Hello partners!
Thought I would chime in here, as one poster seems to have a black and white view of things.
To me, staying sober is about keeping options open, and in mind.
Whenever I would resort to drinking, it was because I felt it was the best solution for me at the time. I'm no dummy. I have an Aerospace Engineering degree, and people where I work call me "The Professor" sometimes. So why would I ever resort to getting intoxicated to deal with my life? "Normal" drinkers can't figure out why such a "smart" guy like me would ever punish himself the way I've done.
Many people drink to deal with the pain of life. I did. It's cheap, easy, and quick way of suppressing our feelings, thoughts, memories and in my case, mostly my sense of reason. I drank to obliterate my sense of reason. Being aware, intelligent, and sensitive is painful. Alcohol kills the pain.
But alcohol adds to the pain in the end. It was a constant trade off in my mind. A few hours of languishing in the warm, fuzzy, giddy, nirvana of ethanol intoxication traded for the horrible anguish, pain, and depression of the hangover. Fair trade I thought.
The deal soons becomes bad. Our entire system begins to get damaged. Our physical bodies, our emotions, and the stuff that we really are. The soul gets damaged. The trade off is no longer worth it, but by then, we are locked into the pattern. It is hell on earth.
So for me, yes I do have a choice. But it's only after years of constant searching for options that worked instead of alcohol. I don't think an insensitive clod, cold to harsh facts of life, ever became dependent on the drink. Think about it. How sensitive are you?
It's not a crime or a sin to be sensitive. In fact, it allows those of us who are, to experience life to greater degree I feel than others. We can choose to remain sober, and open up our options, and see the good in this life with greater fullness and clarity, than perhaps a so-called "normal" drinker ever could.
Think about it.
Mackeral is doing OK. Maybe he fell, but his will to power is getting him right back on the horse.
Hang in there Mackeral. You have my respect.
Neil
Comment