Each holiday season I am abstinent is sacred for me.  When I used to focus on the food, Food, FOOD, I never had time to really connect with my family and friends.  Since OA and an abstinent way of life, I have much more time to devote to making connections that enrich my life in a deeper way. Even family who may like to "talk about others" gives me a chance to let them know how much I appreciate them and move conversation into a healthier topic.  Lessons I've learned in program about listening instead of being so ready to give advice (or my opinion) have supported my effort to have deeper friendships...even within my family. 
 
I usually try to book-end (call an OA buddy before and after) holidays events so I have a quick connection to remind me why an abstinent way of life is so important every day of the year.
 
So as you head into the holiday season I encourage you to focus on the people at the event and listen to them as they speak from the heart.  It will warm their heart as well as your own.
 
In OA Service,
Sue B. - Region 1
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​ASK IT:    I'm a little confused. You say that OA is not a religious organization, but when I read your 12 steps, it sure sounds like you are. I could use some help with my overeating, but I just can't do the religious thing. Do you have any ideas for me?  I have known people that go to rehab and then come out acting like god just saved their lives. I can not do that to myself. I don't need god to save me, I should be able to do it myself. I do need help, but I do not want to have religion to be a part of it. 
 
ANSWER:     I can certainly understand your confusion.  When I first came to OA I bristled at the word God, especially when I heard people refer to anything more specific. But I also felt that I really was a compulsive overeater, these people seemed to have an answer and nobody tried to get me to go to any church.   Then I realized that the Steps said things like "Power greater than ourselves."  Well that was ok.  And they said "God as we understood Him."  I did not like the "Him" part, but it really did not tell me what I had to believe.
      
So I started to think about what it really was that I did believe and I knew that there was power or spirit at the beach and in the mountains that I felt close to when I was near those places.  I found that no one tried to make me believe anything; they really only talked about their experience and that felt just fine.  Once in awhile there are some people who do try to push their religious beliefs onto others in OA, but most of the time they do not.  I know that sometimes when I tried to explain some of my "nature" ideas to others who were Christians they got kind of uncomfortable around me.
      
To me, a religious program is something that sets forth a specific set of beliefs and there is nowhere in OA that does that.  OA has some practices which are similar to some religious practices.  But therapy might be like that, too.  But nowhere does OA try to make me believe anything specific about God.  I personally know Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and believers in the power of the universe who work a 12 Step program.  So by my definition, OA is spiritual rather than religious. I have a much closer connection with God of my understanding today than when I first came into OA.
 
My main suggestion to you would be to give it a try--what do you have to lose?  I know that no one could convert you to anything you don't want to believe, so it should not hurt you to go and see if it makes sense for you. More than anything I hope that you can find a way to have peace with your food and your weight.
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Margie - Region 1

Anonymity has two separate meanings in Overeaters Anonymous.

• First, protecting those in OA from being known as OA members at the public level.
• Second, it has the spiritual meaning of remembering that we are all the same in OA – no one has greater worth than others.

Today I wish to talk about anonymity at the level of public media or social media such as Facebook.  On the Region One webpage when Board members write an opinion piece called a blog, I can post that blog without including their last name or email address.  I can also post that same blog on Facebook, as the administrator to the Region One page.  When people respond to the blog on the Region One website, they can put their first name and last initial, or a fake name if they want to do so. They do have to include their email address, but it does not get published. Therefore, they remain anonymous. 

However, when anyone posts a comment in response to a posting on the Facebook page, Facebook does not allow the person posting the comment to remain anonymous.  They include the person’s first and last name and, as in my case, my maiden name – since that’s the way I signed up for Facebook. 

Because Facebook’s whole purpose is to connect people with each other by name and they do not allow comments or even “likes” without full names, Region One has an obligation to protect members' anonymity.  That is the reason Region 1 will not allow any responses to Blog posts or events which are on the Region 1 Facebook page.

If you have a comment about a blog post, I encourage you to visit the www.oaregion1.org website.    Check out the whole website and the blog postings are on the Board Blog page.
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Margie G. - Region 1