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Sample Stories From the Winter 2008 Issue of The
S-Anews©
The Gifts of the Program
Members
share some of the gifts they have
received from the S-Anon program.
Gratitude
Gratitude was the topic of my very first meeting. It seemed an
unbelievably insane topic to me. My life had been turned upside down and I
had nothing to be grateful for. But this is the beauty of S-Anon meetings:
After listening to everyone share, I realized I did have gratitude. Not
much, but I shared I was grateful for my children, my health and my job.
Early in my recovery I chose a sponsor. One of her first suggestions
was that I make a gratitude list. It was too hard for me. But this is the
beauty of the program. After working the program the thoughts of gratitude
just come to me.
Today, I use gratitude as a measure of my program. If thoughts of
gratitude don’t appear, I know I am not in tune with program principles. I
need to review my day…. to get my gratitude back!
Messengers
Just for today, when I think about gratitude the first thing that comes
to mind is how grateful I am for all the people who have helped me-- even
when I didn’t know it at the time. The list begins with my parents and
siblings, teachers, friends, partners, sponsors, spiritual friends in the
program--and the list goes on.
I am a person who came late to the awareness that my Higher Power
speaks to me through other people. True, I allowed some people into my
life who were not able to be affirming, and who, at the time, did not seem
to help me to advance. My new reality, however, is that since I have been
doing my best to apply the principles of the Twelve Steps to my life, and
practicing the Eleventh Step through prayer and meditation, I feel more
able to accept the positive messages my Higher Power is giving me through
others.
Today I am grateful for the willingness of others to be honest and
direct, and for my growing ability to consider their perspectives--rather
than “perceiving personal criticism as a threat.” Strangely, it is
especially hard for me when these “messengers” say nice things to me! Are
they just flattering me for some reason and trying to get something from
me?
I don’t believe that any more. Today, I take the kind comments of
others to mean that my Higher Power loves me just as I am, and when I am
open to my Higher Power’s love as expressed through others, I feel
surrounded by it!
S-Anews Archives for 2008
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