Spiritual Principle: Integrity

Step 5: Seeing My Part

When I arrived in OA, I was full of anger, resentment, blame, guilt, and a lot of other negative emotions. When someone did a “wrong” to me, it was his or her fault and never mine. Everything that happened to me was not my fault.

Life wasn’t good to me; I was always the innocent person being hurt. When I found out that in Step Five I had to look at my part in the pattern, I was confused. I wasn’t responsible for people treating me badly and doing the wrong thing; I had no part in what they did to me.

My sponsor helped me work that Fifth Step. I looked carefully and saw selfishness, self-centeredness, dishonesty, and other character defects. At the end of my work, I felt so much lighter and freer. As the promises state: “We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 83).

Afterward at meetings, I kept sharing about how much that Step meant to me. It taught me so much about myself. I had been blind to my defects. Through this process I learned to accept and love myself for who I am, not a bad person but a very sick person recovering in this program.

Step Five has helped me find natural happiness—I used to rely on others to make me happy and felt resentful if they did not fulfill my expectations. Now I have a great big smile on my face and just want to bounce all the time like a bubbly cartoon character.

Now when I feel angry or resentful at a person or situation, I sit down and ask myself what my part is. I have a very honest HP who never fails to let me know. Then I can make amends if I need to. If I have trouble letting go, I turn to page 417 of the Big Book and read about acceptance. Until I accept everything as it is and not how I want it to be, I have to keep praying to my HP for acceptance. I can’t change anyone except myself.

I have worked all Twelve Steps now, and I still maintain that Step Five was the best Step I ever worked. It was a real eye-opener to the true me. It also gave me freedom, peace, and serenity. I can let go of the past and live in each minute of the day, enjoying life to the fullest.

— Julie B., Adelaide, South Australia Australia

Source: lifeline.org

Source: Beyond Our Wildest Dreams: A History of Overeaters Anonymous as Seen by the Founder

Ocean and Bay Seeking Treasurer

Ocean and Bay Intergroup is currently looking for an OA member to fill the position of Treasurer. Our thanks to Sema who has served as treasurer for Ocean and Bay for the last year. She is stepping down soon and we are grateful for her service. If you are interested in serving as treasurer, please contact Nancy at chair@oceanandbay.org or call/text 401-447-6467.

OA HUMOR

A friend was supposed to meet me at an OA meeting, but her car broke down en route. She sent me a message later that night that read, “By the time AAA came it was too late and I wanted to get home with my doughnut.” I had to read the word doughnut three times before I realized the “doughnut” she was referring to was the spare tire the mechanic put on her car! (Boy, do I have the mind of a compulsive overeater, or what?!?!)

Kara M.

Happy 26th Anniversary to A Room With a View

We can’t show people, but these colorful decorations represent pretty accurately the joy experienced at A Room With a View’s 26th anniversary celebration on Saturday, April 22nd. A special thanks to Leslie and Pat, our speakers, Sandy, Beth and Alyssa for our beautiful handmade decorations, and Michelle and Mike for providing music, and everyone who came to make this a fabulous event.

All are welcome in OA. When we say or hear that only one piece of literature is the way to work the Steps, the way to carry the message, the way to find recovery, OA stops being accepting, inclusive—welcoming.

Read and share Embracing Our Differences, a timely reminder that OA is a Fellowship of unity and diversity, and recommit to embracing all who want to stop eating compulsively.

Now Ocean and Bay is on Facebook

If you're a member of Facebook, please consider dropping by our Facebook page and giving us a "like." The more likes we get, the more people will see us. That means more chances to help the still sick and suffering compulsive overeaters out there.

You can find us at: https://www.facebook.com/oceanandbay

Click here for Updated Ocean & Bay Meeting List

Now Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Southeastern Connecticut OA fits into your pocket

We have a new website! It takes a lot of time to do this; thank you to all involved for your service and look forward to sharing the new look farther down the road. The meetings are much easier to access from a cell phone as well.

Give it a try: https://oceanandbay.org/

Click here for a list of OA events

Ocean and Bay Intergroup Mtg

June 6, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Zoom Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 831 1095 1408

Passcode: 247365

OA PROMISE

I put my hand in yours, and together we can do what we could never do alone. No longer is there a sense of hopelessness, no longer must we each depend upon our own unsteady willpower. We are all together now, reaching out our hands for power and strength greater than ours, and as we join hands, we find love and understanding beyond our wildest dreams.

