Chapter Two
There is a Solution
ASSIGNMENT:
Read "There is a Solution"
Respond To Questions About This Reading
Text of "There is a Solution"
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"…but everybody hopefully awaits the day when the sufferer will rouse himself from his lethargy and assert his power of will…The tragic truth is that if the man be a real alcoholic, the happy day may not arrive…"
"…the ex-problem drinker who has found this solution, who is properly armed with facts about himself, can generally win the entire confidence of another alcoholic in a few hours. Until such an understanding is reached, little or nothing can be accomplished."
"You may already have asked yourself why it is that all of us became so
very ill from drinking….If you are an alcoholic who wants to get over it, you may already be asking - 'What do I have to do?'"
"The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward live, toward our fellows and toward God's universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves."
"Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language and
from his own point o view the way he established his relationship with God."
....The Big Book
Hi everyone. My name is Lee, and I'm a COE. I am the Big Book Study Leader for the month of April.
This week we are reading Chapter 2 from the Big Book, "There is a Solution." I read this chapter and those works became a mantra in my head, "There is a solution. There is a solution. There is a solution." No matter where we are on our individual paths, the fact that we are participating in this program means that we are ALL in the solution.
Coming from a psychologically oriented family that loved to dissect and analyze the "why's" of human behavior, it is so refreshing for me to read, "Perhaps there will never be a full answer to these questions" (page 22) We all have stories to tell. We all have our "why's," and there are similarities in all of our stories. The similarities are important because they help us to recognize ourselves in someone else's story, which helps to break our denial. The most glaring similarity is the insanity of our disease.
But…why is in the past. This program teaches us to live in the moment. The solution is in the present, not in the past.
The Fifth Tradition States, "Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message tot he alcoholic who still suffers." The message in this chapter is we do not have to suffer. One most only follow certain steps and guidelines to the best of his/her ability.
I had a thought this morning when having brunch with my in-laws and talking about all the wars and battles that are a result of religious differences. For the more politically astute, this will sound extremely simplistic, but my thought was, "Imagine if everyone in the world were in a 12-step program? These wars would not exist." This chapter tells us that, though it is important that we find a spiritual solution, how we get there individually is not the issue. We are all united for our one common cause.
The most amazing thing to me about this disease is that the solution (spirituality) is such a tremendous gift - and ironically, I would NEVER have pursued this path if I had ANY other option. We rise from the depths of despair to an exalted state of being (well, at least some of the time). As they say in this chapter, "…we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution" (page 25).
So the key to this chapter is giving numerous examples to break through our denial so that we will see that we have the same problem and, therefore, the same solution.
I heard it said well in a meeting a few weeks ago. The woman said, "I'm just so grateful that I know who I am." This disease is different from others in that we MUST self-diagnose before we can find an effective treatment.
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THE QUESTIONS
1. How did you find out about OA?
2. What other "solutions" have you tried to stop eating compulsively?
3. Do you have hope that some day you will be able to eat like a normal person? If so, how do you deal with those feelings today?
4. Do you believe that compulsive overeating is a disease? If so, can you see a positive side to it?
It is the sharing of our collective experience, strength, hope and wisdom inspired by our reading of this Big Book together that will make a difference in our recovery. *It would be helpful to you as you read along to substitute the word food for alcohol and compulsive eater for alcoholic. I hope all of you will join us on our journey through the Big Book.
Thank you all for being part of this group!
Love in recovery,
Lee
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