THE BLOG!

How do you practice these principles in all your affairs?

For me, OA and HP have helped me be more tolerant and patient with people. Sometimes I encounter someone who has a lot of anger. But when I look behind the anger, I see lots of pain. I like to think of the garbage truck scenario:

Some people are like garbage trucks. They are full of pain, resentment and anger. This builds up and they need to dump it; sometimes on me. I have to realize that it’s not me they’re angry with. I just happen to be at the dumping place at the time. Many times we just don’t know what people are going through. I just accept it and pray that they get the peace they need.

This reminds me of one of my favorite books, A Man Called Ove. The main character, Ove, is as curmudgeon. He gets angry at his neighbors. He argues with the workers at the store. He even gets angry at a stray cat that hangs around him. Looking further into his character we realize that he is still grieving over his wife and love of his life.

You never know what someone is going through.

Anne B

Tools of Recovery 6/12/23

Which tools are the most important to you? Which do you feel that you use most often? Which tool would you stress to a newcomer?

The 9 tools of OA are:

1. A plan of eating.

2. Sponsorship. 

3. Meetings. 

4. Telephone.

5. Writing/

6. Literature.

7. Action plan.

8. Anonymity.

9. Service. 

For me, all of the tools strengthen my program. 

1. A plan of eating reminds me that I’m powerless over food. It’s not necessarily what I don’t eat; it’s food that will keep me abstinent. 

2. Sponsorship – I’m not at the point of sponsoring but my sponsor key to my success. She is a constant reminder and example of what I want program from the program for me (even if she won’t let me eat 50 grapes)

3. Meetings – I go to a minimum of 3 meetings a week. If I don’t feel like going to a meeting it means I really need to go to a meeting. If I’m in a bad mood, I will come out of that meeting feeling 10 times better.

4. Telephone -I don’t use the telephone enough, but when I do it’s always a rewarding experience. OAers have told me they were just about to eat or were down and I texted them and appreciated it. The same goes for me. I’ve been in a bad place and I get a call, text or email. and I’m back on track.

5.  Writing -I’ll admit it, I don’t do enough writing. When I do more is revealed (I hate to sound cliché but it is)

6. Literature -I don’t leave the house in the morning without reading from the big book and one of the daily readers. For me, it’s a nice way to start my day (ok now I sound like a coffee commercial)

7. Action plan -I do try. Mostly it’s Anne plans God laughs. Sitting down with my sponsor and coming up with a plan aims me in the right direction.

8. Anonymity -I’ve told people in OA things that people who have known me for years don’t know. Anonymity helps me be comfortable enough to share.

9. Service keeps me coming back to meetings because there are people who count on me. Something as simple as taking the key, putting away meeting materials, leading a meeting, or being keyholder is service. It also helps me give something back to a program that is saving my life.

Anne B

5/21/2023

Just Food

I went to an online abstinence workshop and this article from Lifeline was mentioned so I figured I would share it. Have a wonderful abstinent day:)

Just Food

5/7/2013

“Food is not my best friend, my confidante or my lover. Food does not fix broken promises, broken hearts or broken dishwashers. It doesn’t clean my house, organize my life or organize my mind. Food won’t hold my hand and walk me through the dark when I’m afraid or whisper good advice in my ear when I’m about to screw up. Food does not carry a tissue in its back pocket to wipe away tears, nor does food have a shoulder to lean on when I just can’t go another step. It does not fix any of my problems.

Food is not my advocate when I am treated unfairly or my spokesperson when I can’t speak for myself. Food does not make right old wrongs, does not erase childhood trauma or make past abuse finally okay. It does not eliminate long-standing grudges, old mistakes or pain. Food does not make the disappointment go away or play games with me when the boredom sets in. Food does not help me deal with a job I hate, a person I hate or my own self-hate. Food does not give me things, will not make me prettier or smarter or thinner (especially not thinner).

Food will cover up the truth, food will distort reality, and food will pretend to do all the things that food really can’t do.

Food, I am learning my friends, is just that. It’s just food.”
                                                  – Bianca W., Woodstock, Georgia USA. Lifeline Magazine November 2012

4/30/2023

I was listening to one of my favorite speakers and have a few takeaways (he’s an AA speaker:

  1. Grow where you’re planted. (I’ve also heard bloom where you’re planted)
  2. You are not responsible for your disease but you’re responsible for your recovery.
  3. With 12 steps you have just now tapped into a source of power much greater than yourself.
  4. This is the only club you can be a member of where the worse off you are you get here the better your chances of staying.
  5. The God (HP) in me reaches out to the God (HP)in you.
  6. The Big Book is not the treasure, it’s the map.
  7. We don’t treat a spiritual disease with mechanical means.

8. If you’re sitting in  here and you think this program is just about not drinking and not using, you’re short changing the program and short changing yourself. If you just don’t drink and you just don’t use, you might stop going to jail on the weekends. If you just don’t drink and you just don’t use, you might make it home with a whole paycheck. If you just don’t drink and you just don’t use, you might make it to work Monday morning. But what this program has to offer. is a whole lot more than that.

What this program is really about is obtaining and maintaining access to a source of power that does for me what I cannot do for myself. What this program is really about, is obtaining and maintaining access to a source of power that can do anything but fail. What this program is really about taking people like us broken down people alcoholics and addicts who don’t have dreams or hopes anymore. It takes people like us and sticks us in one room together and I stick one hand in your hand and the other hand in God’s hand (HP). This program is about growth and change. If there’s going to be any change in my life, it begins and ends with me.