Reasons for Gratitude

I received a text this morning about gratitude and was reminded of all the things we have to be grateful for. I heard over the years that gratitude is an attitude - a viewpoint that works for me. If we think we have something coming, feel sorry for ourselves, and don't recognize the blessings we have in our life then we're not going to be grateful.

For example, we hear a daily drumbeat in the news about how many people are unemployed. But if we turn it around and take the attitude that more people are employed than unemployed, then we have a different perspective on the employment situation. If 20% of the people are unemployed, then that means 80% are employed. It's a group the unemployed will want to join.

If I'm struggling with my recovery maybe I can find gratitude in the fact that I'm still alive to struggle. Many of my contemporaries and using friends are no longer with us because they couldn't get this simple program. We must be grateful we're still alive to struggle.

Ever since a huge windstorm blew through our area about a month ago, I've been cleaning my swimming pool and replacing equipment that was damaged by the sand. Each time I get frustrated or angry about the situation I can always stop and say I'm lucky to have a pool to take care of, something that I didn't own until after I got sober some twenty years ago.

Opportunities for gratitude abound in our lives. On the way back from the gym this morning I was listening to the news about Libya. And I thought it was wonderful that I live in a country with political stability. We are lucky we don't live in life-threatening chaos wondering where we're going to get fresh water or food.  If we look at those who live in bad circumstances we can find a multitude of reasons for gratitude.