Learning and Contributing

Years ago, I just knew to put a dollar in the basket. Then I learned that those dollars buy literature, pay rent, pay for the phone, print meeting lists, and help this thing called “the World Service Office.” As the years went by and my service went beyond the meeting and intergroup levels, I learned oh so much about the functions the WSO performs to keep OA known to communities, build and maintain the wonderful website we have, and more, and I became much more willing to increase the dollars I put in the basket.

Now we have the Automatic Recurring Contribution process, and I have added it to my ways of helping OA remain self-sufficient (like buying all my OA books from the OA bookstore). But there is a deeper dimension to this Seventh Tradition, one that I want to share about, and it is this: am I emotionally and financially self supporting, and do I contribute to others not being so? Oh, that smarts! I have definitely contributed to my adult children and grandchild remaining more dependent and thus not living to their fullest capacity. Through taking inventories, I’ve learned that I too have depended on others to know what I needed or wanted. With recovery work, I’ve changed in those two critical areas and am becoming more my authentic self, allowing others to be their authentic selves as well.

There are no words to express how much I love this program and how the Steps, Traditions, Principles, and Tools have allowed me and those closest to me to really live a full life. Thank you, OA.

— J., USA