Originally Posted by
ReadyAndAble 
Thanks for the post, DB. I can totally relate. I found out last week my dad is very ill, and may not be with us much longer. I'm still sorting through the many emotions this has stirred up, but a desire to drink is not among them. In fact, I take a lot of solace in the fact that I'm in a position to face this head-on. It's gonna suck for a while, and that's OK. It's supposed to suck for a while.
All I wanted out of recovery was a chance to deal with life—the good and the bad—without being shackled to a bottle. Mission accomplished. The rest is up to me. I'm more grateful for that than ever.
Yes, exactly, exactly. This is just how I felt. There is a real joy in being able to deal with problems instead of escaping from them. I recall early on, going through some nasty stuff and being in pain and feeling almost happy, because I was feeling honest feelings without needing to drink.