“Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It’s a mental attitude.It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don’t have.” – 12 Step Prayer Book 

I have had great big moments of unhappiness in my life. I felt alone, unloved and misunderstood often as a child, abandoned as a teenager, devastated upon the death of my mother and later upon that of my little brother. But I have miraculously been able to feel a sense of appreciation from every event in my life, even the ones that initially triggered a feeling of sadness. Unhappiness is as intrinsic to being a human as is the feeling of joy. The gift of the program is that I have learned to reframe everything into gratitude, and as a result, my periods of suffering have become dramatically shortened, allowing me to feel better sooner. And for that ability I shall forever be grateful. ILML! 

– JamieQ