It’s been quite a change, going from drunk daily in NYC to living sober in small town Indiana. Two months ago I was a complete wreck; feeling hopeless, demoralized, depressed and trapped. I could not have imagined that reaching out for help and admitting powerlessness could have such a liberating effect on my life. I’m not saying everything is suddenly a bed of roses. I’ve got a veritable grab bag of stressors to choose from if I feel like it. It’s the usual stuff that most addicts find themselves saddled with when they get sober. The difference now is, instead of sticking my head in the sand and trying to drink it away, I find that it is possible to take it one day at a time and just do what I can for that day. Because, really, what else can one do?

So I’ll just relate a few good things that have happened. Let’s see… I’ve been meaning to get a driver’s license for about, oh, 18 years. I now have one. Hello!?! I asked someone to be my sponsor and it didn’t even hurt. He just said, “Sure.” I told a joke last night, sober, and people still laughed. Amazing! I actually look forward to going to meetings (I was pretty good at listening to drunk drunks but listening to sober drunks is much easier and much more rewarding). I go to bed pleasantly tired and wake up refreshed. It’s a new experience that I haven’t entirely gotten used to yet. I feel optimistic about the future even though there are some obstacles to be navigated. It’s nice to be able to look people in the eye and not feel like I am always hiding something. I even feel like I am starting to learn how to pray again. A few “test prayers” have been answered and I don’t know any other way to explain that.

So that’s how it’s going in this neck of the woods. I think about the people I met at the beginning of this journey down in Florida and I wonder how ya’ll are doing. Anybody out there? Don’t be shy.

Sobriety is Good,
Ray R