Here's a thanksgiving real story from the life of Ruth:

It was cold today in Minnesota, but not the bone chilling two-digit below zero weather we often have. I had to run to the store and pick up a few things as the stores will be closed tomorrow for Thanksgiving. I will be home alone with myself, not by myself, which is a wonderful distinction I recently learned. I planned to celebrate and have a marvelous day of thanksgiving. I parked far from the store's door as the lot was quite full. As I got closer, I saw a man, dressed in a red apron, jeans, a stocking cap, and a winter coat, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. He was in his 30's, tall, reddish blonde beard and quite good looking. I always wondered how many hours the bell ringers stood outside in all sorts of weather to collect for charity. So I stopped and asked, "Hi, how many hours a day do you do this?" He answered, "Sometimes 8 hours and even sometimes 12 hours," he said. He rambled, speaking slowly, and I began to detect he was slightly retarded. I listened for about five minutes as he told me all about this important job he did, how sometimes drivers unfamiliar with the city couldn't find him, and he would be left there for the next driver's round. I thanked him for doing this special job to help others, and I put $1 in his bucket.

As I shopped, my mind thought about him outside. Ringing that bell, saying thank you to passers-by so many times as they donated. I couldn't stand out in a Minnesota winter for 12 hours at a time and collect money. My knees couldn't take it, and it gets so cold. Wow, what a job! So, as I shopped, I picked up a big package of Christmas cookies made at the store, an almost homemade treat. I asked if they had hot chocolate, but they didn't. I had them bag the cookies separately, telling the checkout kids this was for the bell ringer outside. They looked surprised, then seemed to ponder for a minute. I asked them if they had seen the movie "Pay It Forward," or knew of Random Acts of Kindness? They shook their heads, one yes and one no. They were good kids, and I enjoyed them as I checked out. I think I and many others often don't see people like the bell ringer or appreciate what they give to the world. This person, doing this wonderful job to give to others, a person most likely in need himself, becomes invisible as shoppers pass him going in or out of the store. We see bell ringers every year, and they become a fixture like Christmas decorations. We get so wrapped up in our lives that it's easy to maybe throw some change in the bucket and just walk by. We forget this is a real person.

When I walked outside pushing my cart, I stopped by him and asked, "Do you like cookies?" He smiled a big smile, that kind that comes with a child-like innocence so often seen in those that are disabled, and said "Yes, I do." I handed him the bag of cookies and said, "These are for you." He looked at me, confused, said "thank you" and began to follow me as I pushed my cart toward my car. I stopped and looked at him with a questioning look. He said, "My name is Marvin, what's yours?" I told him my name is Ruth. He said, "I don't know what to say." I told him, "You said it all, Marvin, when you said thanks. And thank you again for doing this very important job you do, you are truly a special man. And have a wonderful holiday!" I then began to walk to my car, looked back, and saw him wave, then turn around and go back to his post. I nearly began to cry, because the gift I got from this man was truly far bigger than the cookies I gave to him. I understood the gift of giving maybe for the first time in my life.

My church recently did a series in which we studied a chapter a week out of Deepak Choprah's book "The Seven Laws of Spiritual Success." Our pastor gave a lesson on the applicable law each week. The second law of spiritual success is The Law of Giving, also known as The Law of Giving and Receiving. Choprah believes "the universe operates through dynamic exchange." He says that "you must give and receive to keep wealth and affluence or anything else you want in your life circulating in your life." To practice the Law of Giving, Choprah recommends that "If you want joy, give joy to others, if you want love, learn to love, want attention and appreciation, learn to give attention and appreciation, material affluence, help others become materially affluent . . . Make a decision to give wherever you go. As long as you are giving you will be receiving." For those of you who wonder how do you know you are giving like this and or giving as codependents, I've asked myself that same question. I was quite confused. But as I grew in recovery, I began to know the difference. In my disease, it seemed that all I did was give and that I was a doormat. I gave so much and hurt so much. How could I give as Deepak Choprah recommended without being codependent? I just didn't understand. But the difference is that I am not giving to get back from that person.

