I am not sure how to begin this page, but I have been in OA for 3 and a half years now but not actively going to meetings for many months. Part of that was due in Large part to my personal life tragedy, my husband left me for another woman a little over a year ago now. Being addicted to food because of family teaching, physical health issues, stress, boredom, hurts, self-esteem issues, and many more I don't know if I have even touched on in my own recovery has not been a help during this time. I had some small amount of recovery, but I could barely function during this massive life upheaval and in the course of facing my heartbreak and the emptiness that follows I have grown incredibly closer to God and still have not returned to the nightmare state I was in when I first walked into the Beach Cities Friday night meeting.

I miss the meetings, but I have been going to school and working and really trying to do to many things. I am tired and really long to go to meetings again. This road of recovery sometimes slows down when tragedy like divorce occurs. It was important for me to focus on continuing to live, which was more difficult than I had thought it would be during this time. I have grown, which mainly means that I have been in a lot of pain, growing and changing requires a lot of pain sometimes. I can say that I am on the upswing although throughout the Holidays it has not been easy. My food issues have not really changed and I have eaten a lot of food I have no control over once I take that initial bite. But I am not hopeless or discouraged, because I often repeat the Serenity Prayer and keep reminding myself it is "One day at a time" and I keep remembering the principles taught to me in OA. My family does not support my efforts in OA nor do they understand, but I would not be where I am if it were not for the few years I had in OA prior to this life altering nightmare that happened at the end of August, 2006.

I want to thank you, all of you out there who were there for me and who gave me understanding when I just couldn't keep the responsibilities I had signed on for. I was a mess, could barely get out of bed to go to work and soon realized I wasn't capable of keeping all these responsibilities at that time. I couldn't have made it without you and I learned enough before to help get me through till now. I feel I am finally able to begin again and work on getting through this food addiction which unfortunately has not disappeared for me yet. Discovering new and more effective ways to deal with life, finding joy in the small things, and growing closer to God is my New Years Resolution.

I would like this to be a forum for thoughts and recovery. I welcome all who want to share there struggles to do so, we all need each other.

Matthew 6: 34

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.