“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
Dr Seuss
Gratitude as an Answer
There once was a man who was lost in the darkness of depression and tortured by the actions of his past. He found it hard to look people in the eye, for he could not see that he had anything to offer in the way of friendship, encouragement or even a smile. On the verge of losing everything that meant anything to him because of his indifference to the way he was. He was at a point of desperation when he made a decision to change. He knew he didn’t want to be the way he was any longer. Sitting alone he had a spiritual experience that changed his life. He thought I am lucky to be alive and I am who I am because of the things I have been through in my life. From this day on I will be happy to be alive and will be happy that other people are here and alive at the same time as me. I will smile at everyone I come in contact with even if I am not feeling like it. Soon it became a habit and people were smiling back. Then he decided he would change the way he thought other people viewed him. I will help others to overcome the thing that were holding me back from being the person that I desire to be. But what is it that was missing from my life, that isn’t missing now? He couldn’t quite figure it out but when he did it hit him hard and took off from there. He thought back to his spiritual experience when he thought how lucky he was to be alive. I am not lucky to be alive. I am thankful that I am alive,. No. I’m grateful to be alive. He sat down and made a list of all the things he was grateful for. As the list grew, he felt as though a great weight had been lifted. When the list reached twenty things he was grateful for, he had a rush of emotion that he had never felt before. The things kept coming to him, as the list reached one hundred things he decided that that was the answer to so many problems in the world. There are so many people who are just not thankful for what they have and don’t show that gratitude in their attitude or actions. He set out to do some random acts of kindness to repay the world for the times he took for granted the things he could do. He helped people when he could, smiled when he couldn’t .He asked many people who seemed like they could need a lift in their spirit, “ What are you grateful for?” when they were at a loss for words he would answer, “I am truly grateful for being alive at the same time as you.” He came to believe that a smile may make someone’s day, and the right words may change someone’s life. Scott Henning
TRUE HAPPINESS – DOING SOMETHING WORTHWHILE WITH A PURPOSE – A design for living happy program.
By Scott Henning
AVAILABLE NOW
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The power of Gratitude is limitless.
She Found her Spiritual Answer “Gratitude”
My name is Shauna and I am an Addict !
The tale of my journey in this life as a recovering addict is not unique, it is a tale that has been told many times from many different mouths. My desperation and feelings of isolation are not different from those of any other addict. Although our experiences may differ, the end results are the same, we sought and found refuge in the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous. A few have chosen to stay and many have chosen to leave. Today I choose to stay – Just for today.
January 9, 2011
Dear Diary,
Today was awesome. I was able to hit 3 meetings today and share about something that really bothers me. I find it difficult to share in meetings because I don’t seem to struggle as often as many people do. When I am in a meeting and I hear someone share about the difficulties they are going through my heart goes out to them and I do not want to throw salt in their wounds by sharing how great my life is. If only they could have seen me 21 months ago sobbing my heart out in a meeting before I finally surrendered and went into detox it wouldn’t be so hard for me. I have not cried in a meeting since that day. Many people don’t know that my journey in this program started over 22 years ago and it has taken me this long to finally get something “RIGHT”. This thing that I call ” RIGHT” I also call “Gratitude”. Sure, I was very grateful that I didn’t die or end up in some jail or institution while I was out there using and abusing my life but, I am most grateful that I do not EVER have to detox again one day at a time! I know detox is painful for everyone, but for me, detox was the worst emotional and physical trauma I have ever-ever-ever experienced. I have gone through some pretty bad things during my using and put myself in some terrible situations but, nothing compared to what detox did to me. Something in me literally snapped! I took steps 1,2 and 3 the very instant I made the decision to go into detox and I still take them everyday. The night I checked into the hospital a nurse knelt in front of me, made me look her in the eyes, and promised me I would not die while I was under her care and I believed her. I was beyond making the all too famillar”God if you get me out of this one” deals ! From that moment on GRATITUDE became a permanent part of my daily life. My life was hell and I was literally sick for almost 3 months but, I hoped I was getting some where and someday the pain would end. I was grateful I wasn’t starting at day one! Everyday was another day closer to getting well. Yes, I finally did get better physically and the faith and prayer exercised during that time also made me stronger spiritually. The rooms of Narcotics Anonymous have literally sheltered me, fed me, and comforted me until I was well enough to do these things for myself. I am grateful for the people who have held my hand and walked with me for a minute or two on my journey of recovery. I am Grateful for every little miracle in my life. There are very few things that get me down now a days . I am almost always happy and everything is a gift ! Thank you God! Having said all this, I am thinking it isn’t a bad thing to share the happiness in my heart and pray that the suffering Addict may find the same……by the grace of God !
Shauna Lewis
“No one was ever great without some portion of divine inspiration” Marcus Cicero
Inspiration—In Spirit Action
TRUE HAPPINESS – DOING SOMETHING WORTHWHILE WITH A PURPOSE – A design for living happy program.
By Scott Henning
AVAILABLE NOW
ON AMAZON
CLICK HERE