We have discussed before the good regards or gratitude that we had when we entered this amazing program. I had none and didn’t see any good in much of anything. I didn’t dare hope for too much. I was afraid of the results that seemed to always appear. There was something that I did notice when new. The people who I saw in the program seemed to genuinely be happy, joyous, and free.
I had known many of them before they disappeared from my life because they had entered AA. They had been just as miserable as I when I had known them. I wanted what they had now and was willing to go to any lengths to get it. They told me to “Fake it ’til I made it.” I very quickly decided to copy them because they seemed to have found a peace that I never knew existed. If they said something, I would say it too. Whether I believed it or not at the time. If they did something, I did it. Soon I was not copying any more. It seemed to be coming from me originally. I believe that this was the start for me to learn about gratitude.
Before, I had been, probably to put a label on it, Agnostic. I knew that there was a Power “out there somewhere.” I called It God. But my idea of a God was that It was a judgmental, punishing God. He was ready to follow through on admonitions I had heard from parents and peers for most of my life. “Jim, God’s going to get you for that!” “Jim, you’re going to Hell for that!” That was the extent of my religious background and I didn’t like it at all. I was quickly advised by my sponsors that this was not a religious program but was deeply spiritual. I did not know the difference. Wasn’t sure what this even meant. I had no good regards for much of anything.
I soon discovered that religion is like a drop in the ocean of Spirituality. We are all born into this human experience portion of our eternal life as Spiritual Beings. We are living in a Spiritual Universe. This Universe is governed by Spiritual law. As Divine Beings, we are individualized expressions of God and one with all that exists. To me, this means that my Higher Power, who I now choose to call God, is not the tyrant that I had believed before. Up until discovering who and what I really am.
Since newly discovering Spirituality, my life has taken a complete 180. I am learning that I have so very much to be grateful for. I am now surrounded by people who I deeply love. This has led to these people actually looking and loving me in return. Since we get out of life exactly what we put into it, better known as the Law of Attraction, my mirror of life gives me back EVERYTHING. All that I put into it. Like love, peace, serenity, a feeling of awe at what the Universe has for me.
All of this comes back to me and the only thing that would slow or stop this would be for me to not truly believe. When I started believing, it seemed like all of “those a-holes” that I seemed surrounded with were actually pretty decent people. At the very least tolerable. So, am I grateful? Absolutely! There is another amazing fact from this. That if this transformation can be taken by this formerly very large, very angry, very violent, well trained and well armed person, it can and will be yours too. All you must do is believe and ask. The good regards then started to flow!
An attitude of good regards or gratitude goes a long way toward making my life absolutely wonderful. How do we get this attitude of gratitude? I do by remembering to use the shortened version of the 3rd Step and simply say “God help me.” When, NOT if, He does help, simply say “Thank you, God!”
Reverend Stephanie Sorensen said recently “There is a sacredness in our feeling “thanksgiving” within us before we say “thank you” to anyone for anything, so that our words come straight from our heart. A mantra of “thank you-thank you-thank you” is one of the most powerful mantras we can say in our life. The spiritual master, Mooji, tells us, ‘Just keep saying thank you. Don’t explain. Don’t complain. Just say thank you. Say thank you to existence.’”
So to you who read or hear these remarks I humbly say “Thank you-Thank you-Thank you!” I am filled with good regards or gratitude for all of you. For being in my life. Bless you all!
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