Tuesday, September 14, 2010

FMPWF (curious?)

I'm very happy to report that I got a lovely award today from Deb at Deb Will Be Free.  I could almost quote Deb's response to her own receiving of this award.  She noted that while it's nice to get one that is for being positive, happy or funny, it is great to have someone think my blog has substance, or in Deb's words "never fail to be truer and go deeper".  I really appreciate this, because though I tend to be snarky and cynical at times, I also strive to be thoughtful and share truths from the resources in my life that give me wisdom, guidance, strength and hope. 

Sometimes those resources are other bloggers - oft times, actually.  Other sources include friends, age (being a baby boomer has it's bennies) and life experience. But anyone who has read my blog more than a couple of times knows that my greatest source of spiritual truth, wisdom and hope, besides my "Higher Power" whom I chose to call God (in an entirely non-religious or traditional Judeo-Christian sense) is the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.  I've been in this blog endeavor over a year now and have had the great fortune and pleasure of reading countless inspiring, mind-blowing, amazing, hilarious, serious and endlessly entertaining blogs in the process.  And in so-doing, I've come to realize that if anything sets mine apart, it's my frequent focus on and quoting of stuff from AA.  I've wondered at times if people get tired of that, but since I'm the boss of my blog and AA informs every single area of my life, behavior, beliefs, and certainty that anyone and everyone can CHANGE if they want to...it would be hard for me to be an honest blogger if I left it out.

A huge principal of AA is the anonymity part.  In the program it's suggested that we don't share our status as recovering alcoholics outside of the program UNLESS IT"S TO HELP ANOTHER.  Another alcoholic, obviously, but everyday I hear people say (and think myself) that it's hard to imagine how people live without the wisdom, truth, acceptance and blueprint for living that can be found in the fellowship.  We actually feel lucky to be alcoholics, so that we had a reason to enter into this organization that offers so much hope, help and guidance for getting and staying sober first and foremost; but also for just about anything life tosses up to us.  It's unlikely I'll meet any of you in person anytime soon, with the exception of Atlanta gals Tammy and Tina, so I've carved myself some wiggle room regarding anonymity in my blog.  I don't think I'm violating AA traditions by sharing some of the great stuff I hear and learn there.  How's that for sound justification?!

Anyway - if my blog truly is one of substance, I attribute it to my inclusion of so much of my experience, strength and hope from the fellowship.  I know that the Steps and basic principles of the program can help with overcoming all manner of addictive tendencies, self delusion, rationalizing, and repeated "failure" or lack of success.  I have not yet found the recovery from food addiction that I've found from booze, but I know I'm on my way, getting better, and will find genuine healing and peace via this life journey.  Food is a different animal than alcohol, but truth is truth.  There are universal glitches regarding using anything outside of spiritual awakening and grounding to fill "the holes in our souls", and so it's my hope that something I say on any given day may help someone else, even if it hasn't yet gotten through to this blogger!

So I love being given an award for having a "Blog of Substance", and am going to be so shameless as to agree!  I have blog self esteem - isn't that great?  I've certainly struggled with self esteem for much of my life, but living into each day, one at a time, has given me a more accurate appraisal of who I am and what I'm about.  Not too shabby an outcome of a life.

The rules of this award are to summarize your blog's philosophy, motivation and experience in 5 words.  I've just done it in a zillion, so let's see if I can distill all this blathering down to cinq mots...
                 Finally Making Peace With Food  (fmpwf)!
Then I'm supposed to give the award to 10 others.  Yikes - probably every great blogger I read has received this, and if I name you and you want to ignore it - no apologies necessary.  But besides gloating over my blog, it's great to acknowledge others I like:
Eat When Hungry
From Fat To Fab
Doing a 180
Jack Sh*t
Escape From Obesity
Gravel and Rust
Waisting Time
Log My Loss
Fat Girl Dives In
I know this only 9, but the others I went and checked have already received it.  All these don't focus solely on weight loss but also on life and some of the difficulties and victories encountered over the long haul. 

Hoping to do about 4 miles via foot this afternoon, and to keep the day clean of unmentionables...like cookies, chips, and other assorted crapola.  Hope the same for all my blog buds!

12 comments:

  1. You DO have a blog of substance Leslie simply because you are uniquely you. I personally love the little tidbits you share from AA as they tend to apply to so many things. (Which is probably why so many other programs are based on the very same outline as AA!) Thank you for thinking my blog has substance, I am humbled.

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  2. Yours certainly is a blog of substance. Thank you for the nod.

    I appreciate your sharing of all your experience, strength and hope. It's always good stuff.

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  3. Oh, and thank you for the nod. I do appreciate it.

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  4. I have to say that you have written the most amazing blog award acceptance speech I have ever read! It really touched me. You do indeed have a blog of substance, and that is because of the authentic you who shines through in every post you write. You are open and honest and inspiring. Yes, your AA bent sets your blog apart. That, I think, is a good thing. It's nice to be unique and remembered, isn't it? What I love is that you use that here to explain or advance what you are talking about and make great analogies to the weight stuff that really can help so many of us. I think you are amazing and your blog reflects that! Hugs.

    And, thank you very much for passing the award on to me. I do have this one but I am going to mention it again in an upcoming post (probably next week)as I catch up on a bunch of awards that I have not yet acted on. I love what each award stands for - and think we are alike in that way:)

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  5. Hi Leslie,
    I just found your blog and love it. I will read more when time permits, but you are very inspiring. I just wanted to wish you all the best on your journey to overcome food addition.
    Wishing you peace,
    cheers,
    Mon

    PS And many congrats on your blog award also - I think you deserve it.

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  6. I echo what has already been said, yes indeed this is a blog of substance. I enjoy the way you share your AA experience and how it applies to those of us with eating disorders. I have learned so much from you and I thank you for your honesty and always writing from your heart!

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  7. Love your blog self esteem! Also love this line (and I completely agree with you:I've been in this blog endeavor over a year now and have had the great fortune and pleasure of reading countless inspiring, mind-blowing, amazing, hilarious, serious and endlessly entertaining blogs in the process.

    Congratulations on the award!

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  8. :D What a lovely acceptance speech! :D I was pretty serious about the blogs I chose for this particular award. chuckle. I guess that's not surprising since rumor has it that I can be pretty intense and serious at times. hah. Don't know what they're talking about...

    :D I'm going to check out your nominees.

    Deb

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  9. I couldn't agree more with the others, what a great acceptance speech! :-) I am also honored to see you gave this to me as well. I'll try to post something on it tonight. Five words will be hard though.

    Not being a recovering alcoholic, I cannot speak with utmost certainty, but I suspect what you are illuding to is absolutely right. The parallels between alcoholism and overeating are strong.

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  10. Thanks for the award!!!!!!! I'm so busy right this sec....I PROMISE I'll come back and read the whole post in just a bit! :)

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  11. Hey Leslie, I read this the other day but things were a little crazy with Yom Kippur coming and I didn't get to comment.

    This is a great post. It's our understanding in OA that if we're not anonymous in the public arena then we are to leave OA anonymous; however if I were to blog with only my first name, I could name my fellowship program. I have often wondered at all the celebrities who mention AA freely and without any restraint despite the Tradition. Could it be because it's for the benefit of others?

    Thanks for this post. Your blog means a lot to me, as, yes, a blog of substance, because you relate your experiences in AA and because there's a spiritual component to your blog and, perhaps, a spiritual answer?

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  12. I am way late in thanking you for this! Thank you! I have been reading your newer posts and totally spaced off that you had an award for me.

    You are awesome, one of my very favorite blogs, and I know we are both going to reach our goals!

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