The Twelfth Tradition says that anonymity is our spiritual foundation. I attempt to practice this attitude of self-sacrifice in all my relationships-both inside and outside of OA's rooms. At meetings I ask God,"What do you want me to contribute?" rather than, "What's in it for me?" I pray that giving rather than getting motivates my actions. Anonymity asks me to become selfless rather than selfish, to welcome others, to give up my dependency on power structures and personal ambition and not to promote outside issues. And it asks me to give up my aspirations to status for my weight loss or for service I perform as an OA member. Here, I learn to listen - even to those I dislike - because their sharing holds the key to my recovery. Any outside status because of money, intelligence or accomplishments isn't important here. I am your equal because this disease reduced us both to powerlessness and helplessness over food. I am learning to take my own inventory, not yours - unless your defect is really mine. In OA, I am growing responsible for all my actions. I'm growing up.