Today, May 22, 2011 marks my 9th sober anniversary. I did a little reflecting on the 9 years and thought “what a long, strange trip it’s been.” (Apologies to Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.)
I think I’ve made the best of it. I sobered up in time to care for my Mom before she died. (Although my family disputes the importance of my being there for her. One reason I speak as little to them as I can.) I had enough strength to cope with her death and the painful struggles (quite a bit were family-inflicted) afterwards. I eventually found love and married a nice lady (ARTIST4GOD: Rose Santuci-Sofranko) and established myself in a nice job caring for people with disabilities.
I also started this site which has been well received, for a niche blog in the Catholic blogosphere.
Yes, nine years of sobriety. One of the 12 Step daily meditations says that we alcoholics have 2 lifetimes, the one before sobriety and the one we are given after sobering up. So, today I am 9 years old.
Happy Birthday to me! 🙂
I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)
Happy Birthday, indeed, to you, my love! Congratulations! YOU ARE MY HERO!
(((hugs)))
Hi Paul — Congratulations on nine (9) years. You have accomplished much in a relatively short period of time. Getting married; establishing a career; and developing a focus for your recovery is no small feat. I sympathize with the journey you are experiencing with your family. Perhaps, we live in a bit of a fairy tale relationship with our families acquired through television (eg., Leave to Beaver, Father Knows Best, Make Room For Daddy, Lassie, etc.)—we want to know the love of family when things are going well and especially when we have difficulties. However, members of the families are human and often find themselves shunning difficult situations, and don’t know how to express “love”. It takes a special personality, like that of Mother Tersea, to find love in these difficult situations. God Bless your service, and support that you freely render to other alcoholics. All the best!
Thanks Ian! My family is… my family. Perhaps down the road there will be reconciliation, but it isn’t a priority.