I'm not looking for validation, approval, some sort of response or action. I am not trying to buy or earn love or fix someone's life. My intent is simply to give and go on, to take a minute and recognize another human being on this earth. I am giving from my heart. I am guided to give and feel drawn to give. It is different. It feels different, and I know the difference when I am giving codependently and when I am giving from the heart. Most importantly, I am learning to trust in God for my abundance and not look to others for it, and not to hoard because I am worried I will not have enough. Even though I gave today, I also received wonderful presents, far greater than I gave. The minutes I took to listen to this man tell me of his job, to know that he mattered to someone if just for a minute, the innocent smile and the bit of confusion on his face were the best gifts I've gotten in many years. And best of all, I learned the Law of Giving today, what it really means to receive by giving. I have much to be thankful for on this eve of giving thanks.

Ruth

Dear Friends,

Today Spirit is reminding me to stop and check in and have an attitude of GRATITUDE.

It is funny. I used to circle the parking lots trying to get as close as possible to the door and get a little miffed at rows of empty slots with those little blue signs, and those mommy-to-be signs, and those moms with sick kids signs that Wal Mart now has. But lately, I drive past those slots and give thanks to HP that my kids are healthy, that I don't have a need for a handicapped parking space, and that I can now handle the distance from my car to the store entrance with relative ease. What a difference an attitude of gratitude makes! So tonight's writing will be a small sampling of things I have to be grateful for.

My family's needs are met and exceeded by HP. We have shelter, food, clothing,
transportation and education. These needs are not merely met but are abundantly met.
My husband has a job he enjoys and that takes care of our family.
My children are healthy and happy.
My kitties, who delight me with lap time and sleep with me when Ben is away
My body lets me experience my life, hug my kids, see the sun, feel the wind, taste, hear, touch.
Heater and air conditioner both work.
My Mom is becoming very supportive and I am letting her. We have had great healing
in our relationship.
My willingness to change, to be honest with what is, and to risk
Frozen dinners
My computer
My cyber friends
My f2f friends
Massages
My kids scratching my back for me
My brother is turning into a friend.
My opportunity to go to college
My intelligence
My hair
My hands that do so much
Microwave ovens
The YMCA
The telephone
Trees
Rain
HP listens to me
I listen to HP
I got a sponsor to work with me online while HP gets my new one ready for me.
A warm comfortable bed to sleep in
Indoor plumbing
Washing machines and dryers
Wrinkle resistant fabrics
Remote controls
And more..... May your day be filled with love and abstinence!
Love and Light,

Janet H. in KS

For many years I have lived hidden behind a wall of shame camouflaged behind a wall of COE. Each year, as the abuse continued, my self esteem dwindled a little more. Then one day I woke up and decided life wasn't worth living. I found OA that day by chance. I was listening to the news, and OA was mentioned. Suicide was put aside as I went to the yellow pages to look up this thing called OA. I found it and called, and was sent a meeting list. I went to a meeting. I heard hope and love and kindness in that meeting, as well as identifying with everyone. I discovered I had an illness that was fatal unless I did certain things. Well I knew it was fatal! After all, I had come to the point of wanting to die. So I purchased the BB and the 12 & 12, and received the outstretched hands of others welcoming me home. HOME? I didn't have a home, but all of a sudden I had a wonderful warm home. These wonderful people told me that God could solve everything if I would just seek to have a personal relationship with God and give that God of my understanding my will.

So I started searching all over for this HP. I looked for it in my house, in my family, in my place of worship, in meetings, but couldn't find HP until I looked within. I found God was with me all along, I had just forgotten how to find God, I had ignored God. So I asked God if what these people were telling me was true, that I was loved and worthy of being loved, and I was told yes. Then this God of my understanding took me in His/Her arms and held me. That was the start of true recovery for me - getting back in touch with this wonderful power that was greater than me.

Now I have come eight years down this road and have grown to trust this God of my understanding. It was a slow process, but it brought me here. I am now a participant in this play. I am living a life that is directed by a loving HP. I now have a large family of choice who can provide all the ESH I require, because God is in them too. I am never alone, there is always someone somewhere who is extending a hand to me, or I to them. So fellow COEs, thank you for making this a season of gratitude.

