GRATITUDE FOR ADVERSITY ~

[janbear]

GRATITUDE FOR ADVERSITY ~

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He was my greatest teacher.
He taught me patience.

The Dalai Lama on Mao Tse Tung

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Whenever I feel downtrodden or disappointed
by the hand that life has dealt me, I often think
of this quote. It moves me beyond speech.
Here was a man who had lost his homeland to
communist China, yet he still had a good thing
to say about the man who started it all. It forces
me to come to a realization that what has
happened to me is peanuts!

Too often I am caught up with feeling sorry for
myself because of my disease, while ignoring
the fact that I am so fortunate to have found
recovery. Sometimes I feel so poor, yet I live
in a large home with a wonderful spouse and
delightful pets. I have a car, and enough food
to eat every day. I have the luxury of obtaining
my degree. Most of all, though I often complain
about how unfair it all is, I am even fortunate to
have an eating disorder. Because it is through
admitting I have a problem that I am beginning
to taste recovery, and it is sweeter than any
binge item. And it has taught me that it is through
our adversities that we learn compassion and patience.

I have to realize that life just isn't fair. If it
were, how
boring it would be! Nothing worthwhile is easy to
obtain,
and that includes recovery. What would it be worth if
there was no effort going into it? Sometimes bad
things
happen, and they are unfortunate. But that's the end
of
it. I cannot make things be the way I want them to be.
I cannot change life. I must accept life on life's
terms,
and learn the art of patience, so well demonstrated by
the above quote. How fortunate that I have the
opportunity to learn these precious skills in the
safety
and security of my own home, with my wonderful
friends, spouse, and my program family!

ONE DAY AT A TIME ...
I will avoid dwelling on the misery that accompanies
hardship. I will develop the willingness to be
grateful
for the opportunity for me to learn compassion and
patience.