16 years of magic
Sobriety is a difficult problem that demands counterintuitive or psycho-logical thinking
Today marks 16 years since having my last alcoholic drink.
16 years sober — I suppose.
I used to do harder drugs but stopped using those maybe 17 years ago. I frankly don’t remember the day.
The last day I drank was quite unremarkable. In fact, no one around me knew that I was actually violating probation by drinking.
My mind was not made up yet.
The more eventful moment came a few weeks later when I woke up in the fetal position on the floor of my kitchen.
I don’t know how I got there. But I knew why I was there.
That was my day of surrender.
I was not surrendering to not drinking — I was surrendering to living.
When I explain this to people today, especially sober people or people in recovery, I get quizzical looks. I also get reprimanded — directly and indirectly.
Many roll their eyes. Some say “whatever.” And others proclaim, “Okay, keep telling yourself that lie.”
For these people, the only logical connection to my life today and my life before my last drink was the drink.
