“Hope” is the thing with feathers --
That perches in the soul --
And sings the tune without the words --
And never stops -- at all --
Emily Dickinson, as quoted in For Today, page 106.
The Spiritual Principle of Step 2 is HOPE. "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, hope is “a desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment." Or as a verb it is “to desire with expectation of obtainment.”
I attended meetings of another fellowship before I came into OA, and one thing I really learned in that fellowship was that this program works. I was given “hope.” Thus, when I came into OA I was prepared to stay here until I got it. It took me almost eight years to become consistently abstinent, but I never considered leaving OA.
The definition of hope is interesting to me because it includes the expectation of fulfillment. Not only does someone want something but hope includes the expectation of obtaining whatever is hoped for.
I have heard that people will do lots of things if they have hope, but if they don’t have hope that things will get better many people will despair.
I am grateful that I tend to be optimistic in my general outlook, and I do have hope that things will get better if I work this Twelve Step program. That is my experience--if I am willing to do the work I will receive the benefits. It is a simple program but it is NOT easy and there is much emotional pain while I become better at turning away from the food to other tools for living.
Margie G. - Region One
That perches in the soul --
And sings the tune without the words --
And never stops -- at all --
Emily Dickinson, as quoted in For Today, page 106.
The Spiritual Principle of Step 2 is HOPE. "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, hope is “a desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment." Or as a verb it is “to desire with expectation of obtainment.”
I attended meetings of another fellowship before I came into OA, and one thing I really learned in that fellowship was that this program works. I was given “hope.” Thus, when I came into OA I was prepared to stay here until I got it. It took me almost eight years to become consistently abstinent, but I never considered leaving OA.
The definition of hope is interesting to me because it includes the expectation of fulfillment. Not only does someone want something but hope includes the expectation of obtaining whatever is hoped for.
I have heard that people will do lots of things if they have hope, but if they don’t have hope that things will get better many people will despair.
I am grateful that I tend to be optimistic in my general outlook, and I do have hope that things will get better if I work this Twelve Step program. That is my experience--if I am willing to do the work I will receive the benefits. It is a simple program but it is NOT easy and there is much emotional pain while I become better at turning away from the food to other tools for living.
Margie G. - Region One