Intergroup Board

All Intergroup Board Members:

ig@oceanandbay.org

Chairperson:

Nancy H. chair@oceanandbay.org

Vice Chair:

Kara M.

vice-chair@oceanandbay.org

Treasurer:

Sema P.

treasurer@oceanandbay.org

Recording Secretary:

Diane C.

secretary@oceanandbay.org

Social Media:

Michelle H.

socialmedia@oceanandbay.org

Questions:

Amber

questions@oceanandbay.org

Workshops:

Eileen S.

workshops@oceanandbay.org

Region 6 Delegates:

Diane C - secretary @oceanandbay.org

Kara M. - vice-chair @oceanandbay.org

Nancy H. - chair@oceanandbay.org

Newsletter Editor:

Mike M.

newsletter@oceanandbay.org

Webteam: webteam@oceanandbay.org

Literature:

Susanna

literature@oceanandbay.org

Meetings Coordinator: meetings@oceanandbay.org

Twelfth Tradition

"Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities..."

We appreciate your contributions which help support spreading the message of recovery.

Please mail donations to:

Ocean and Bay Intergroup

Attn: Treasurer

PO Box 2243, East Greenwich, RI 02818

Note: Make checks payable to Ocean and Bay Intergroup

Donate via Paypal

Donate to our Venmo account:

@OceanandBayIntergroup

SPECIAL FOCUS MEETINGS

You are welcome at any OA meeting, and we hope you’ll try many of the meetings on our Connecticut Intergroup and oa.org meeting lists! Some of our members find they also benefit from OA meetings with members who share similar experiences, so we are sharing this list of some of the special focus resources that are available in OA.

100 Pounders: Click Here

American Sign Language & Closed Caption – This meeting offers ASL interpretation Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. Eastern: ASL Tues 8pm

Anorexics and Bulimics in OA – special focus meetings: Anorexics/Bulimics in OA

Asian-Pacific Islander OA Click Here

Atheist, Agnostics, Secular - special focus meetings: Click Here

Bariatric Surgery - Click Here

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous & People of Color) – special focus meetings: BIPOC Intergroup

Health Issues - Click Here

LGBTQ special focus meetings for OA: bit.ly/ckslist and Click Here

OAMen.org is dedicated to distributing information about meetings, resources, and support for men in OA: Men in OA

Young People in OA – resources for those under 30 who suffer from compulsive eating include Meetings for young persons and https://oa.org/young-people/

For more special focus meetings, you can go to OA.org:

go to Find a Meeting
select a type of meeting (face-to-face, online, telephone, or non-real-time)
click on "additional search options" and select the desired special focus

Stay Connected

Region 6

OA World Service

Ocean & Bay Intergroup

Central Mass Intergroup

Coastal Maine and Southern Maine Intergroups

Connecticut Intergroup

Mass Bay Intergroup

Metro West Intergroup

New Hampshire Intergroup

North Shore Intergroup

Seacoast Intergroup

South Coastal Mass Intergroup

Green Mountain North Intergroup

Western Mass Intergroup

Mission & Vision Ocean & Bay Intergroup is dedicated to supporting individuals in need of recovery from compulsive eating (e.g.: overeating, bulimia, anorexia) through carrying the OA message and empowering all meetings within the Intergroup.

Strategic Goals

1. Help members strengthen their personal recovery

2. Increase the number of sponsors

3. Increase the number of newcomers

4. Increase the retention of newcomers

5. Help those in relapse

6. Inspire people to give more service

7. Increase outreach activities, including outreach to members and healthcare professionals

Please note that every effort has been made to adhere to OA's policy for newsletter publications. Opinions and experiences expressed within are those of the individual writer and not OA as a whole.

SUBMISSIONS: This is your newsletter! We welcome your contributions of news items or commentary.* Deadline: 1st of each month. Example: Deadline 6/1 for June newsletter.

Please email : newsletter@oceanandbay.org

You are also invited to be one of the members who provides answers for a Q&A.

Again, just send us a note to: newsletter@oceanandbay.org

*May be edited as space allows.

Ocean and Bay Intergroup

PO Box 2243, East Greenwich, RI 02818

Note: Make checks payable to Ocean and Bay Intergroup