For Today: May 30th

All is change, all yields its place and goes.

Euripides

The date may be the same, even the place and some of the people. But I have changed. I am not the person I was before I came to OA. Today I have a way to live and a program to follow that keeps me abstinent and sane, as long as I am willing to follow it.

Whether it’s a picnic or company for dinner, today I do not let myself feel rushed. I move slowly, with deliberation and a sense of purpose. A special day is a day to enjoy the people around me, the beauty of nature. I once found momentary pleasure in excess food, but the pleasure of abstinence will last far beyond this day and all its happenings.

For Today: The celebrations of this day will be over at midnight, and tomorrow I will wake up glad to be alive and abstinent.

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When I decided to lose weight permanently, I understood the need to give up the momentary pleasure of instant gratification that came along with eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to.

Instant gratification is so elusive a thing…..it’s like drinking salt water. The more I drink, the thirstier I get.  What started out as a few extra cookies turned into a nightmare of excess that never satisfied me no matter how much I ate. And I ate a lot. Each binge got bigger and bigger…

Having a Food Plan to follow has been my salvation! It is SO comforting to me to have a plan in place that allows me to eat a moderate amount of food AND to feel good & to stay slim!

Slowing down & allowing myself to savor the moment has been a very eye-opening experience for me as well. I was always operating in high-gear; running, doing, fixing, moving.....I wasn't able to sit still to enjoy the moment quietly. The Steps of OA have taught me the importance of living quietly, moderately, and in the moment, for today & today only.

For today, I am grateful for the ability to recognize the beauty around me.

For today, I am grateful to no longer be running away from life, but running toward it.