In our Year of Abstinence, we want to be sure we examine everything that contributes to our ongoing, one-day-at-a-time recovery. The OA 12 & 12 tells us that the Twelve Traditions show us how to safeguard OA so that it will be here for us always, helping us get and stay abstinent. They connect directly to our personal recoveries by helping us keep our meetings focused on what’s most important. Which leads us to this month’s Tradition:

5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the compulsive eater who still suffers.

How does this relate to one person’s personal recovery?

When I arrived at OA, Tradition Five ensured that whatever room I walked into, I would hear the solution we have to offer and, if I chose, I could start turning my life around right away.

As I’ve gained experience in OA, Tradition Five has connected directly to working with others. The Twelfth Step tells us that “having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters….” Now Tradition Five tells us that a meeting’s primary purpose is also to carry the message. The connection with my personal recovery is direct and clear. I need to “pass it on” to stay sane and happy, and the Fifth Tradition ensures that our meetings remain a place to do so.

As the OA 12 & 12 says, “we who have found a sane way of eating and living have a responsibility to make sure OA doesn’t become sidetracked…OA will always offer recovery to those suffering from our disease as long as we remember that this is our primary purpose.”

This post represents one member’s experience and not necessarily the opinion of OA or Seacoast Intergroup.