Woven More Beautifully

The Voices of Recovery passage on “Weaving the Fabric of Our Lives” (p. 8), which is also the title of chapter thirteen of Beyond Our Wildest Dreams, resonates with me because the image of weaving fabric represents my recovery journey. By using the Steps to guide my work and behavior, attending OA meetings, finding a sponsor, reading OA literature, setting aside time for spiritual practice, and doing service aligned with the Twelve Traditions, I am guided spiritually, emotionally, and physically by my HP in weaving my recovery tapestry. I’m finding serenity as my life comes together for the first time, one day at a time. I’ve been abstinent and blessed with recovery for over three years.

At first my tapestry had many snags because the yarns of my recovery were not used at the same rate. My physical recovery, becoming abstinent and losing weight, was woven more quickly than my mental or spiritual recovery. Next, the yarn of mental recovery provided a quieting of the mind, less focus on food, and glimpses of serenity. Then my spiritual yarn led the weaving pattern, and I became aware of the glory of serenity.

My tapestry was uneven, but as my recovery grew, open spaces in the fabric became smaller, patterns emerged, and my recovery became more tightly woven by the physical, mental, and spiritual yarns. As I healed, my program became stronger. I trusted in my HP and turned over the knitting needles and the loom.

Today I am aware I am not the weaver of my life, only the grateful messenger, and that recovery through the Twelve Steps and the Tools is possible, one stitch at a time. I am awed by my wisdom and see that before OA I was a raggedy cloth held together by threads. Today, I’m blessed to be woven more beautifully by the grace of my HP, my sponsor, literature, prayer and meditation, meetings, and the other Tools of the program.

— Anonymous