86,400 Seconds

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.  Have you used one to say "thank you?"  ~William A. Ward

Gratitude is a common topic at 12-step meetings - sometimes to the point that it’s almost cliché. Yet, for those of us in recovery it's a state of mind that keeps us grounded each day.

A sponsor once told me that it’s nearly impossible to have gratitude and relapse. And I believe that. He told me to draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper and list the things I’m grateful for on the left and the things I’m ungrateful for on the right. That way I get a picture of what my life looks like. In my case, there’s nothing on the “ungrateful” side of the page.

Some may say I have a simplistic view of life if I’m grateful for everything.

But I've learned to look at life this way. I've been taught that challenges are ways for me to grow. When bad things happen I must look around at others. Everyone faces challenges. Our challenges are small compared to what some others face.

For example when I start whining about minor health issues, I can think about all of the kids who are down at Children's Hospital with real medical issues. It makes me realize I’m very fortunate to have gotten this far in life - especially considering my drug and alcohol history.

So today I’m going use one of those 86,400 seconds to say “thank you.”