That First Entry Twenty Years Ago
Today I am grateful for exercise's calming effect on my body and mind. I am also grateful for my husband Darcy.
I was looking at my first gratitude journal the other day, a gift from my good friend Terrie for my birthday in July of 1994. It wasn't until February of 1995 that I started using the journal as she had suggested-as a gratitude journal, as an effort to pull myself out of the pit of self-pity I felt so comfortable residing in.
On February 12, 1995 I wrote my very first entry and it went like this:
I remain grateful for both today. And I appreciate that one of the people who understands alcoholism better is me. I didn't understand this disease when I first got sober. Others taught me and showed me by sharing their own experiences and the hope of recovery. And understanding my disease does not mean I have it "figured out." It means I have some idea what a powerful and devastating force I am up against, and what I can do to counter that force and live a productive and relatively sane life in sobriety. Daily work for a daily disease.
I am also grateful for choices. They are endless. Today I choose to be grateful. I choose to seek faith. I choose to reach out to others. I choose to exercise my body and soul.
Terrie, I hope you know what that first journal and your suggestion started.
Thank you my friend!
I was looking at my first gratitude journal the other day, a gift from my good friend Terrie for my birthday in July of 1994. It wasn't until February of 1995 that I started using the journal as she had suggested-as a gratitude journal, as an effort to pull myself out of the pit of self-pity I felt so comfortable residing in.
On February 12, 1995 I wrote my very first entry and it went like this:
"Today I've been grateful for people who understand alcoholism.
I'm grateful for choices."
I remain grateful for both today. And I appreciate that one of the people who understands alcoholism better is me. I didn't understand this disease when I first got sober. Others taught me and showed me by sharing their own experiences and the hope of recovery. And understanding my disease does not mean I have it "figured out." It means I have some idea what a powerful and devastating force I am up against, and what I can do to counter that force and live a productive and relatively sane life in sobriety. Daily work for a daily disease.
I am also grateful for choices. They are endless. Today I choose to be grateful. I choose to seek faith. I choose to reach out to others. I choose to exercise my body and soul.
Terrie, I hope you know what that first journal and your suggestion started.
Thank you my friend!
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