In For Today (June 22), I am reminded of this:
The fact that I am here at all is a blessing. Would I have chosen not to be born? That is the alternative.
The fact that I no longer have to compulsively overeat is a supreme blessing, indeed. Continuing the way I was going I might not still be around today. That makes each day a gift.
The habit of complaining, of wishing things were different, is nothing more than a way of insuring depression and misery. As I expose this and other destructive habits to the twelve-step program, asking God to remove them, I can allow myself to be happy. I am coming to realize that it is not life that owes me something; it is I who owe something to life.
For today: to accept myself is to enjoy my life and to feel supremely blessed.
* * *
What am I grateful for in my life right now?
1. sunshine this morning
ReplyDelete2. a warm, safe shelter in my home
3. a cosy bed and warm duvet
4. food to eat
5. clean water to drink
6. the love of my cat
7. friendship
8. quiet neighbourhood
9. green outlook from my windows
10. a working computer and wifi
11. a warm shower, clean towels, hair drier
12. cinnamon and raisins in my porridge
13. that I can read and write fluently
14. clean clothes
15. a dishwasher
16. the scent of dried yellow rose petals
17. clean inexpensive electricity for my house
18. my iPhone
19. a desk to work from that is sturdy and private
20. time to express my thoughts and feelings
21. eyeglasses to correct my vision
22. toothpaste
23. doctors and counsellors who support my healing
24. friends in OA
25. my mobility
1. email from a sponsee working her program and doing well
ReplyDelete2. sunshine this morning
3. a warm cat last night cuddling under the duvet
4. a loving friend who reminds me of what is important to me
5. sausage for breakfast
6. a perfect apple to add to my porridge
7. a 'happy light' to help with winter blues
8. warm slippers my aunt made me with love
9. clean dishes
10. cold sparkling water
11. amazing chemical reaction as oats bubble into porridge
12. soap that smells nice
13. healthy long hair
14. a good night's sleep
15. healthy this morning
16. a good cup of tea
17. a quiet peaceful house
18. sensible gun control in my country (and brave first responders)
19. fresh snow on the mountains
20. a working fireplace
21. a cut that is healing
22. new recipe to try
23. money in my purse
24. the scent of cinnamon
25. hope.
1. warm bed
ReplyDelete2. warm cat
3. warm breakfast
4. clean water
5. apps that help me stay on track
6. sausage
7. slippers for my feet
8. fresh flowers
9. the scent of rosemary
10. full tummy
11. clean hair
12. safety
13. quiet
14. peace
15. clean air
16. ability to learn
17. ability to change
18. hope
19. sponsees
20. books
21. literacy
22. firelight
23. candlelight
24. functional kitchen
25. autonomy
1. safety to process emotions
ReplyDelete2. waking up with tools to ground myself from a nightmare
3. sponsees who communicate their struggles
4. feeling like I have something to offer sponsees from my experience, strength and hope
5. porridge already made, just needing to be heated up
6. "happy light"
7. full fridge
8. loving cat
9. friend I can be myself with
10. having the grace to apologize without expectation of a reciprocal apology
11. warm pajamas
12. podcasts that interest me
13. internet to connect me with others and ideas
14. new toothbrush
15. hot shower
16. flexibility
17. vibrant colours
18. sparkling water
19. food tracking app
20. surgeon to help my Dad
21. safe ferry transportation
22. hot tea
23. pen and paper
24. recovery writing by others
25. laughter
1. daylight after a long restless night
ReplyDelete2. happy cat with fresh bag of food
3. sizzling sausage on the stov
4. cold clean water
5. tulips that are lasting beautifully on my table
6. somewhere useful to go today
7. sponsee who prioritized OA over other things for tonight
8. working plumbing
9. new sweet potato recipe
10. abstinence
11. mental clarity even if it's blue
12. love
13. microwave ovens
14. porridge already made in the fridge
15. hunger and the ability to satisfy it
16. friendship
17. safe transportation
18. daydreams
19. candlelight
20. clean food supply
21. antibiotics if needed
22. regeneration, healing
23. opportunity to change
24. time to change
25. life
1. sunlit mornings
ReplyDelete2. successful surgery for my Dad
3. hugs after an OA meeting
4. ability to see relapse differently through a friend
5. hope
6. ability to change
7. flexibility when things don't go quite right
8. hot black tea
9. tulips that last for days
10. bird song
11. a sponsee who vented but then listened
12. unexpected opportunities to grow
13. the scent of rose petals
14. deep breathing
15. "just for today"
16. wisdom in people sharing at the meeting last night
17. helping my parents self-advocate in health care
18. full tank of gas in the car
19. fun of photo bomb pictures
20. petting the cat and hearing her purr
21. warm scarf in blues and green
22. comfort of hand cream
23. opportunity to talk about upsetting things
24. ability to do some work, some clean up
25. peace
1. loving cat
ReplyDelete2. food for me and the cat
3. clean clothes
4. clean water
5. heat for my home
6. text messaging technology to connect with others
7. a sponsee's joy this morning at an amazing day yesterday
8. ability to pray for those I wish had more peace
9. plans to see my young nephew play hockey
10. ability to go see my young nephew play hockey
11. soap
12. contentment
13. acceptance
14. hope
15. quiet
16. beauty (tulips still!)
