I read an article in a major publication the other day about the psychological benefits of gratitude and had the question pop into my head, When did gratitude lists become a thing in AA? Were they from the early decadesor did they come from the treatment centers?
I've never kept lists, but I have come to enjoy gratitude as a meeting topic.
Glad to see there is research to back it up, wherever it came from.
First of all, Welcome to MIP Arnold ... ... ... glad you found us ...
It's late here and I'm about to retire for the night, so I'm work'n with a tired brain here ... as I worked the steps years ago, gratitude was to become a big part of my recovery through spiritual growth ... the closer I got to finishing the steps, the more grateful I felt to have found AA and its program ... and, of course, this opened up a whole new world for me ... I stopped fighting anything or anybody, including myself, and I began to grow spiritually which was new to me ...
My sponsor had me make gratitude lists, which, when you write them down, make a big impact on just how you see things ... this goes a long way toward giving ones-self a positive attitude in life ... makes for a person that others don't mind being around ...
So ... When did the lists come around??? ... I really don't know, but I'm sure glad they're part of what makes us who we are ...
Love ya and God Bless, Pappy
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Okay, here's one thing I'm grateful for: what I call DRY HANGOVERS. Sometimes, when our disease is discussed, I get this feeling of being hungover. It lasts less than a minute, but it sure adds fuel to the fire of alcohol avoidance.
