When I was little like eight years old I enjoyed watching cartoons as most kids do, but I also enjoyed watching classic movies with actors like Humphrey Bogart, Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and John Wayne just to name a few. After watching plenty of John Wayne war movies, I decided at some point in my life I would join the military to serve our country because it must be one of the most noble and honorable things to do in life. I didn’t know how I would serve in the military. I thought being a pilot would be great. Then when I was in seventh grade, the US Army Jazz Band came to town. The auditorium was totally packed with people standing in back. The concert was amazing and afterward I pointed to the band and told the person beside me “that’s what I am going to do when I grow up”. I made my dream come true. Alcoholism came into my life and we almost threw my dream off a cliff. I did not want this thing to beat me and throw my dream away. I quit drinking and will stay quit, and I am still living my dream as a military musician in the US Air Force.
I am very pleased to write that I will be three years sober on November 25 of this year 2016. Now I feel I live a totally normal life with out drinking alcohol. I don’t think about it much at all. Sometimes I remember a happy memory when I was drinking with friends, but I don’t dwell on it or wish I could drink again. I can have a fun time with friends who are drinking beer even at an October fest event and not have the urge to drink beer with them. I am also pretty sure that what ever happens tomorrow, I won’t need to drink any alcohol, or the day after. I am sure I will be sober a year from now and 2 and 3 years from now. I don’t ever worry that I might drink again.
I don’t go to any AA or 12 step meetings. I know they work for a lot of people but it never worked for me. I stay busy keeping in shape with jogging and lifting weights or playing sports such as golf and tennis or playing my musical instrument or taking a course and reading books.
When I first quit drinking, I had to do a lot of research in how to be successful in keeping sober. I found most of my resources online. I realized my motivations to keep sober and came to comprehend my acceptance not to drink alcohol again. I researched a lot about grit and how having grit will keep you on track in obtaining your goals by staying the course…having the tenacity and perseverance to keep pushing onward through life’s hardships and tough disappointments. I researched a lot on gratitude as well. Gratitude keeps me positive and grounded. It may not cause me happiness ALL the time, but I can feel pretty content with things in life most of the time.
I like to look forward in the future to creating new experiences and adventures. And I don’t need alcohol or any other drugs to mask my true feelings or cloud my life experiences. My true natural self is alcohol-free.