17. chemical reaction which is cooking
18. cinnamon
19. hot porridge, freshly made
20. privacy
21. freedom
22. Remembrance Day and honouring valour
23. hand cream
24. prescription glasses
25. breath
1. warm clothes
ReplyDelete2. dry coat
3. wool socks
4. hug from a friend
5. smile from a child
6. coming home after a long dark rainy trip
7. seeing things as they are, being sad
8. fun on Instagram
9. the velvet feeling of the cat's tail between my fingers
10. porridge already made and reheating
11. volunteers who made my nephew's hockey tournament possible
12. hot tea
13. fresh bread and butter
14. books and ready access to books
15. music that lifts me higher
16. hot sausages sizzling
17. the scent of fresh lemons
18. working my program
19. testing myself and feeling strong
20. healing
21. caring for others
22. caring for myself
23. service
24. extra raisins
25. a leisurely Sunday morning
1. rain after a storm
ReplyDelete2. love of a good cat
3. technology that allows communication at low cost
4. For Today book from OA
5. morning after a restless night
6. progress
7. accepting progress over perfection
8. old laptop
9. dry home
10. things to do today to give me purpose
11. discipline
12. patience
13. the comfort of prayer
14. falling back asleep when awakened in the middle of the night
15. wind storm clearing out old leaves
16. my body regulating itself despite me sometimes
17. the colour blue against gold
18. warm wool socks
19. fellowship
20. clean cold water
21. hot showers
22. to be useful
23. to be loving
24. to be grateful
25. to be hopeful
1. the scent of fresh rain
ReplyDelete2. the gold glow of fallen leaves on the sidewalk
3. a warm car to travel in
4. porridge cooking
5. anticipating breakfast
6. being able to voice concerns
7. good morning texts
8. purring cat who wants to be picked up
9. black sweet raisins
10. the last of the cinnamon was exactly the 1 tsp I needed
11. hope for a productive day
12. a plan for a productive day
13. a doctor who wants follow up
14. Google / internet research
15. clean dishes and glass
16. telecommunications that are reliable
17. bright pewter gray sky morning with soft rain after a storm
18. interesting podcasts
19. libraries
20. welcoming coffee shop attendants who remember my name
21. clean sheets and pajamas
22. hot showers and shampoo that smells good
23. sun coming out unexpectedly
24. music
25. email
1. hot cinnamon apple raisin porridge
ReplyDelete2. someone who loves me
3. health saving medication
4. a doctor who is pro active
5. clean water
6. a safe room when I can't sleep
7. a 'happy light' for dark mornings
8. my abstinence
9. my home group meeting tonight
10. fragrant black tea
11. new slippers
12. safe public transportation
13. publicly funded health care
14. enthusiastic new member of my home group
15. letting go of anxiety around sponsor who relapsed
16. opportunity to practice humility
17. the love of a good cat
18. warm duvet on a cold morning
19. my literacy
20. art that speaks to my soul
21. sparkling holiday lights
22. faith
23. reason
24. self will
25. loving guidance
1. internet / online news and shopping
ReplyDelete2. friendship
3. sponsor returning to OA after relapse
4. witnessing growth in people in my home meeting
5. prayer
6. freedom to explore faith
7. raisins in my porridge
8. kind tea merchant yesterday
9. day with no medical appointments
10. access to healthy food
11. healthcare
12. creativity
13. feeling heard, seen
14. hair elastics
15. mandarin oranges
16. coloured ink
17. the experience of giving tummy rubs for the cat
18. refocusing myself
19. meditation
20. breathing
21. mint lip balm
22. sunshine after snow
23. hope
24. colour
25. music
1. porridge already made
ReplyDelete2. hot coffee
3. loving cat
4. clean clothes
5. another day to enjoy
6. conversation with my sister
7. medication when I need it
8. pens and paper
9. finally doing a long overdue task
10. sparkling lights
11. bubble wrap
12. new lip balm
13. opportunity to see Inuit art
14. watching in rain while dry inside
15. knowing who is not for me
16. growth
17. my food buddy
18. opportunity to learn more about humility
19. step 7
20. good Greek food last night as a treat
21. proper rain gear
22. faith things will get better
23. prayer
24. podcasts from public radio programs
25. loving guidance
1. warm house
ReplyDelete2. warm bed
3. warm cat
4. functional kitchen
5. steel cut oats
6. sound of workers in the neighbour yards
7. mandarin orange
8. friend who made sure I had Christmas dinner plans
9. ability to laugh at my family's dysfunctions
10. intergroup newsletter at the printer's on time
11. wonderful clerk at the art store
12. six kinds of apples at the grocery store
13. finding mint condition out of print Hardy Boy books for the nephews
14. carpet under my feet
15. ability to cry and then dry my tears
16. rebuilding
17. revisioning
18. friends who stand by me
19. friends who confide in me
20. counsellors who show me insights
21. faith
22. each day a new start
23. fun cat and kitten pictures on Instagram
24. a friend's successful surgery
25. hope
1. this blog
ReplyDelete2. my friends
3. my cat
4. the sunshine this morning
5. fresh snow on the mountains
6. sponsees
7. my food buddy
8. skilled counsellors
9. the opportunity to make mistakes
10. good coffee shops
11. public gardens
12. sunlight through trees
13. moss on rocks growing effortlessly
14. a sweater that makes me feel pretty
15. a reliable car
16. municipal sanitation systems
17. clean drinking water
18. taking a moment to catch my breath
19. something to look forward to
20. hugs
21. laughter
22. being able to let go
23. photography
24. mandarin oranges
25. a nice cup of tea