I encourage you to list things that make you feel happy. Cause I think we could use to divulge a bit more of the things that we enjoy doing.
So says the end of Wizbang’s blog post.
I woke up this morning and started the coffee pot. Having the coffee finish, pouring a cup and then finding a place to go drink that first cup is a singular pleasure I get to enjoy just about every day. I mention this first as I am sitting here now drinking that first cup of the day. Good morning!
My wife is a joy. It took me much long than most to get married, and the wait was well worth it. Sure our commitment to be joined in marriage is relatively new – 7 months – but it just seems so incredible to be married, and to be married to her. I marvel at the fact that she is part of my life today.
My adopted cat (by marriage). A very strange bird, this cat controls me like he is royalty. He likes to drink from the faucet in the tub, so when he gets in there and meows I choose to go in there and turn on the spigot for him. There are not a huge number of things like this but I do cater to a lot of his whims and wishes. He has trained me well and I do enjoy having him around.
The chance and ability I have to to get out in, and experience, nature. I could write a book about that one. This has been such an important part of my sober life and my spiritual well being. I was out in the snow covered woods this past weekend. First time in awhile, and like finding a favorite shirt that has been lost, putting on the woods was once again the transformational experience it always is. Why do I live in the city (life is complicated!) and why do I not get out in the woods more?
My back is screwed up but I can be happy that I have at least recovered enough that I can do what I can do today. I can get quite pissed about how this part of my life is, as I’m still not well, but I have memories of things being a lot worse. Sometimes that is accompanied by stinking thinking (will this ever get better?). On the flip side there are plenty of times I am happy when I tie my shoes, as it makes me glad I am at least able to do this again.
My families. Good and bad, my new family and the old, the quirky and the inspiring. I just wanted to be left alone when I was drinking. It is a testament to how bad of an illness alcoholism is that it was leading me to not want to have anything to do with people, including my family. I seriously would not give up the hardest times I still have with some family members today. Even those difficult relationships I recognize to be blessings and see there is still plenty of love there. And the good relationships I have. Well, they are precious. I even indirectly love how AA mends family relationships. Sponsees that reconcile with their family, and that share with me what that means to them, can bring me to tears. It is humbling to have allowed God to have given me an opportunity to play a part in such things coming to pass.
Walking. I am supposed to walk to help out my back. This is like, being sober and knowing you have to be a part of AA. I do need to (often) force myself to get out and walk but I do consider this medical “need” a wonderful prescription.
Books. The internet. Information. I have been a reader ever since I can remember. I can recall when I was eight years old staying up late, after everyone else had gone to bed, and reading through part of the night. I still do that today. Books can be a form of escape but I am also naturally curious. Reading can bring so many different ideas and perspectives to me. What a blessing to live in the information age where there is so much to read.
Not being stressed and not living in fear. I have to admit that I used to be a lot better at this in times past. I need to work harder to have this be a more dominant state. Even thought it comes and goes, it does make me very happy to have that perspective when it does come.
Not writing regularly on this blog. This may seem strange. Let me explain. I often get an urge or notion that I “should” both make a commitment and get working on posting regularly to this blog. I have a lot of ideas about this, why it would be good for me, how I could potentially try and be more helpful by sharing more, etc. In reality I love being able to just write a few posts every month. Sometimes I get an urge to do a bit more, and that is fine when I am truly moved or otherwise need to get some stuff written down here. Yet I do not need the pressure of another regular task to get done at this point in my life. That tension, of creating a bit more stuff I think I need to do, always comes up when I feel like making some push to make myself write more. I could do more but that would just not be right at this time. So I write like I do, posting irregularly, but it works for me (hopefully the one or two people that might have read something on this blog find this and understand!).
So this is just a few things that make me happy, with some not so short explanations of why this is so. I feel happier for having written this, of course!
Wishing you all the best in sobriety,
AA Blogger