Alcohol and Drug Addiction — THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience…– Thomas Merton quoted in Words of Gratitude, by Robert A. Emmons and Joanna Hill
WHAT “is” GRATITUDE?
Gratitude, for many of us, is a personal shift in our overall outlook, an experience that when done as a form of meditation, confirms, “If we spot it, we got it!” The “IT” is that something that rushes through us with personal enthusiasm in wanting to see or know more because of the certainty of our truth. It is for me, always an “Ahh HAAA” moment.
We are certain we’re not guided by bad karma, nor were we born that way. We’re just not used to seeing our own self-worth without practice, so we practice bringing the very best of who we really are to the surface and when we ‘see’ it through our writings, we know it is real.
In recovery, gratitude lets us see our spirit of goodness, to feel the depth of our transformation. Only we understand at a level incomprehensible to others, the scourge of our personal journey out of hell.
WHAT MAKES WRITING DIFFERENT FROM FROM JUST “THINKING” THEM THROUGH?
Putting pen to paper makes gratitude come alive as we allow emotions to infiltrate strengths, loving kindness, and the magnitude of all we are, but, for many, never recognized before.
Writing is intentional, it is focused, and for some, meditative. It demands a connection with our highest self in a way fleeting thoughts cannot capture.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO HAPPEN?
As we begin to feel loving gratitude and give thanks for everything in our lives, a re-creation to our highest good becomes obvious. This change in perception permeates our psyche in a permanent way by changing the way we think. The brain recognizes this thinking by creating new neuro-pathways to allow for a powerful change in positivity.
