"Grateful people are happy
people and those who aren't, aren't." I first heard that many years ago in
a 12 Step fellowship meeting. When I wore a younger man’s clothes I believed,
incorrectly, that I would be happy when I achieved some arbitrary milestone:
get out of my childhood home, get a job, get a better job, get a steady
girlfriend, get married, get some money in the bank, get a new car, etc.
Looking back, a significant part of my early life was pretty much about
"getting" with little giving. Now, I got all those things, and much
more, but I wasn't happy. Sure, there were happy times, moments hilarious, but
I had a hole inside of me that was never truly filled, a longing in my heart
for something I could not identify, and gratitude was not even on my radar.
At 30 years of age I was bankrupt in every area of my life and sought solace in
blinding intoxication. Soon I found myself at a Spiritual jumping off point,
and by Grace I found a fellowship of people who understood my dilemma and
offered a way out. They taught me that to get, I had to give first. To be
respected, first I had to show respect to others, especially those I didn't
agree with or like personally. Love, first I had to be loving toward others,
and learn to appreciate, be grateful for the things in my life today as well as
the things that had been removed, for all are lessons in living. As I began
walking this path, following directions, the place I had tried to fill with
"stuff" began to fill, with gratitude. I was told as well these new
principles in living needed to be refreshed daily, and if I did, a day at a
time, my life would grow and change in truly miraculous ways.
That was many years ago, and I can say today without equivocation, they were right.
Has it been easy, no. Has it been worth it, oh God yes, and today I truly
understand that happiness is birthed in gratitude.
Miracles Of Recovery
© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit
All Rights Reserved
Miracles Of Recovery, Overdose
Death, Alcoholism, Wayne Dyer, Drug Addiction, Zen, Emmet Fox, Opioids, Heroin,
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