Relapse Slipping & Sliding As Is I thought I was living the dream— smack-dab in the middle of OA Paradise! I was abstinent, I’d lost weight, I attended meeti…
Recovery Relationships Doubling Down At the ripe age of 69, I got married for the first time and also relocated from a booming metropolitan area to a more rural,…
Higher Power Run to God Life’s problems and recovery—I love putting these two concepts together because it means I can let go of problems instead of…
Abstinence First Aid One Saturday, I had a long to-do list of errands and wondered how to get it all done. My highest priority was to go to my ho…
Slipping & Sliding The Slippers and the Strugglers I am a recovering compulsive overeater, and I’ve been in the rooms for more than forty-two years. Twice I had spurts of free…
Slipping & Sliding Willingness to Work I was introduced to OA in 1987 following outpatient therapy for binge eating, overeating, and bulimia, so I was already arme…
Newcomers Life-Changer She was awakened by the pain in her knee. Gingerly, she swung her legs out of bed. The distance to the floor was shorter sin…
Service Try Writing At sharing time in OA meetings, I sometimes read thoughts I have written down. Sharing thoughts and speaking out loud what I…
Higher Power Pain Management I was given gifts today, the gifts of patience and acceptance. About a week ago, I threw out my back playing volleyball at a…
Steps Step 7: Right Actions I’ve been reading and studying Steps Six and Seven in the past weeks. I’ve become particularly watchful and aware of my majo…
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