Cornerstones of My Recovery
E.C.’s has persisted in OA for more than 20 years, and the inevitable result is abstinence from compulsive overeating and a strong program of recovery.
E.C.’s has persisted in OA for more than 20 years, and the inevitable result is abstinence from compulsive overeating and a strong program of recovery.
OA’s Ninth Tradition shone brightly during the pandemic when local service bodies suddenly found themselves serving OA members from around the world.
Before OA, food ruled Dodie’s every waking moment, even from a very early age. In college, Dodie weighed 215 pounds (97.5 kg) and felt trapped in ugliness. When she realized she had a problem with food, she found OA, and now maintains a 85-pound (38.5-kg) weight loss.
Kathleen’s binge eating and low self-esteem made her ill and unable to hold a job. She was in the midst of bingeing and counting calories when she heard on the radio a public service announcement about Overeaters Anonymous. When she attended her first meeting, someone told her “You’re not alone anymore,” and that was enough to give her hope and start her on her recovery journey.
This OA member explains how service can be “an incredible learning experience” and ”a great gift,” even when giving service means working with others who have differing opinions about what is best for OA as a whole.
Cynthia explains how the different perspectives in Lifeline can broaden one’s recovery and offer opportunities to give service.
When we pass the basket, we call it “the Seventh Tradition” because it represents how we feel about being self-supportinga. It’s more than a donation. It’s a barometer of our gratitude and our personal investment in our recovery.
We can better appreciate Tradition Nine by imagining if OA was organized by VIPs and from the top down.