I’m in Albany, capital of the great state of New York, attending, as a visitor, the Overeaters Anonymous Region 6 Assembly. This event happens each spring and each fall to discuss region business, participate in various committees and a workshop. I’ve been attending this almost since I got abstinent. I love coming here. More hugs per hour than any other day in the year.
It seems like I know more people here than just about anywhere. Lots of recovery in the room but I have to check my judgments at the door. Some people seem as big as they ever have. I tend to notice this. It’s disappointing. It’s not personal to me, but it is disappointing. It’s disappointing they don’t seem to be getting to enjoy the benefits of the physical, spiritual and emotional recovery our program has to offer.
“But Steve, their fat, how do you know they aren’t heeled emotionally and spiritually? ” Is that really possible? I mean really, is it? Setting aside the rare possibility that long term “permanent” excess weight may happen (I think), can a member of OA really be emotionally and spiritually recovered and be significantly over weight? I couldn’t.
Somewhere, darned if I can find it, I’ve said that I’ve come to believe that there are overweight people who are happy. And, if you are overweight and happy, why would you need or want OA? That said, why would someone come to OA to recovery from compulsive eating and really be happy without continuing physical recovery? I don’t know. Maybe they can but it’s not something I can relate to, today.
2 users commented in " Service with a Capital A "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI struggled with that at intergroup, because the service positions require a year of abstinence to serve. This last time I checked my judgment at the door. Everyone’s abstinence is personal.
Plus, I thought about it: I don’t really want to serve on the intergroup board when I get my year of abstinence behind me. So, because those people have the drive to serve at that level, whether or not they’re making weight-loss abstinence seems inconsequential.
But yes, I share the same attitude about my own recovery and abstinence that you do. I want my body to be healthy so I can have the mental clarity to pursue my recovery. Though my food plan is not geared toward fast weight loss, it was built with a healthy end weight in mind. Knowing that I will get there as long as I don’t sleep my day away gives me the serenity to focus on the spiritual work ahead of me.
The pace of weight loss for members who need* to lose weight, is not at issue. This is a program of progress, not perfection. Still progress is important. The rate is not.
I agree that abstinence is a personal choice. It is best not to make it an isolated choice however. Sponsors help us with that. They help us decide what constitutes compulsive eating and hence the boundaries of abstinence.
With regards to who “gets” to do service, I do feel strongly that abstinence is required once you get to a certain range of service position. I believe eating compulsively is really no different than being drunk. Would we want drunk members deciding OA business? I think not.
I hope when you get your year, you’ll be open to serving on the board. It’s good stuff.
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