experiencing Abstinence celebration last November, we did group activities working with program Principles. My group’s Principle was “humility.” While others were using their creativity in other ways, I began to write a poem to express the difficulties and delights of working Step Seven:

Humility and Step Seven

I wanted to be humble,
But then it came to me
That surrendering my defects
Would be too hard for me.

I turned to God for help
To rid myself of these.
With gentle revelation
Each defect became clear.

Opening fists let them go:
Self-righteousness was one,
Self-pity, jealousy, judging,
Gossip, and shame as well.

The list may yet be longer
But in its place, I see
Serenity, peace, and joy—
Sweet gifts have come to me.

— Elaine G., New Zealand