I’m sitting in a cafe waiting to talk with a woman that heads up a neat volunteer effort.
I often think of where I was 20 years ago, or what my life looked like when I got sober. I am light years from being homeless or threatened. I am a vastly different person now that I am sober and have committed to making sure that I don’t fall asleep on my life. I got sober in 1980 and I’m quite surprised by what I have done with my life.

How about you?

It is difficult to own all of the work we have done to get and stay sober. It’s hard to remember that part of the difficulty in staying sober or even attempting to get clean has a lot to do with how our culture views addicts and alcoholics. I think that in most instances people deserve a second chance. I imagine that you might feel resigned when you think about how your family views your past or how they believe you won’t ever get it together. Lots of pressure, eh? Perhaps you can realize that you don’t need to tell your family all of the wonderful things you’ll do once you quit using drugs. Find your path of recovery and when you’re stable let your family know what you have been doing. Stop making promises and find a path that works for you. Make a commitment that you will do what you need to stay clean. While you might feel discouraged, remember, that recovery is a choice.

You might feel broken and hopeless, but soldier on. Talk to your doctor about anti-craving medications.

Indeed, the only way we tell the truth is through our actions.