As a recovering alcoholic of almost 26 years I know the importance of being grateful.  “A grateful alcoholic is a sober alcoholic”.  This is was what I heard, over and over, early on in my sobriety and it stands true today.

Today I am brimming with gratitude for my life.  Nothing special or out of the ordinary happened today and I didn’t win the power ball last night.  But all the same I wouldn’t trade my life for any other.

I am off today due to issues with my back.  My job has been extremely supportive with my injury, as they have always been with any misfortune that has come my way.  A good job is nothing to take lightly and the goodness is not just measured by how much money you make.  My Home Depot family genuinely cares about my well-being and success in and out of the workplace.  I have spent 19 plus years under their employ and they have always taken care of me.

I have to admit that I am not the best patient and I can be as stubborn as a mule when it comes to asking for help.  I would like to think that I have gotten better in this department but I guess you’d have to defer to my caretaker of the past 5 days of my back being out.  Accepting that I am powerless was another lesson that I learned early in my sobriety.  At that time it was being powerless over alcohol and now powerless over my injury and having to ask for help for things I currently can’t do myself.  Thank goodness for Donna.  She is the best medicine for me, whether I’m injured or not.  Over the past 9 years she has learned the ins and outs of Jenn Kirby.  When to nod in agreement and then just wait until I come to my senses and finally agree with the rational decision she posed in the first place.  To allow me to grow as a person through failure and success all the while being my number one cheerleader, rallying me on.  And if I crash and burn she is the first one there to pick me up after I’ve fallen and encourage me to try again.  Donna makes me a better person and I would be lost without her.

As far as where we live, it’s like being on a permanent vacation.  Living right on the Congaree River is just amazing.  I get to sit back on my patio and watch the folks float down stream in their kayaks and inner tubes.  Or occasionally I’ll see a fly fisherman knee-deep trying to catch the big one.  There are fan boats and boats with small out board motors out on the water.  I always get nervous when the river is very low that they might hit bottom being that there are many large rocks hidden right below the surface of the water.   Then there are the birds, the beautiful birds!  Egrets, swans, seagulls, ducks, etc.  Every time I wake up, open the blinds in my living room and see that river I just sigh to myself and say “How lucky am I”.

So, as you can see I have much to be grateful for this Sunday.  I do hope you all can find what you are thankful for and hold it close to your heart…