Recovery Is in the Principles

Tradition Five reminds us that our recovery doesn’t come from simply discussing our problems with each other. It is in the OA message—in our Steps and Traditions—that we find solutions to our problems. Living by these Principles has saved our lives.Honesty, hope, faith, courage, integrity, willingness, humility, self-discipline, love, perseverance, spiritual awareness, service... ~ Overeaters Anonymous. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition. Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Kindle Edition.

We recover not as a club,
an interest group, a gathering
of like-minded travelers,
not even as folk with a problem
in common. No, we come
for we share the answer,
the solution to the great challenge
in each of our lives.
And we share twenty-four
principles, the embodiment
of the way out. Twelve Steps
describe the way out, each
embedded in a principle.
Steps One, Two, and Three,
"I can't, God can, I'll let Him"
represent honesty, faith and hope.
Inventory and sharing truths
reside in courage and integrity.
Willingness and humility
lead us through becoming willing
to release character defects
and asking they be taken.
Self-discipline and love
bring us through amends
then perseverance, spiritual awareness
and service set patterns for life after addiction.