Grateful

[Little Missy]

Why is it so important for us to be grateful?

[laurie6781]

I truly believe, at least for this alkie that when I was grateful I couln't feel sorry for myself.....................which I had a tendancy to do a lot in those early years. So................................................ ......

As soon as I would sense myself, even getting near the "pitty pot" out would come my Gratitude List to remind me of how bad it could again become. At the top of that list was the fact that I actually had a place to live (my last 1 1/2 years out there drinking I was homeless). A lot of my early gratitude list had to do with 'material' things ie roof over my head, nice clothes, decent job, my sobriety..................just about in that order.

Today just the fact that I awake each morning and I am still sober gives me a whole lot of gratitude for the whole day.

I do believe though that if we are truly grateful for the day, our sobriety etc it keeps us humble. I don't know of one person that is truly grateful and at the same time can be a 'blowheart or mean or vindictive person'.

For this alkie gratitude brings humility. Gratitde helps me to be the best person I can be TODAY.

J M H O

Love and hugs,

[Little Missy]

Originally Posted by laurie6781

For this alkie gratitude brings humility.

Exactly!! Helps remove the ego, self pity, and selfishness.

I had a really rough night last night. Thought I was going to be able to pay a house payment (we're 3 months behind). Our debit consolidation payment is automatically taken out. So when I looked to see how much we had in the bank, (thinking at least $2,000) we had $300.

I became anxious, bitchy, just down right mad about our situation (ego). We work so hard and we're still not making it (self pity). So, I thought (with my brilliant mind) "F" it!! I give up!! I'll just spend the rest of the money on booze, loose my job, my house, my family!! I don't care!!(selfishness)

I just wanted all the stress and all the problems of the world to disappear. I looked at the clock and it was after 11 p.m. Decided I had had enough for one day. I was going to bed, it was to late to even enjoy my drunk. LOL I prayed and meditated, asked for some serious help/guidance in changing my crappy way of thinking. I got it, and woke up feeling just fine and again very grateful.

[Little Missy]

At the meeting last night, there was a newcomer so we talked about Steps 1-3. I was the second person to share, so I also added the gratitude question. We never seem to talk about WHY it is important to be grateful, just gratitude in general. They always laugh and say, "You want a short meeting? Have gratitude as the topic." And it's true, around here.

I admitted feeling overwhelmed with life, and asked people if they would throw in the "why's" of gratitude. Nobody did. Then of course, I was upset. I felt like I needed to hear more of "what it is like now", instead of "what it was like". Needed some positives, along with, how we got here.

I know it was selfish of me, but dang, a little help would have been appreciated. I've been showing up for over 2 years. Who knows if the newcomer will even come back. I agree they are important, but what about others who are struggling.

Just something else to learn from. One lesson would be, get over yourself, you are not that important. But right then, I didn't feel very important, I felt like shit and needed help.

[jpeace]

That's very telling, Missy.....that no one was able to say why gratitude was important. My sponsor and I have talked a lot about gratitude over the last year and I know it's something she mentions a lot, especially when she's stressing about something in her life. For me, it's what Laurie said: it helps me remember that I have it pretty good compared to not only others who have it worse, but to where I was headed before I got sober. I think it also helps with the addict/alkie's sense of entitlement, that the world somehow OWES you something for all the bad stuff that has happened in your life (even the stuff you didn't cause, childhood stuff, I mean).

I saw just the opposite of this in Naranon when I used to go. Many of the oldtimers in Naranon were really able to embrace that question and were very inspirational to me in my own search for gratitude. Far more than the AA folks--wonder why?