I just finished reading comments from thirty of you who have written in response to my blog and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude that you took the time to write. \u00a0I know how busy we all are so it makes me feel included in your life when you read these brief essays and then comment. \u00a0It makes the effort on my end so very worth it! \u00a0I hope you keep staying “the course” with me.<\/p>\n
There are so many things in my life that I’m grateful for. \u00a0First, my sobriety. Without it, I’d be short a great husband, many wonderful friends, good health, and work that truly blesses me every day. \u00a0Connections with my family have been healed since I got sober too. \u00a0I had many fences to mend and learned how to do that, thank God. \u00a0Having both parents pass on knowing how much I loved them and how changed my life had become was so important to me. \u00a0And them too.<\/p>\n
I just returned from an AA women’s retreat in IN that I facilitated and it was on gratitude, a perfect topic for a gathering such as that. \u00a0But what I specifically want to say about it was how grateful it made me to be asked to lead it. \u00a0My roots are in IN but I had not done any of my “work” there before and connecting with 65 Hoosier sisters felt especially heart-warming to me. Each and every one of them touched me in some special way. \u00a0I sit here writing this and see their faces before me. \u00a0Thank you Julie, once again.<\/p>\n
Even though tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and the one day we take the time to consider all we have to be grateful for, it really behooves us to acknowledge our gratitude every day. \u00a0I suggest to sponsees, and friends too, how valuable it has been for me to make, at the very least, a mental note of the experiences and people who cross my path throughout the day. \u00a0Each and every one of them paid “their visit” intentionally.<\/p>\n
I have heard it said that saying, “Thank You, God,” for every thing the moment it’s time has passed is a wonderful habit to develop. \u00a0It makes us much more conscious of the blessings that constantly visit us. \u00a0And this act opens our hearts to the goodness of our lives. \u00a0When our hearts are open, we demonstrate to others how to open their hearts too.<\/p>\n
So not just tomorrow but every day, think gratitude. \u00a0Express gratitude. \u00a0To friend and stranger alike. \u00a0The world will be better for it.<\/p>\n
Peace to you and yours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I just finished reading comments from thirty of you who have written in response to my blog and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude that you took the time to write. \u00a0I know how busy we all are so it makes me feel included in your life when you read these brief essays and then comment. \u00a0It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-circle-of-family-and-friends-you-and-your-personal-community"],"yoast_head":"\n