Tuesday Morning Ramblings – Thankful #2

I’m thankful for my sobriety.  There was a stretch of my life when drugs and alcohol controlled me, and if not for the touch of grace, I would not be here typing this entry.  That may sound hokey to some, but for me it’s very real.  Maintaining sobriety is a challenge, especially when stress and pressure get very high, yet I’m grateful for the strength to control that demon.

There was a seven or eight month period right after my divorce when I lost control and allowed myself to be weak.  I drank heavily and often during that time, and I’m ashamed of that weakness.  However, I was able to recognize that I was descending back into a place where I didn’t want to be, and I retook control of myself.  I’m a much happier person sober than I’ve ever been drunk and high.

I hope this post doesn’t come across as preachy or judgmental because that is not the intent.  I don’t judge other people for what they do, and I myself enjoy drinking a cold beer at the end of a long week.  I simply no longer drink cold beers until I am hammered.  For me, at this point of my life, I am thankful for the strength to maintain my sobriety from one day to the next.

Monday Morning Ramblings – Thankful #1

My birthday falls on Thanksgiving this year (anyone looking for a last minute gift, cash or gift cards to the Home Depot are welcome), and to celebrate, I’m going to reprise something for the blog that many of us did on Facebook last year.  Each day, I will center my blog around something in my life I am thankful for.  In this manner, I will attempt to be more grateful for the many blessings in my life.  Hopefully, this series will provide a little positivity and inspiration to your day.

I’m thankful for all the times in my life that I’ve stumbled and fallen.  From each failure, I’ve learned a valuable lesson, and these moments have made me the person I am today.  From my failures, I’ve learned humility, and from humility, I’ve learned compassion.  I’m grateful to be the kind of man who cares about other people and their lives, instead of a predator who looks for opportunities to mistreat my fellow man, and I like who I am on this first day of November 2010.

From my failures, I’ve also learned to appreciate my successes more deeply.  I have always been my own worst critic, but as I’m maturing a little, I’m learning to appreciate my good points, and hopefully not in a vain, egotistical manner, either.  I simply now recognize that I have accomplished a lot in my life, and even though I’m not financially where I want to be or as established in my career as I would’ve liked, I’ve come a long way from where I started.  Without the stumbles, I might not be able to see this.

Finally, my failures have given me strength.  Each time I’ve hit I’ve ground, I’ve had to look deep inside to find something to help me get back up, and each time, I’ve found a piece of myself that I hadn’t seen before.  Without having gone through the failures, I wouldn’t know what’s inside, so I am thankful for all of the moments in my life where I have been knocked down because they have given me the strength to stand.

Halloween Ramblings

Happy Halloween to all my friends and readers, and you too, Dagan.  I had planned on writing this elaborate, humorous blog about the five funniest scary moments of my life, but grading got the better of me.  My brain is just too much mush to write much of anything.

However, I have a very special series of blogs planned for November, so please check back tomorrow for the first entry of the series.  Until then, everyone have a great night and enjoy the time with your kids.  I love you Collin and Finn, and I miss you on this day much more than most.  Happy Halloween.

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