Ive been thinking a lot lately about gratitude. Though I try to balance things, and am getting better at this, there are days when I tend towards beating up on myself. We have all been there. When I'm feeling this coming on- ok, I'm usually already thick into it before I realize what I'm doing... I make a quick gratitude list. I was very grumpy this morning, then I realized I have 240 days sober (works out to 8 months if you calculate in intervals of 30days, though not actual anniversary). So I go to my nooner meeting, chatting with some people outside I'm all proud of my 8 months. Hahaha- one of the guys I'm talking with was celebrating 46 YEARS of sobriety!! Well, I'm in awe obviously, and he's very cool about it, saying " it's all the same One Day at a Time". Awesome. After the meeting I go about my pretty boring day of errands, still a lingering grumpiness with me. I then realize I have it pretty damn good. I'm Sober:) I went to the grocery store, did laundry.. All this annoying little daily stuff sober. Just 241 days ago I couldn't not be drinking unless I was at work. Id make little 'pit stops' at bars throughout my days just to be able to deal with life. Now, I can deal with life. That's a miracle to me. Truly. Little things like not being the drunk chick at the market at 1 pm- I am grateful for this. And of course grateful for the mental, emotional and spiritual changes I'm experiencing. Really, I've had to relearn how to do everything in life. I am grateful beyond words that I've been given the opportunity to do so. It's a really great day to be sober:)
-- Edited by Col on Friday 11th of January 2013 08:14:39 PM
-- Edited by Col on Friday 11th of January 2013 08:22:29 PM
Congrats Col on 240 days ... that's a 'lifetime' ... if you don't realize that now, you soon will ...
You said:And of course grateful for the mental, emotional and spiritual changes I'm experiencing. Really, I've had to relearn how to do everything in life. I am grateful beyond words that I've been given the opportunity to do so. It's a really great day to be sober:)
this makes me think of part of the 9th step promises:That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
Thank you for you post and sharing your day ... for that, I am grateful ...
Love ya, Pappy
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Thank your so much Col, for sharing your gratitude and hope, and for inspiring much more of the same in me. You are truly a testimony of the statement, "It works."
Keep sharing your truth and your hope. Keep working this program and, one day at a time, you will never have to be that drunk market chick again!
Have a great day in sobriety and thank you for starting my day on such an awesome note.
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"And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone-even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned."
Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 84
An addict is WHAT I am but it does not define all of WHO I am.
Thanks for sharing. My 20 year son has been sober for 2 weeks now. Though I am not an alcoholic I a beginning to understand the struggle and achievement. Took me a long time to get it ..
I've been the drunk guy hitting on the drunk chick in the market. What can I say? I always thought it was serendipity when I'd run into another drunk in a strange place at an unusual time :)
Hahaha.. That was You?! How annoying! It's really irritating to be trying to 'act sober' and have some drunk guy call you out lol! Man, we BOTH have something to be grateful for today:)
