Practicing Gratitude :)

HeadlightsMom

Well-Known Member
Hello all! I haven't been on here in a a while because we've had houseguests and I've just hardly been on the computer at all.

Practicing Gratitude here............. Opportunities to "walk to walk" abound. In easy times and in hard times.

difficult child has gone off the grid again. We didn't see him at Thanksgiving, but we did get a FB message from him. We have had FB contact with him (a couple of vague private messages). We know he's out there, we know he's alive. We do not know where he is or what he's doing. From past experience (and difficult child's own words to my own ears), he hides when he's into drug stuff (or crime stuff). Odds are high that's the case again right now. I'm doing a pretty good job, overall, of not speculating on what all that might mean..... (at least not much...and, if I do, I'm moving out of it more quickly as it just doesn't help anything). Working on only focusing on the moment and what's verifiable.

I'm practicing my end of life differently (no matter how he's practicing his end of life). I'm in charge of my end, he's in charge of his end. So, here's how I see it.....

difficult child was clean and sober (verifiably) for about a month. That was a VERY good month! That month can never be taken from any of us. No matter what today or tomorrow brings (neither of which are verifiable at this point), we will ALWAYS have that month. Although I wish it continued longer, what if we had never had it at all? No, no..........that was a SACRED month and we are thankful for it. And, hey, one never knows what tomorrow brings. If it brings the best........fantastic! If it brings the worst......at least we had that terrific month then, and will always have the memory of it.

Moments and memories matter -- they are what life is built upon.

Now, just for me............ I took up yoga over the last month and am absolutely loving it! Wonderful for mind, body and soul. Mindfulness. Flexibility. Balance. All of these permeate mind, body and soul on many levels. Very refreshing, indeed. In fact, thinkin' I may just dig out my downhill snow skis and give it a whirl again (it's been at least 5 years and I'm overdue)!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving (houseguests were tons of fun!) and greatly looking forward to Christmas! If that includes difficult child (and I hope it will), husband and I have already discussed specific boundaries around it. We're feelin' festive and ready to roll with Christmas season!

Gratitude........... The name of the game. :D
 

GuideMe

Active Member
I'm doing a pretty good job, overall, of not speculating on what all that might mean....
I love this. I never would have known I was doing this if I never joined this forum. I also never would have learned that it's ok NOT to worry and obesses every single second about our children's decisions. Man, it disables me when I do it. I am learning so much. This is a tremendously valuable group. I am so thankful I have stumbled upon it a few months ago.
 

recoveringenabler

Well-Known Member
Staff member
HLM, you're an inspiration! I love reading your posts..........I'm happy for you.........you're doing great..........

Gratitude is definitely the "name of the game." Perfect.

I'm feeling quite a bit of it myself and it is a very good thing. If that adage, "what you focus on expands" is true then it sure is better to be focusing on gratitude as opposed to all the other stuff we could be focusing on. I've found that with practice, after awhile, life slips more readily onto the grateful side and it becomes the natural state of being. I'm loving that.

Let's celebrate!
 

recoveringenabler

Well-Known Member
Staff member
This seems to fit this thread.......

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TearyEyed

Member
In my yoga class the other day, the instructor read a quote about gratitude - "The surest path to misery is to desire what you don't have and ignore what you do have". I have been thinking about that alot and using it as my mantra to practice gratitude:)
 
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