Finding gratitude is reason enough to celebrate
I often wait until after all the Journey stories are written and the magazine is laid out and almost ready for the printer before writing this letter. I like seeing everything as a whole before deciding what to say, so it’s usually the last thing that gets done for each issue.
That’s OK when life is relatively calm and I can soak in the goodness from our writers and the intentions of what we’ve created for you as a basis for my letter.
But this time, as we get ready to go to print with our Celebrations issue, I wasn’t feeling celebratory in any way, so it felt daunting. But then as I sat here pondering, it struck me as somehow fitting – I mean, isn’t that the way life can be? Especially during the holiday season?
My last few days have been a combination of stress, anxiety, sadness, confusion, acceptance – and gratitude. I’ve had a real “in your face” reminder of just how incredibly powerful addiction can be and the utterly devastating effect it can have on the human body.
Even in these darker days, though, I’ve recognized moments – even a couple moments stacked together – when I’ve been able to feel grateful. Grateful that I can show up today for a friend, grateful that I have a loving, supportive circle of people in my life – my husband, mother, sister, adult children, friends and the Journey team.
Being able to pause and recognize such moments of gratitude is a big damn deal! Today, what I can celebrate is knowing that finding gratitude in moments of chaos is only by the grace of something outside of myself. And that makes me feel loved.
So, dear reader, if you find yourself feeling some holiday stress or are in the midst of chaos, I wish for you to find moments (and stacked moments) of gratitude so that you, too, will be able to celebrate the recognition that we are not alone – and we are loved.
Sober sister hugs,
Carolyn Delaney, Publisher
