Abstinence Outside and In I have found differences between “trying to be abstinent” versus “being willing to be abstinent.” If I am trying to be abstinent, I am in a state of great confusion. If I am willing to be abstinent, I am in a state of great humility. Trying to be abstinent implies I should be able to do it, but I am … Read More
Relapse Big Truth When I first came to OA, I had no hope. I thought I would never look normal or be able to eat regular food. I was obese and profoundly depressed. In OA, I found much more than just weight loss and “control”; I found a Higher Power, a Fellowship of people who understood me for the first time in my … Read More
Fellowship Tools & Concepts Be a Coach! The word “sponsorship” has connotations in the outside world that do not fit my understanding of being an OA sponsor. For example, in immigration, a sponsor is legally responsible for a person entering a new country; there could exist a patriarchal implication that the sponsor is somehow superior to the sponsee. The word “sponsor” seems to confuse OA members more than … Read More