Gratitude and Serenity

When entering Gamblers Anonymous I had no idea that after so many years I would still be attending meetings. My Dad was an inspirational force in my recovery.

He met Gam-Anon members who passed on valuable information about Gamblers Anonymous and the people who are helped by the program. After this meeting, he mentioned that it would be helpful if l attended GA.

To this day, thoughts of my first meeting have always left me with a smile on my face. A woman who had spent time in GA welcomed me with a big hug. l have never forgotten that special moment that made me feel comfortable and welcome at my first meeting.

It’s difficult to take the First Step when attending a meeting for the first time. However, I surrendered to Step 1 and admitted that I was powerless over gambling. We had three potential new members at that meeting. To this day, l have such gratitude to GA. I am unable to put into words all my positive feelings that have followed throughout the years.

GA is a lifetime commitment. I am proud that l have made significant changes in my life. Through this program, I’ve had the opportunity to attend GA conferences all over the United States and Canada. By being an active participant in the program and persevering through good and bad times, I have made a new life for myself.

Many times, when I felt down and out, I continued to go to meeting after meeting. Sometimes it felt like taking medicine but then I would feel so much better. From being “ill at ease” in the early stages of my recovery, I now feel very at ease when speaking at meetings.

Two verses that continue to give me serenity are:

Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

God gave you two ears and one mouth, he meant for you to do twice as much listening as talking!

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