First off, thanks for posting this. Brave, inspiring stuff.
I definitely view my recovery as a moral reckoning, and I think that perspective helped to cement my commitment. Once I was honest with myself about the lie I was living, abstinence was no longer a matter of wanting to be healthier or happier; it was a matter of right and wrong. And for me, that's the most dependable motivation of all. I might get sick regardless of whether I drink. I might experience heartbreaking tragedies. But nothing and no one can take away the satisfaction that comes from doing the right thing. Honor is inviolable—and fully within our control. How many things in life can we say that about?
As for the past mistakes, well, that's what makes this a redemption story. Act I is behind you. Now you get to write the rest. How awesome is that?
