24 Nov Finding Gratitude in Difficult Times by Gary Horejsi
We live in unprecedented times, making it difficult to find things for which to be grateful. However, over the course of the year, I have discovered just how fortunate I truly am. Typically my life moves very fast, and I am often so busy it is hard to stop and enjoy life. I have to be honest, when the world changed overnight, I didn’t like it.
I believe this was because I felt fearful and inconvenienced by the drastic changes taking place. As time passed, I’m aware of the positives that have come about due to this terrible situation. I feel grateful to be forced to slow down and spend more time at home with my wife and eight-year-old daughter. Being tasked with taking a more hands-on approach towards my daughter’s education, ensuring that the tiny human my wife and I created stays safe while continuing to progress healthily. This time has made me aware of how fortunate I am. To have loving relationships, I get to come home to each day, relationships that offer support from experiences I would’ve never expected to have, that many years of education didn’t prepare me for.
I also feel very fortunate to work every day, fighting a public health crisis during another public health crisis. I have never been more aware of the importance of the work we are doing at CRI Help Inc. We provide a safe place for people suffering from substance abuse disorders to get clean and go on to live happy, productive lives. I proudly observe the staff at Socorro who work hard every day to make our client’s treatment experience the best it can be and realize there’s nowhere else I would rather spend my days. As we move into this holiday season, even though things will be far from “normal,” I find peace and gratitude in the love of family and the strength of my coworkers.