Love and Hugs, J

Dear Loopies,

I am very grateful first of all for my relationship with my HP, and for the Program that has enhanced it.
I am grateful for my two children.
I am grateful for both of my jobs, each of which give me more than money.
I am grateful for my sponsor, and for other loyal friends.
I am grateful for music, which makes any day better.

Blessings,
Donna

I have so many things to be grateful for. First and foremost, I am thankful that I am sober
and abstinent today. Now for my list:

I am thankful for:
-my husband, who is loving and understanding as well as supportive
-my son, whom I love very much
-my beagle, she is a little love bug :-)
-being able to paint
-living in an RV
-being warm vs. freezing up north
-healthy food to eat
-meetings online
-AA meetings
-my most excellent relationship with my father
-my computer
-the ability to share Reiki healing with people
-learning EFT(emotional freedom techniques),
    (which is helping me to go off of the medications I have been living on)
-my parakeet
-that I am NOT Al Gore or George W. Bush :-)
-the freedom to choose what to believe
-not having long term health problems from my previous addictive behaviors
-a nice warm bed with two snuggle bunnies waiting for me (Bobby and Molly Beagle)
-living in America
-not being abused anymore
-being alive to see another day

And last and definitely most importantly:
-My higher power without whom I could have none of these things, who keeps me sober and abstinent one day at a time.

Love and happy thanksgiving to you all,
Steph

I've learned a lot lately. One thing is that when I give my HP more control of me, I get a lot farther down the road of recovery. I love 'hearing' from those who are further along in recovery. It gives me insight as to what it is like to succeed, and I draw into their shadow and get a jump start into my own success. I don't feel alone in my journey. I don't get to go to many f2f meetings, so online talking/listening is important. There used to be a commercial, YOU CAN'T FOOL MOTHER NATURE. Well, we can't fool anyone. I've learned to live ONE DAY AT A TIME, in the now, not in the past or the future, in the now.

May we all get where we are going, one more day down the road.

MICKIE (COE)

It has been suggested we write about the things we are thankful for and the word change keeps rattling around my mind. A long time ago, in a meeting far, far away, a very smart lady told a room full of compulsive slightly large people that we were about to embark on a journey of 12 very simple steps. Each of these steps taken in order would compel us to in some way change or be left alone in our misery. How right she was, and her words are as true today as they were on that cold February night in 1975.

Did they sink in immediately, naw, took some time, about twenty or so years, and still from time to time they are either forgotten or ignored. Even change can be changed until it is changed again. Yesterday's change just might not fit today's needs, and if so must be changed again. The only constants in this process are the 12 steps, along with the Big Book.

Step one insists I admit my weakness over food, people, places, things and situations. An admission that my entire life was headed down the nearest commode. . . . Looking back, this was and is some big change from the attitude of "I shall fear no evil for I am the meanest son of a bitch in the valley." Big change.

Step two: I came to believe in a power greater than me. Read above. I also was asked to believe this power could restore me to sanity. Actually, this was not a big change as I knew I was nuts and was comfortable as such. But more change in just believing. I fought this change thing for years until circumstances forced me to take step three. I found out that God was alive and well and He was not me. Surrender, ugh!! Big, big nasty change.

Do it or die, said my not too gentle sponsor, it's time to, yep, you guessed it, change. This is what I'm thankful for on this eve of my favorite holiday. Change.

Yes I'm grateful for family, friends, loopies, newcomers, even the folks I dislike. I'm grateful for being alive for one more glorious day, for the love all of you display for each other every day. I am grateful for life which happens to be full of, yep, change.

AND WHY NOT.... Danny

These are the things I am grateful for:

Three friends with whom I can laugh.
An extraordinary platonic friendship with a man I respect a lot.
My dog, who has taught me everything I know about love.
My three cats, who love me unconditionally.
These loops, and all of you wonderful people, with whom I can share all the stuff I've kept stuffed down with food and other compulsive behaviors.
A cold, sunny morning.
A break from work.
Having enough.
My sisters, who are always there for me.
The program, and a strong belief in the HP of my understanding.
My new therapist, and my new therapy group.
My former therapist, who saved my live.
Again, and again, and again, my dog.

Love, S.