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Sobriety is Not Sanity
Even After A Hefty Amount of Time, Alcoholic Behaviors Persist in the Alcohol-Free World
My son got sober in the spring of 2020. Just when the world was going through what seemed to be the biggest stress in modern history, and plenty of people were drinking more than ever, he wasn’t. In my opinion, it took feats of unmatchable mental strength to stay sober as bars and restaurants offered takeaway booze, cities and towns relaxed public and outdoor drinking laws, and it seemed there were more reasons than ever to tip one back.
He remained steadfast, and here we are in 2022 where he’s got two full years of sobriey under his belt, a job he enjoys, and a positive relationship with a great woman. All would seem to be right with the world.
Except…it’s not.
Well, not completely, anyway.
There are some major changes. There are some truly significant differences in who he is now and who he was “then.” Just a few weeks ago, I traveled by commuter train to meet him (we live in two metro areas closely connected by light rail) so that I could then take a shorter train into the city to watch a friend in a half-marathon. My son joined me at the train station despite the fact that it was super-early in the morning. He offered to buy me coffee, he rode the extra distance with me, and walked me to where I wanted to watch…
