(Smiles) I just read your profile. Have you checked out The Toledo Zen Center? It's a great site. And they have fantastic free podcasts.
Have a great day.

Gratitude is one of the most important tools and one of the first lessons I learned in early recovery. It is also a tool I am reminded often that I must incorporate it into my daily living program if I am to reap the awesome and abundant rewards it has to offer.
I believe it is a Law of The Universe. I believe this because of how it functions in my life and the lives of others who employ it. The benefits are never ending & the results can be seen across the entirety in the quality of my life experience when I choose to remember to use it.
I had an experience in early few years of recovery where it was made perfectly clear what a simple thank you to God, Universe, Higher Power, Energies That Be, or whatever you have come to believe in will produce.
I needed to get from Utah to the Plumas Nat'l Forest in the No. Sierra Mountains where my Mom's mom, Nana, lived and where my mom was born, raised & is buried. Nana was going into hospital for pacemaker work and I wasn't sure how well she would do being in her late 70's.
I had no funds or way to accomplish this trip, but in my heart of hearts I new it was important to get there.
The miracles began with my ex-husband offering paid for flights to and back from the San Fransisco Bay area. My father who lived in Oakland area offered his credit card to get rental car and gasoline to drive up the mountain. ( The father's offering was nothing short of a huge miracle)
I rented a little clunker car from a place called 'Steve's Bait & Tackle'
in Tracy Calif. attempting to save my dad some monies.
Car, full tank of fuel, and a map I headed up the mountain.
The childhood memories of the trip and all the old landmarks still there along the way was euphoric. I felt good knowing I was going up to & through my families history sober this time.
I did some serious grief recovery work at my moms little church and grave site. Spent time with my Nana and caught her up with where life had taken me and how well I was doing now.

All went well until I headed back down the Feather River Canyon.

The little car kept dying for no real reason every mile or so all the way down the canyon. I stopped at a station and asked for help, the mechanic found nothing wrong and on my way I went. Again the car stopped dead on side of road over and over and over again.

I was in the Wine Country outside of Marysville, on a 2 lane road with farm houses scattered every few miles and the sun setting quickly. I was frustrated and getting frightened at the prospect of being stuck out in the middle of no where in the dark.
Sitting on what side of the road there was, car dead again, head in my hands tired and confused, crying I asked God what the heck am I doing wrong? I thought I was doing what I was suppose to and I didn't understand what I was missing.
"What the heck am I missing?" I screamed, hitting the steering wheel?? What? What? What?
I had done the recovery work on the mountain, I had loved my Nana and showed up for her when she had no one else. I had thanked my ex, & my Dad profusely for their generosity in helping me get there and back home.

It suddenly dawned on me I hadn't thanked the Biggest helper of all, the One who orchestrated all that had happened. I sat there and sobbed telling my Higher Power how sorry I was and how rude and full of EGO and how self centered I had been to not thank Him for this huge Blessing in my life. There had been no way I could have gone to see Nana without the reason, or the many people along the way who made it all happen. I said thank you over & over again and expressed my appreciation at all I had just experienced going through it all moment by moment in my mind and really feeling so lucky, so blessed to have been able to have made this trip.

The little car started up and ran smooth as a baby's bum all the rest of the trip.
I still forget too often but I remember at least twice a day when I rise in the am and when I retire at night I can and do then tell The Greatest Power in my life, Thank you. Thanks Uncle Billy for the post to remind me what I need to focus upon now and always.
In Love Light truth & Service
Stubborn TerrieAnn

That was a beautiful story TerrieAnn. Thanks for sharing. I was about to start having a pity party for myself until I read your post.

G'Day Billy.

Thanks for the post. There are many reasons for me to be grateful today..And They all help to keep me sober a day at a time.

Here is a list of 20 Little Attitudes of Gratitude I found on the net a few years back which I like. Not to do with recovery but could do.

God Bless...

Lionel.

20 Little Attitudes of Gratitude

1. Mind your manners. Say please, thank you and excuse me.
2. Smile when you see your family. Turn your frown upside down.
3. Pick up after yourself.
4. Notice when others do kind things for you, show gratitude by action or words.
5. Say I love you before going to bed.
6. Give hugs daily.
7. Dont worry about tomorrow. Focus on what you are happy about today.
8. Create gratitude journals to keep track of daily blessings.
9. Show thankfulness for even the little things others do for you.
10. Leave love notes in unexpected places like lunch boxes and under pillows.
11. Encourage someone with a compliment.
12. Verbalise what you are grateful for when you feel like complaining about life.
13. Keep a basket of small slips of paper on the table. Write notes of thankfulness during the week and read them to each other during a family meal.
14. Remember to thank God for blessings each day.
15. Surprise your family (or friends) with little gifts or treats to show you thought of them.
16. No grumbling about minor annoyances around the house.
17. Do special things to cherish time with your family. You never know what tomorrow will bring.
18. Reflect on happy memories regularly. Make inspiration boards of special times.
19. Help someone out without them having to ask you. Watch for someone in need.
20. When you are doing household chores, be grateful you have a home to clean.

Thanks Billy good reminder I have reason to remember this today
Visited my sister on saturday who is again stuck in active alcoholism
I Did all I could but of course I can't change her
I am so thankfull Today i am in recovery and hope &pray she may find it soon