I was the moderator for an on-line meeting this morning and the topic was the above statement. \u00a0I do know that when I am in a cranky mood, I need to take stock of all the good in my life. \u00a0And were I to list it, I’d fill more than one page for sure. \u00a0To begin with, I am so grateful to have a terrific husband to share my recovery \u00a0journey. \u00a0And for 39 years clean and sober, I am grateful beyond measure. \u00a0May 24th, 1976, didn’t seem like a particularly eventful day. \u00a0But it marked the turning point in my life.<\/p>\n
I walked into my first AA meeting that evening, not expecting anything meaningful to happen, and my world shifted. \u00a0By the time I got home, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. \u00a0I was desperate for a relationship and I assumed that I’d get one going in no time with all the good looking men at that meeting. \u00a0And wouldn’t you know, a man approached me at the end of the meeting and said, “You be sure and come back next week.” \u00a0I floated home. Indeed, my hope for a relationship was already being realized!<\/p>\n
I laugh at the craziness of that thought today. \u00a0And no relationship was begun. \u00a0Fortunately two women grabbed me at the second meeting and informed me that they would “show me the ropes of how recovery worked over dinner.” \u00a0The first words they said, “You are not to be in a relationship with anyone for the entire first year.” \u00a0I was stunned. \u00a0I couldn’t imagine why not. They were quick to say that I needed to make friends with women and men and that dating would take me away from working the program the way it needed to be worked.<\/p>\n
I didn’t argue. \u00a0But I didn’t like their rules. \u00a0I wasn’t a kid. \u00a0I was 36 and a graduate student. \u00a0I had been married and divorced and had survived many relationships, none of which were healthy unfortunately. \u00a0I decided that perhaps their way would introduce me to some new ideas, and I became willing to “do this program” their way.<\/p>\n
How grateful I am that they entered my life at that second meeting. \u00a0And \u00a0I am grateful that they are still in my life. \u00a0I am still sober. \u00a0I finished graduate school and began my career as a writer, all because I followed “their rules.”<\/p>\n
Funny how life turns out. \u00a0I could never have guessed that May evening was my introduction to a world that would change every thought I had previously cherished, every friend I had, every dream I had earlier dreamed. \u00a0And today I’d have to say that I know no one happier than me. \u00a0Or more grateful than me either.<\/p>\n
Following a suggestion from two women who were actually strangers at the time was all it took to redirect a life that was on the edge. \u00a0Now I’m comfortably in the middle of the road and destined to stay there. \u00a0How blissful it is right here, right now.<\/p>\n
What are you grateful for now?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I was the moderator for an on-line meeting this morning and the topic was the above statement. \u00a0I do know that when I am in a cranky mood, I need to take stock of all the good in my life. \u00a0And were I to list it, I’d fill more than one page for sure. \u00a0To […]<\/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":[8,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-karens-musings","category-reflections-in-the-mirror-you-and-yourself"],"yoast_head":"\n