InTheEnd, I love this post. Especially realizing that there is no finish line. It's not a race, it's a journey. We can take time to smell the roses. It's not always going to be easy but we can do it.
My Dad has been in and out of the hospital this year as his health fails. I've thought about drinking. "Oh, no one would blame me, look at what I'm dealing with!" But really, what about what my dad's dealing with? He's not drinking over it. He's having substantial health problems but I want to drink over it? My time's better spent being with my Dad rather than drunkenly crying over it.