There’s one topic we’re all very familiar with.
I’ll go out on a limb and proclaim it AA’s most frequently discussed, and most popular topic:
I’m talking about Gratitude, of course.
It never fails. If a chairperson is at a loss, and casting about for a topic, I’ll bet you dollars to donuts Gratitude will wind up filling the bill.
You’ve no doubt noticed an interesting phenomenon that occurs every year:
The frequency of Gratitude meetings spikes during the holidays.
I’ve sat through tons Gratitude meetings, and I boldly predict I’ll sit through tons more (it’s not like it’s a hardship, or anything).
I have a theory as to why it’s the most popular topic:
We’ve all experienced tragic loss, bitter disappointment and the desperate panic of going through life without knowing what’s going to happen.
When someone else is in a crisis, I can clearly see that God will never let them down, and everything will be okay. But when I’M in the middle of the same type of thing,a veil comes down, a wall comes up, and I’m gripped with panic..
My learning curve is seriously compromised, because you’d think I should know this stuff by now.
But I digress. . .
We all know what it’s like to be beaten and bludgeoned into a state of reasonableness.
And we know what it’s like to be stripped of things we hold most dear. We’ve all endured the crucible of our own private hell and emerged stronger and wiser.
The worst, most unthinkably tragic experiences I’ve gone through have actually proven to be growth opportunities.
God doth have a sense of humor.
Attitude isn’t everything. . .
Attitude is the only thing.
Gratitude isn’t one of those things you just kind of mull over when the mood hits. It has to be a permanent frame of thought and a dominating force in your mindset.
In short, you need to unlearn all the…stuff you’ve been living with all this time. That kind of change is downright inconvenient, but I promise the dividends are worth it.
I now recognize how I’ve created so many of my own problems, sabotaged opportunities, alienated people, and squandered so much time & money – all because of a lousy attitude.
Teddy Roosevelt said it best:
“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.”
Here’s the TAKEAWAY:
I always got a perverse and comfortable satisfaction out of ignoring my assets and blessings. It was easier to focus on liabilities, pitfalls, and what I perceived as the faults of others. It was so much more convenient to feel sorry for myself, wallow in anger, and point the finger of blame.
Pity Parties are useless: very few people show up, and those that do don’t bring gifts.
Living the steps has ruined all that for me.
Do this stuff long enough, it becomes a part of you. Kind of like Laurence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate…but in a good way.
They’ve taught me to move forward and focus on the good stuff: to hold myself accountable, live in the solution, and be grateful. After all, a grateful heart will not drink again.
And that’s why it’s the most popular topic.