At Least I'm Not The Frog II

 Charles III's Three Truths Of Sobriety Wow. I cannot believe I am typing the words "one year sober." For real, y'all, I never thought I'd make it to a year sober. You see, previously, I could not get past the three-month mark. Ever. Ever.  I've made it to three months several times, but never found the oomph to keep going. I'd look around, wondering what the hell I was doing sober, and grab a bottle. And that's only if I'd made it to the three-month mark. For I spent most of my efforts remaining sober only three or four days, followed by a long and wretched relapse. I spent my twenties and early thirties constantly relapsing. Constantly hating myself. Constantly festering with guilt and shame. Sounds lovely, eh? It was a friggin' nightmare. I don't have to live that way anymore, though. I don't choose to live that way anymore, either. That way is treacherous and smothering. It's vile and dark. But it's not wrong, and neither ar

How I Said "I'm Sorry" To Those I Hurt In My Alcoholism As I near my one-year mark of sobriety, I am amazed at the number of relationships I have repaired in a relatively short amount of time. Perhaps a year doesn't seem that long, but when you consider I spent 11 of them in debauchery, it might help give you some perspective. How, you may ask? Well, I recently asked myself the exact same question. How did I repair so many relationships over the course of a year, without constantly chirping "I'm sorry?" Upon breaking it down, I realized I uttered those words maybe twice in my repair. For they no longer held any meaning, coming from me. I had worn out their power years ago. So, without consciously knowing it, I found other ways of expressing remorse and regret for the unsettling behavior of my past. I showed up for my family and friends, sober, and stayed present. It would not do to say sorry, or offer an elaborate explanation of my actions. Rather, remai