Progressive Gratitude

 We live in a world of sorrows and tragedies. It has always been so, but we are now pelted with the rocks of real-time coverage, coming at us from every direction. It can be so easy to fall into despair. Living in that hopelessness isn’t healthy for anyone. The antidote isn’t hidden in a bottle - it never was, no matter how many times I tried to find it there.

I practice gratitude. I say ‘thank you’ many times a day, for the little things I never used to see, and for the big, obvious blessings. Thank You for my breath. Thank You for this day, and for coffee to start it off. Thank You for air conditioning. Thank You for friendships and mutual support. Thank You for carrot cake. Thank You for the ability to walk all the way across a parking lot, without getting pissy about having to. Thank You for the peace I feel when I express my gratitude. Thank You for the smile of a stranger, the kindness of those blessed with service jobs. Thank You for actors who have the ability to let me feel what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes. Thank You for the leaves on the trees, the soft breeze of morning, the ability to touch and taste and hear.

Thank You for my sobriety. Thank You for those who came before, those who were willing to forge a new path, the ones who willingly, openly shared their stories of experience, strength, and hope. Thank You for those who continue those traditions, ready to help ‘those who still suffer’. Thank You for my sponsors, for so generously giving me their time.

May I be a beacon of hope and gratitude for others as I try, day-by-day, to share my joy.

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