Thanks Giving

Whether or not, you live in the U. S. which is celebrating its national holiday of Thanksgiving today, the Fall which is harvest time is a great time of the year to think about what you are grateful for in your life.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two times of the year that I usually spend more time with family. Thanksgiving I spend with my inherited family---my inlaws. I love everyone of them and appreciate that they accepted me into their lives 37 years ago when I married into their family. I especially love and like my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law who I have so much in common with. They bless my life with their love and friendship.

This week I am giving thanks for the many friendships that have blessed my life. Some of those friendships are very old and some are very new. Some are online. The computer has opened up my world to an incredible degree. I have many things to be grateful for in my life. Remembering those people and situations makes my life more joyful. How you choose to live your life really begins with your attitude.

No matter where you live, make sure that you go through today with an attitude of gratitude. Have a glorious day of Thanks Giving. You life will be better for it. Thank you for being a part of my life.
Patricia

Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse: November, 2009

November 19 was World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse. It was also the day that Marj aka Thriver posted the "Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse: November, 2009" on her blog Survivors Can Thrive. My previous article "Calm" is featured in this Blog Carnival along with 34 other articles.

Marj aka Thriver is the organizer as well as this month's host for the Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse. I very much appreciate the work and time that Marj puts into running this Blog Carnival.

You can find this month's "Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse: November, 2009" at the following link:

http://survivorscanthrive.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-carnival-against-child-abuse.html

I hope that you will follow me to this link and read all of the articles that were submitted this month. If you are an abuse survivor, I warn you that some of the articles may be triggering for you. Marj has the following words at the beginning of the article:

"TRIGGER WARNING Child Abuse is an horrific reality in our world today. Understandably, reading articles about the abuse of children can be triggering. Please take appropriate care while perusing the carnival."

Prevention of child abuse is the topic for this month's Carnival. Thank you Marj for hosting this month's Carnival.
Patricia

Calm

I don't really have a lot to share today. I just wanted to let you know that for the past two weeks I have been in a place of calm. I told my Al-Anon sponsor the same thing in our talk on the phone yesterday. She told me that, knowing me, she knew that I wasn't running away or ignoring any major issues. That acknowledgment by her felt good. I am just in a place of calm, not the calm before the storm that I used to imagine it as, but a place of real calm. No issues are disturbing me right now. It is a time of rest and renewal of my energy and emotional health. Breaks are good for you when you are a survivor. You can't always be working on your issues. There is a whole other world to explore and other people to enjoy contact with. I no longer feel guilty for the breaks that I sometimes take. I deserve the time off to enjoy life. So do you.

During this break, I am still going to my Al-Anon meeting and my Grief class. Even they haven't brought up any issues for me the past two weeks. I know that could change later today or even tomorrow and I could be back in full growth/moving forward mode again. Until then I will enjoy the fiction books that I am reading, the movies that I have been watching and any other type of play that comes my way. Part of my journey means enjoying the breaks when they come along. All of life doesn't have to be hard. Enjoy.
Patricia