Growing up in a house that was rampant with alcoholism is not that rare. But living in a house that was crazy and sick, then shifting to love and sobriety, that was a strange twist.
I didn’t want anything to do with my Dad when I was growing up. And I certainly did not want to be part of his sobriety.
With my mom joining Al-Anon and my dad AA, I saw how our household changed from chaos to love. Both of my parents started to shift focus as they continued to get further in their programs of recovery. The house truly started to change and these changes did not go unnoticed on my end. I witnessed the mighty shift of recovery first hand. And this seemed to happen rapidly.
But at the time, I thought they missed the boat with me. I did not want anything to do with their programs or their newfound love for me. I was heavy into my own alcoholism and I was loving it. I was loving my booze and drugs a lot more than I was loving my family or myself.
I left my parents’ house to continue on this destructive journey. But I always knew that there was another way to live – and that haunted me while hustling on the streets. Trying to drown out the truth is a sad place to be.
After being beaten down by my own addiction, knowing there was a house of love and change waiting for me started to appeal to me.
I finally collapsed with my addiction and asked for help on November 28, 2000. I’ve been sober and free ever since. I’m finally the man I’ve always wanted to be. It has taken a lot of work and changes to get my life in order, but it has been beyond worth it.
I have the most incredible connection with my family today. I am not willing to gamble a drink on what we have created. Our new lives are spectacular and I could not have what I have while fixating on drinking. I could not have what I have without Alcoholics Anonymous.Today, I am present in the moment. I don’t need a substance to be real. I’M LIVING!
My relationship with my father today is beyond words. The best way I can describe our bond – sacred. I love the word “sacred” in sobriety. Nothing was sacred before. Everything had a price and addiction had no boundaries.
Today my relationships with God, myself and other people are sacred. And I am honoured to follow my father in his footsteps.
