I hear you. I thought that I was going to have my first drink in many months last night but did not. It felt good to be able to exhibit self-control when it feels like you have so little control about so many things.
It is not the world saying that. It is the INSIDIOUS “voices” telling you the “tales” WE conjure in our MINDS! They lie to us more than anybody or anything in the Universe.
Here's my advice. When you're drunk, every experience is ultimately the same. The Apocalypse may come but by God it's YOUR Apocalypse, stick around to experience it for what it is, and that is not just another night curled up on the barroom floor. Exactly right: Don't let "them" [evil politicians, zombies, killer asteroids, tsunamis] take your story away. It's yours, damn it. Live it through.
So grateful to have found this post linked in Dan Drezner's substack this morning.
I remember your tweets from Election Night 2016 and the days after, specifically one that there's nothing so bad that drinking won't make it worse. Who knows why, but reading that in that specific moment made me realize that if I kept drinking I wasn't going to live through the four years that were to come. I'll celebrate 8 years of continuous sobriety on Wednesday this week. Thanks for carrying that message to me in the moment I needed it, and thanks for once again writing about being sober in this moment.
I find myself quietly realizing that my talk of perseverance, recovery, and personal growth may just have been a warm up to actually embracing these in an over the top sort of way.
Well, hell. Guess the rubber totally hit the road now.
Anna, it is good to hear you doing well. I also was an alcoholic. I am 73 and sober some 35 years. Nothing tempts me anymore. Not even DJT and his cult. They anger me to the n-th degree and maybe some in my family have gotten tired of me but…
One of the things that I have drawn on over the years is the epiphany I had many years ago. I, along with many in my family who also had addiction issues, almost never had anything horrible happen in my/their lives that were not alcohol-related. From loss of jobs, loss of marriages, marginal loss of bodies/health and relationships…all aided by alcohol, etc.
ENJOY your journey. It is a wonderful one of freedom, health and GENUINE peace.
Thanks, Ana. These are the times that try men’s (and women’s) souls. But, we are not alone. We are many of us experiencing the same horror and fear. We ought to share the experience and help each other to keep our sense of humor and our sense of optimism that things can get better.
I hear you. I thought that I was going to have my first drink in many months last night but did not. It felt good to be able to exhibit self-control when it feels like you have so little control about so many things.
Or just to exhibit a belief that better things will come when the world wants you to believe everything is shit. It's partial shit but not all shit.
It is not the world saying that. It is the INSIDIOUS “voices” telling you the “tales” WE conjure in our MINDS! They lie to us more than anybody or anything in the Universe.
Same boat here. It is a relief to hear other peoples' thoughts.
Here's my advice. When you're drunk, every experience is ultimately the same. The Apocalypse may come but by God it's YOUR Apocalypse, stick around to experience it for what it is, and that is not just another night curled up on the barroom floor. Exactly right: Don't let "them" [evil politicians, zombies, killer asteroids, tsunamis] take your story away. It's yours, damn it. Live it through.
So grateful to have found this post linked in Dan Drezner's substack this morning.
I remember your tweets from Election Night 2016 and the days after, specifically one that there's nothing so bad that drinking won't make it worse. Who knows why, but reading that in that specific moment made me realize that if I kept drinking I wasn't going to live through the four years that were to come. I'll celebrate 8 years of continuous sobriety on Wednesday this week. Thanks for carrying that message to me in the moment I needed it, and thanks for once again writing about being sober in this moment.
So grateful to read your stuff today.
I find myself quietly realizing that my talk of perseverance, recovery, and personal growth may just have been a warm up to actually embracing these in an over the top sort of way.
Well, hell. Guess the rubber totally hit the road now.
At least it wasn't on a fucking tesla!
Anna, it is good to hear you doing well. I also was an alcoholic. I am 73 and sober some 35 years. Nothing tempts me anymore. Not even DJT and his cult. They anger me to the n-th degree and maybe some in my family have gotten tired of me but…
One of the things that I have drawn on over the years is the epiphany I had many years ago. I, along with many in my family who also had addiction issues, almost never had anything horrible happen in my/their lives that were not alcohol-related. From loss of jobs, loss of marriages, marginal loss of bodies/health and relationships…all aided by alcohol, etc.
ENJOY your journey. It is a wonderful one of freedom, health and GENUINE peace.
Thanks, Ana. These are the times that try men’s (and women’s) souls. But, we are not alone. We are many of us experiencing the same horror and fear. We ought to share the experience and help each other to keep our sense of humor and our sense of optimism that things can get better.
Thank you Ana.
Thank you for sharing a quiet, powerful reflection amidst all the yelling and screaming.
I love this so much and needed it today: “if I survive that day, every day might also be the day the world begins again.”
Beautiful.