An Attitude Of Gratitude Makes Me Happy, Joyous, And Free

And isn’t that what so many wish for?

One of Merriam-Webster’s definitions of Attitude is: a bodily state of readiness to respond in a characteristic way to a stimulus (such as an object, concept, or situation)

Merriam-Webster’s definition of Gratitude is: the state of being grateful: THANKFULNESS

Today it is early December. November 30th marked the last day of “Official” Gratitude Month. Too many think that the only day that we are to be thankful for things is Thanksgiving and others may extend this to the entire month of November.

The instant that I woke up today I had a choice. Do I get up or stay in bed? The answer to this opens the rest of the day’s choices that I will have all day long.

I chose to not drink or do drugs today so this gives me even more choices, maybe for the very first time in my life, and I choose to make every day Gratitude Day or Thanksgiving.

I thank my Higher Power for the fact that I now realize that I have a Higher Power that is not an Empirical, judging, punishing God that is in male human form with long, shaggy, or curly hair sitting on some golden throne up in the sky somewhere.

My Higher Power is actually a loving, forgiving Power inside me just waiting for me to acknowledge that He or It is there and ready to serve my very best interests.

Since I chose to not drink or do drugs today, I have discovered that this Higher Power, who I CHOOSE to call God, is working through me giving me Divine guidance and wisdom in every facet of my life that I choose to let It into.

My God helped me survive the throes of active alcoholism and EVERYTHING that went along with that. My God allowed me to accept life on life’s terms without ever having to go back to the pit of despair that I was mired in.

This included everything, no matter what has happened including death, illness, cancer, and many of the things thrown my way as I made my way through life.

The gratitude that I obtain when acknowledging all that I get by just thinking of “bad times” as learning experiences, makes me too blessed to be stressed.

When I came into the AA Program, I was very quick to judge others, sometimes very harshly, for having opinions other than mine.

Another of the problems that I had was with organized religion so, when I heard that this was a Spiritual Program, not a Religious Program, I listened intently because I didn’t know what the difference would be.

That was when I learned that my Higher Power was within me all the time not outside and judging my every thought. If my Higher Power was not judging me and was in actuality working through me with Divine Guidance and Wisdom, why should I ever judge another when they did not agree with me?

This was freeing!!! I no longer had to be the world’s thought policeman and tons of mental weight left my shoulders. I do not agree with many today and that is OK with me, now.

I will listen and make up my own mind and either change or not — WHATEVER I CHOOSE! I may also choose not to listen, too, because I may have other things to do — like get a haircut or wash my hands.

I believe that we will be talking in future articles about Gratitude more as time goes by, especially during this holiday season when depression is the norm for so many people.

The best counter for depression is, without a doubt, Gratitude. When I am counting my blessings I do not have time to complain, simple as that.

Thank you, God!

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More from the list: “Curated Collection V10 — ILLUMINATION”

Curated by Aiden (Illumination Gaming)