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Remember, one of the OA Tools of Recovery is writing. “Putting our thoughts and feelings down on paper helps us to better understand our actions and reactions in a way that is often not revealed to us by simply thinking or talking about them.” Another tool is service. Sharing with others in the OA fellowship, in any format can be valued service!
Serenity on the Bayou: The Houma Birthday
Joe H., Baton Rouge
We had a great time at the Houma birthday held September 14, 2013. The theme was: Celebrating Abstinence Awareness for 36 Years and Continuing! There was a lot of years of recovery in that room.
The one-day workshop was well attended by recovering overeaters from all over the region. New Orleans, Kenner, Harahan, Raceland, Galliano, Baton Rouge, Slidell, and Lafayette were represented. One newcomer said— After I passed the OA online quiz, I started coming to meetings. I would stare at people, and then finally explained “If you see me staring, I am not a stalker. I just want what you have.”
Men and women older and younger adults; all races and ethnicities came to celebrate and hear Janice share the story of her recovered life and OA service. Here are a few of my own personal insights that I will practice in all of my affairs.
Janice explained that compulsive overeating is only a “symptom” of the disease. without the symptom of compulsive overeating I would never have been lead to Overeaters Anonymous. I would never have gotten to be with all of you. I would never have gotten to experience all that I have. In order to transform that decision to abstain into a way of life, we must develop the ability to express the traumas we may have suffer in childhood
or other areas of our lives so we can heal from them and go on with our recovered life.
We must shrug off the restraints that we have allowed others to place upon us and trust in a Higher Power. Janice explained that agnostic means without higher knowledge. In recovery, we are open to that higher knowledge. She reminded us that abstinence is essential in and for our lives.
A long-timer shared that she now must abstain from not just foods and behaviors, but from ingredients and additives.
We were urged to nourish our heart and soul with conscious awareness of a Higher Power. That is freedom. We were urged to let a sponsor help us. Select those that are trustworthy and celebrate social health in the Fellowship. Fellowship with other compulsive overeater is awesome. It is a powerful therapeutic experience.
Most memorable to me was her definitions of her recovered life. Recovery is the process of moving along a specific spiritual path,” she said. Recovery is cumulative. Recovery is sweet, simple, sane and Spiritual. It is also sexy! AAAYEEE.
Janice called out in her well-known Cajun humor. She told us to “Recover our potential” and then she ran down an inspiring list of characteristics that she has recovered. Try this yourself–like a gratitude list, say “I have recovered…” and then speak your list. I know that weekend, I recovered my enthusiasm and commitment. One OAer got so fired up that she pointed her water bottle like a sword and said that she was ready for the next attack of cravings. The spiritual courage and excitement was rekindled.
Janice reminded us that God, abstinence, and OA service has taken her places she would never have gone. She recalled only a few of her trips that span the globe from Rio Rancho to NZ.
The most important destination is a place not like my tarnished past, but on the verge of my shining future–a place of usefulness to God and others.
Celebrating Houma’s 36 year birthday reminds me that I need to celebrate everyday–“one day at a time.”
Overeaters Anonymous Baton Rouge Intergroup 