Thanksgiving Day approaches quickly. For this one day, we think of our blessings. Our loved ones are in the forefront of our minds, even if they are physically elsewhere. Our good fortunes seem to be multiplying every year. This is a beautiful day to be celebrated every year. It has affected me positively so much that I have tried to make EVERY DAY Thanksgiving. When in the madness and early in the Program, I felt that I had NO blessings. I had lost hope of ever feeling any better.
AA introduced me to a God who had always been in me but I refused to believe this. At this time, God, as I knew Him, was a judgmental, punishing God. He was sitting on a golden throne “Up there somewhere in Heaven.” Also, always pointing his finger at me with accusations. Through the spiritual program of AA, I came to believe that my Higher Power was not “Up there somewhere.” He was inside me and every living being. He was ready, able, and willing to love and guide. Not judge and punish.
I soon discovered the teachings of Emmet Fox. Through his writings, he became my very first Spiritual Advisor. Whenever I had a question about spirituality or religion, I would pore through his Sermon on the Mount or other papers and books. I even learned to identify my own blessings that I was not even aware of even existing before. This, my friends, is where real comfort with myself began. I have and always have had countless blessings. I just was not aware of them when in the madness.
Now, when I wake up, one of the first things that I do is say “Thank you!” Not for anything specific but for EVERYTHING. It has turned into “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” I am now truly Too blessed to be stressed! I sometimes even have the feeling that blessings chase me around tapping me on the shoulder. Just saying “Here I am!” True! I have become truly Happy, Joyous, and Free. If I can, you can, too!
If you have trouble visualizing doing this, why don’t you try this. Everything has a start. This is ours. When you awaken, just say “God help me.” Then begin making a gratitude list. Don’t do what most of us alcoholics and addicts do. Don’t try to make a big list and end up with nothing because things don’t seem to come to mind. This just leads to frustration.
Start with naming three blessings. Even this is difficult for some to start with. What about feeling your pulse or breathing into a mirror and seeing mist. If you do, you are alive. There is #1. Do you have children, siblings, parents, friends, or even pet(s) who are alive? If so, there’s #2. Did you wake up this morning and not come to? If so, there’s #3. Now, say “Thank you God” and just move on to the next right thing. Tomorrow, add three more. Remember to start with “God help me” and end it with “Thank you God!”
As you add these blessings to your list, say “Thank you, God!” after each one. This is how one realizes his or her blessings and with each addition, others will come to mind. The ONLY way for more to not appear is for you to consciously try to block your mind to blessings.
Then there is waking up without a hangover? #4. And were not violently ill! #5. Were you able to find enough food to get you started into the day? If so, it is #6.
“Who would not want to count blessings?” The answer to this is simple. Those of us who still have a head full of guilty secrets. We are only as sick as our secrets! So, how do we get rid of our secrets? We work a thorough 4th and 5th Step. This amazing program has 12 Steps. The only place that alcohol is even mentioned in them is the first half of the 1st Step. The other 11 ½ steps are all about our thinking.
Hint: Don’t try to list all of your blessings at once. If you do, you will be severely limiting yourself or boggling yourself down. The way that I can comfortably not try to list all of mine is to simply say “Thank you! Thank You! Thank you!” for EVERYTHING! And leave the rest to God.
Gratitude for our blessings is too good a subject to leave alone for too long so we will revisit it often.
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