Holidays in the drinking world
A Day at a Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Posts: 6,435
Holidays in the drinking world
I am off to the in-laws for a week. There will be a couple of big drinking days and the rest a beer or a glass of wine here or there.
I have grown I realize because I simply do not drink any more. I am not worried but have taken precautions anyway. Everyone that I care about knows I have a drinking problem, I have forewarned them I will be at events until I feel uncomfortable and then I will leave, I will be going to local AA meetings.
The thing that makes me realize I have grown is that I am really looking forward to seeing people I care for. The drinking is an annoyance nothing more. They are normal drinkers I am not.
I have been given the gift of sobriety and I thank God daily. The holidays for me are about family and friends for the first time in my life.
Happy Holidays to everyone and may they be sober and joyous
I have grown I realize because I simply do not drink any more. I am not worried but have taken precautions anyway. Everyone that I care about knows I have a drinking problem, I have forewarned them I will be at events until I feel uncomfortable and then I will leave, I will be going to local AA meetings.
The thing that makes me realize I have grown is that I am really looking forward to seeing people I care for. The drinking is an annoyance nothing more. They are normal drinkers I am not.
I have been given the gift of sobriety and I thank God daily. The holidays for me are about family and friends for the first time in my life.
Happy Holidays to everyone and may they be sober and joyous
Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 249
When my brother married about six years ago, he started bringing his mother-in-law to the family gatherings. Mother-in-law is a recovering alcoholic, sober then for over 10 years. No-one knew how to handle this, alcohol is very free-flowing in my family. I know of no-one in my family who doesn't drink at least socially, most of them drink daily, certainly none would consider the notion of being an alcoholic.
For the first couple years that strange tension remained, not knowing whether to drink around her or offer her a glass of wine when everyone else was partaking. She always politely declined the offer and never seemed to pass any judgment on everyone around her who was busily getting inebriated.
As years passed an interesting change has come about. Fewer and fewer people are drinking at these family gatherings. No-one is drinking to excess, because now they're in the minority and probably feeling a bit stupid about drinking themselves into a stupor. The twisted weird fun in everyone sitting around getting drunk isn't happening. We now spend more time talking, laughing with eachother, playing games, watching the kids have fun.
Mother-in-law's abstinence had a wonderful effect. She did so by simply being herself, remaining true to herself, and allowing others to choose for themselves. Really neat to consider, in retrospect. Thanks for your story, MI, you brought this reality to light for me. I wonder if anyone else in my family recognizes her inspiration to change for the better.
For the first couple years that strange tension remained, not knowing whether to drink around her or offer her a glass of wine when everyone else was partaking. She always politely declined the offer and never seemed to pass any judgment on everyone around her who was busily getting inebriated.
As years passed an interesting change has come about. Fewer and fewer people are drinking at these family gatherings. No-one is drinking to excess, because now they're in the minority and probably feeling a bit stupid about drinking themselves into a stupor. The twisted weird fun in everyone sitting around getting drunk isn't happening. We now spend more time talking, laughing with eachother, playing games, watching the kids have fun.
Mother-in-law's abstinence had a wonderful effect. She did so by simply being herself, remaining true to herself, and allowing others to choose for themselves. Really neat to consider, in retrospect. Thanks for your story, MI, you brought this reality to light for me. I wonder if anyone else in my family recognizes her inspiration to change for the better.
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