Watching from afar as alcohol drags down old friends
It's been interesting observing from afar (literally and figuratively) how alcohol is gradually affecting my old crowd. My old gang has just crossed the boundary into our 40's, and it's pretty easy to tell which people aren't ready to let the party end.
One such couple just got a divorce. Not surprisingly they are also both pretty heavy drinkers. Since their divorce, he's now dating a woman half his age and wasting his fortune...meanwhile she's turned into a barfly and weekend day-drinker. Her happiest moments seem to be when she is posting pictures of her drinks on facebook. He seems to be withdrawing into silence.
Another buddy of mine was at a get-together this weekend and actually passed out at the party and had to be taken to bed. He's been to rehab for addiction to pain pills several times and has quit this addiction, only to hit the bottle harder than ever. Sounds like he's traded one addiction for another.
Meanwhile, other friends of mine have taken notice of my positive changes and lifestyle upgrade. One of them signed off on an e-mail this weekend with "keep winning at life!" - and I had to smile. Three years ago, nobody envied my lifestyle. My life is certainly not perfect, not by a long shot, but at least I'm giving 100% out here. And I think that people respect that I am doing things my way and doing them sober. I'll take respect over perfection any day of the week, and I'd take anything over being a drunk again! Sure hope my friends see the light before alcohol sinks its claws in too deep like it did to me.