Monday, November 16, 2015

More Gratitude

Gratitude was the topic at a 12-step meeting yesterday.

And as the conversation went around the room members talked about why they were grateful.

Some said they now had their families back. Others spoke of improved health. Better relationships. Getting off probation. Good jobs and more money. Each had something a little different.

And as I listened, I thought of what I'm grateful for. And as I reflected, I realized that I've been grateful since I got sober nearly 25 years ago. Because when I first came to recovery I had this overwhelming sense of relief. A weight was off me. I was no longer poisoning my mind, body, and spirit with drugs and alcohol. Demoralization had left. The sense of imminent doom was gone. I had freedom.

Today I have everything a man could want. A successful marriage. A home. A business. I'm going to school. All those things are nice. But without recovery I wouldn’t be able to enjoy any of this.

So my gratitude is for the root of all I have today - recovery.