SOBER THOUGHTS
Friday Dec. 7, 2018
I write about sobriety on this day each year. I often reference my drinking career and winning the booze battle in talks I give. I’m often asked why, whether a mission, care for cause or just chest-thumping Each of those to some degree, but mostly to inform. I’ve learned over time that talking out loud about a subject most people avoid sometimes helps someone. Maybe today’s message will help another someone with a problem, or help someone dealing with an alcoholic. If someone wants to talk, if I can help, I will. Just call.
Most people know a bit about alcoholism – but I’ve found most people know very little, which includes many people living ‘up close and personal’ with friends, partners and colleagues who are deeply in trouble with booze.
Each year and every single day I am reminded that my sobriety doesn’t produce brilliance, success or stability of any kind, it just keeps me alive.
Any date on the calendar is just another revolution of the earth. That we assign number or dates seems to serve only one purpose – so that we can remember dates. And remember this one. This date in 1986 was just the same as any other December 7th except it was the day I quit drinking, the day I reversed course – from the path toward death and back on the life journey, a toward journey.
Like oxygen to someone on a tank, like insulin to a diabetic – I can’t live without it. Getting sober doesn’t solve alcoholism or fix your life – it simply gets you sober, and if you are sober you can keep on living …
