Today, I haven't a clue what I
found so embarrassing; instead, I look forward to adding my own
list.
Somehow, I think my change of heart
comes from a deepening of faith. I no longer feel as separate from
the Whole as I once did.
As I've come to really believe I do deserve to be
here, that I am okay, that I am a child of the God of my understanding, the more
in awe I become of my world and my life. That's a much easier place to feel
grateful from and represents a major change in my thinking.
James Allen nailed it in his classic,
As A Man Thinketh. The idea behind the book is we actually create much of
our life by the way we think. It's not much different than the unofficial
slogan, "Fake it until you make it."
One of the best ways to get more of
what we want is to be truly grateful for what we have right now. If
we're beset with problems, that can seem impossible, but every
single one of us has at least one or two things we can be grateful
for if we simply become willing to look. Maybe the only thing we can
think of is that we haven't used the substance or behavior that
brought us to Program today - that's something to be grateful for
isn't it? You bet it is! And chances are we've got enough food for
today, and a place to sleep, and some meetings to attend... the list
can go on.
The Thanksgiving Holiday can bring
up all sorts of things, including messy and miserable family
relationships. Let me offer you a challenge: Whatever you're
expecting this year for Thanksgiving, however and with whomever
you're planning to spend the day, find at least five things that
you're truly grateful for. Keep it simple. Start with your Program,
add the fact that you're alive... now add three more.
Spend some time just feeling the
gratitude for these five things. If things get rocky during the day,
think back to the gratitude list you made. I'm willing to bet you
have a good Thanksgiving, no matter what your circumstances.
Love, peace and
abundance,
