My sponsor recently gave me an assignment to send her a gratitude list each day. Once upon a time, I would have been far too cynical to entertain the idea of doing this little exercise, but I have learned that cynicism is a defect of character which allows my disease to thrive, so I
agreed to give it a try. The first few days were easy. I listed the obvious – abstinence, my family, a roof over said family’s heads – Not that I make light of those things, just that they were big things to be grateful for. I didn’t want to always list those few things and be done, however, and I tried to dig a little deeper and I started to become more aware of the simple gifts that recovery and my Higher Power have brought to my life. I’m experiencing one right now. I am sitting in the sunshine writing on my back yard patio that used to be so out of control there was nowhere to sit. In fact, my home is a pleasant place to be. It used to be such a chaotic mess that I kept my curtains closed and prayed that no one would knock on the door. My bedroom has become a peaceful room to fall asleep in or just go for a moment of solitude. I have good friends today. Most of them are people I met in the rooms. We don’t spend our time gossiping and putting others down like all of my friendships before I came into OA. We spend our time supporting one another and building each other up. Recovery has given me a lot to be grateful for and one of them is the ability to appreciate simple gifts I have been given.
Lisa S
Secretary
agreed to give it a try. The first few days were easy. I listed the obvious – abstinence, my family, a roof over said family’s heads – Not that I make light of those things, just that they were big things to be grateful for. I didn’t want to always list those few things and be done, however, and I tried to dig a little deeper and I started to become more aware of the simple gifts that recovery and my Higher Power have brought to my life. I’m experiencing one right now. I am sitting in the sunshine writing on my back yard patio that used to be so out of control there was nowhere to sit. In fact, my home is a pleasant place to be. It used to be such a chaotic mess that I kept my curtains closed and prayed that no one would knock on the door. My bedroom has become a peaceful room to fall asleep in or just go for a moment of solitude. I have good friends today. Most of them are people I met in the rooms. We don’t spend our time gossiping and putting others down like all of my friendships before I came into OA. We spend our time supporting one another and building each other up. Recovery has given me a lot to be grateful for and one of them is the ability to appreciate simple gifts I have been given.
Lisa S
Secretary