tobefree4me

I have a family member who quit drinking and was sober for over 25 years. One day, he decided he didn't have any more responsibilities in life and really missed drinking. So, at a social event, he picked up the bottle and had a few drinks. For the next 6 months or so he drank off and on, a few drinks here, and a few there. His drinking increased but he was still able to function. After about 6 months, he was playing with his grandkids like he always did. He was taking the kids around the farm with the pickup truck; the kids riding in the back. His daughter stopped him and told him she didn't want the kids in the back of truck while "Grandpa" was drinking. He stopped dead in his tracks. He rememberd why drinking wasn't worth anything and especially not worth losing play time with the grandkids. He had no guilt, shame or remorse. He simply quit that afernoon and hasn't touched a drop since. That was 4 years ago. I think it is so easy to feel guilty for drinking after years of sobriety- that all those years seem wasted and that it is easy to feel such failure after having done so great at staying sober. I asked him how it seemed to be easy for him to quit the second time. He said "Twenty five years ago I quit for my wife, children, business and all the responsibilites in my life, and now, I quit for me". I am currently 3 years sober. I think of that statement everytime I have a desire to take a drink.....