“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” Karl Barth I have been remembering joy—the exuberance of youth, the thrill of nature’s beauty, the energy of feeling connected. I have missed joy, her delight with both the spectacular and the ordinary. Anxiety, fear, and doom have permeated the last several years. They roll in like a …
The word “service” doesn’t appear anywhere in the Twelve Steps. Yet, it is a highly respected hallmark of this widespread approach to recovery. Hang around where Twelve Steppers gather, and you’ll likely hear “Thank you for your service” buzzing in the air. Service looks different for each person in a Twelve Step program, ranging from …
We are approaching the traditional time of year when we give gratitude for what we have in our lives. Given the last couple of years, you might be forgiven for thinking, “What do I have to be grateful for? How can I be happy as the pandemic continues to rage?” In a chaotic, consumer-driven, unpredictable …
The Phoenix · In Gratitude “The root of joy is gratefulness…It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” ― Brother David Steindl-Rast I enter this season of gratitude—starting with the Thanksgiving holiday followed by our various spiritual celebrations of hope—with much for which to be grateful. I recognize a cornucopia …
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” — Parker Palmer Retreats. I usually schedule retreat dates with care, finding calendar space with little disruption to my life. I aim for a good chance of pleasant weather–Arizona in January, …
“Our life begins to end the day we stop being grateful.” -Anonymous It’s that time of year when many of us gather with loved ones intending to give thanks. We experience tender moments with family or at least what we hope will be tender moments. Too often we’ve become disappointed as the actual closeness with …
“Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.” Albert Schweitzer I am happy to report that after much searching I have at long last found the key to happiness. Well at least I’ve unlocked my personal definition of contentment and I’m happy to share it. It wasn’t long ago I believed happiness …
Volunteering is like a happiness pill. At least that’s true for Ruth, a recovering addict who lives at Knollwood Place, an apartment building for older adults in St. Louis Park. Ruth likes going to what she calls her “happy place” — helping others living in the building with recreational outings, special lunches, and other activities. …
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill Some might say that giving unconditionally is the path of true abundance. Stepping beyond our self-interest and thinking of others is a gift in and of itself, especially for those in recovery. It is not only …
A recent night on the town found me next to the bars of yesteryear, at the Orpheum Theatre’s staging of Beautiful, a “jukebox musical” highlighting Carole King’s prolific songwriting and singing career. Before long, I was transported to the green shag rug and purple and blue stereo of my junior high school days, and the …
