Four years sober
Just realized my four year anniversary was about a week ago.
To say life is different or better is an understatement. In the past four years I've lost 60 pounds, lowered my blood pressure, ran a half-marathon, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean with five friends, and most importantly, was a better husband, parent, and friend.
Life is not perfect, but it doesn't need to be. And I still have plenty of stuff I would like to work on, but drinking isn't one of them. I wouldn't be where I am now if I was drinking myself into a stupor everyday like I did for several decades.
None of this would have been possible without this forum. It was the realization that everyday there were people around the world saying "today is day one" that allowed me to make the same simple declaration. Like that moment in the movie the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy found out she could have returned to Kansas anytime she wanted to, I realized I could have stopped drinking anytime I wanted to.
Thank you Dee and everyone who posts their failures, frustrations, small wins, and big wins on this forum. I have found strength and encouragement from all of you.