Message from Region Chair

Thank you for electing me to be your Region 6 Chair for the next two years. I will absolutely do my best to continue to facilitate Region 6 as a place of strong recovery.

“ The only relief we have to suggest is entire abstinence”, from the Big Book.

For me, its Higher Power first, recovery second and everything else after that. I live by that mantra, code, motto or whatever you’d like to call it. When life is easy, it’s very painless to abstain from poor choices, poor food behaviors and other outside less than desirable behaviors. When life is challenging, busy, difficult, demanding, confusing, and unmanageable, I have to redouble my efforts.

I have been homebound for the past several months. I have had to depend on others for help with very basic needs. In OA, I have learned to ask for help. That it’s ok to ask for help. I have been humbled by the help I was given by my fellows in recovery. I received countless calls and rides to meetings. I live in an area where there are five meetings within a two mile radius of my home. I am fortunate. However, there were days when I could not go out. I went to phone meetings. These were another tremendous source of recovery for me. I am now feeling better and can hold up my head high knowing that I did not engage in any harmful or hurtful behaviors. For this I am proud.

It has been a time of self-reflection. I couldn’t do much more than that at times. I realized that a food plan without working the steps, tools and traditions is just a diet. Conversely, I would not have been satisfied or accepting of working recovery without a food plan. Fat serenity would not have been honest for me.

It was not all bad. I am going to have a new name soon. It will be Grandma. I can not express the pure joy I am experiencing knowing this. The relationship I have with my Son and Daughter-in-law is so marvelous. They are sharing their “expectant” time with me. My family of origin was not like this. I did not have a good relationship with my mother. Through recovery, I have learned how to be a better mother and mother-in-law. I don’t offer opinions unless asked for them. How’s that for growth!

In two weeks, I will be celebrating my 13th Abstinent Anniversary in Overeaters Anonymous. With all my heart and soul, I thank each and every one of you for sharing your recovery with me. You have taught me through example that anything is possible and can be gotten through. You have shown me how to smile when I didn’t feel like smiling. You have wiped my tears when I’ve fallen ( and I mean that literally). You have allowed me to share my vulnerabilities and accepted me anyway.

I have learned that bad times don’t last forever. Thank you again for everything. I have become a “lady “ in recovery.

Yours in Service,

Debbie H.