(Photo credit: Lettuce Head by Donna Eaton - I'm just hanging out with lettuce head!)"GRATEFUL"
I attended an Al-Anon meeting today. It is a discussion meeting based on an Al-Anon book "Opening our Hearts Transforming our Losses". The girl who led the meeting celebrated 6 years in the program today and she chose the topic "GRATITUDE", from pages 170 - 172.
This is an excerpt (p. 171) from the reading:
"How do we practice gratitude? Some members have found it helpful to write a gratitude list on a regular basis. Others have developed a daily practice of saying thank you for small things, even for difficult moments and what they have to teach us. We learn to trust that we are exactly where we are supposed to be at this very moment. Pain and joy often coexist side by side. Gratitude is not about ignoring life's problems and difficulties. Rather, it's about recognizing that life isn't all or nothing."
For me:
I am grateful that when I am sad or feel grief, I don't have to run from those feelings. I can move through them and I have the tools of the program to help me do this.
I am grateful for the tools of Alcoholics Anonymous and of Al-Anon and my ability to use them. I use prayers - the serenity prayer and calling out to God for help as well as the phone to call my sponsor and other program friends. I can use the steps to remember my powerlessness, to turn my will and my life over to the care of God, or to make amends. I can utilize the slogans and "Let Go and Let God", put "First Things First", remember that "There but for the Grace of God Go I", and I can "Keep it Simple".
I am grateful that I have learned how to calm myself, to find serenity and peace of mind in the middle of upset.
I am so grateful that I can enter an AA or Al-Anon meeting and find myself in the midst of friends, be they people I know or total strangers, and find myself speaking a common language with them.
I am grateful that in AA and Al-Anon meetings I feel safe and have developed a sense of trust.
I am grateful for the journey God has led me on so far and I trust His future guidance.
I am grateful for my recovery and the spiritual connection it has created.
I am grateful that God is holding me and those I love in His hands.
I am grateful for the power of prayer.
Prayer Girl
I am grateful that when I am sad or feel grief, I don't have to run from those feelings. I can move through them and I have the tools of the program to help me do this.
I am grateful for the tools of Alcoholics Anonymous and of Al-Anon and my ability to use them. I use prayers - the serenity prayer and calling out to God for help as well as the phone to call my sponsor and other program friends. I can use the steps to remember my powerlessness, to turn my will and my life over to the care of God, or to make amends. I can utilize the slogans and "Let Go and Let God", put "First Things First", remember that "There but for the Grace of God Go I", and I can "Keep it Simple".
I am grateful that I have learned how to calm myself, to find serenity and peace of mind in the middle of upset.
I am so grateful that I can enter an AA or Al-Anon meeting and find myself in the midst of friends, be they people I know or total strangers, and find myself speaking a common language with them.
I am grateful that in AA and Al-Anon meetings I feel safe and have developed a sense of trust.
I am grateful for the journey God has led me on so far and I trust His future guidance.
I am grateful for my recovery and the spiritual connection it has created.
I am grateful that God is holding me and those I love in His hands.
I am grateful for the power of prayer.
Prayer Girl
7 comments:
I am grateful I stopped by to read some, I was having a using dream then woke up. I am feeling a lot better now, thanks for your gratitude list, I was needing it.
GRATITUDE! Now THERE'S a good topic. In meetings, I usually hear a groan or two when the chair proposes Gratitude as a subject for discussion!
Don't know WHY the groans. Sounds good to ME!
Like you, I found serenity through God and an Al-Anon meeting. Al-Anon and Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) meetings gave me a relationship with the God of my understanding. I often tell people that ACA meetings saved my marriage and Al-Anon saved my life. Those meetings were the first place that I started to talk about my childhood incest issues and I connected with all of my feelings.
I love doing gratitude journals. They help me to see the positive things in my life instead of focusing on just the negative obstacles. Being grateful is a great way to start and end a day.
Awww Prayer Girl, where did you find that picture of me??? Only kidding! Love it! I love also your grateful list, especially not having to run anymore when feelings come into your life! I am sure that is so very wonderful!!! Blessings!
i believe you understand grateful very well...
That book is a good one. Great gratitude list here today. Thanks for it.
This is another beautiful post. So refreshing and thoughtful. Hugs to you. I missed you. I am grateful to be back and to find greetings from friends whom I love to associate myself with. I had no idea back when I started to write my story that I would have such love and support and gratitude for the people who have reached out to me. Thanks prayer girl. Hugs to you from your friend, ♥, mile.
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