bigsombrero

I walked by a guy on my way home from town today at about 3pm. He was stumbling down a neighborhood street, drunk. He was knocking on doors and calling out names. Not violent. Not loud. He was just a harmless drunk.

You hear the term "harmless drunk" bandied about in neighborhood circles all the time. It's more or less a way of saying "she's a drunk, but she won't attack you with a garden hose". And, as far as drunks go...it's pretty high praise. In fact, it's about the highest praise you'll get.

Some terms you DON'T hear about drunks:

• "He's a very responsible drunk, especially in social situations."
• "She's a fit, healthy and absolutely gorgeous drunk. What a catch."
• "He's a drunk who always pays his bills on time."
• "That woman is a really interesting drunk who is living her life to the fullest".

Maybe some of you aren't violent, stumbling, and hateful when you drink. Maybe you are wondering if you really need sobriety full-time. Let me ask you: do you really want to live the rest of your life with "harmlessness" being your most redeeming quality? I for one don't want my gravestone to say: "Here lies Big Sombrero. He was harmless".

Aim higher. Think bigger. Challenge yourself. Open up your world to better, more interesting conversations and life events. So many here on SR have your back. Give sobriety a chance, and see what it's like to exist as more than just a "harmless" member of this world.

Venecia

Great post, Big Sombrero.

An alcoholic's life is one of unfulfilled potential. Who'd want their epitaph to be "He/She could have been so much more"?

Our sobriety/recovery truly is the gift that keeps giving.

NestWasEmpty

Thanks for sharing interesting way to look at how others see alcoholics . Made perfect sense I hear that often in my small town - harmless drunks
I think we have 1-2 in all the surrounding towns , kind of sad . Most people even know their names - Oh here comes So n So lets watch & see how funny he/she can be ...

Ruby2

Thank you for this observation BigS. Because it's so true.

Dee74

Thanks for sharing this BigS - it's absolutely true there's no harmlessness in addiction.

D

thomas11

What a great perspective that has never crossed my mind. Thank you for that.

Magellan

Great post! Well said...thank you

ccam1973

Great post BigS and how true it is. There is nothing harmless about this addiction... aim higher!

Soberwolf

Excellent post BigSombrero

PurpleKnight

Very true BigS!!

Rio97

Good post. It's true we come in all shapes and sizes, but the bigger issue is how bad it is for us.

Dharma33

Thanks for the post, BigS- that's a great concept to ponder for today.

SereneEdition

Thanks for an insightful observation that inspires staying the course.

lessgravity

Big - I dug this one up after you posted something very meaningful on a recent thread of mine.

Wow do I love this. So insightful. Yes, it's the idea that has stuck with me since I was a kid and read Thoreau in school:

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with their song still inside them."

Thank you for this post. We all don't need to go down in a blaze of destruction to have wasted it all serving the booze.

brighterday1234

Excellent post!! Loved reading that; makes perfect sense!

Wasted potential is definitely the outcome of alcoholism. There is no way I could be the person I’d wish to be if I was drinking. At the very least my interactions with people change dramatically for the worst!

DreamCatcher17

I may have been a practicing alcoholic, but I paid all my bills on time... And know many others who do... I find generalizing so irritating. So, yes, I posted my opinion about the 1 thing I found an issue with this post!

saoutchik

This is a great post. I would happily settle for being remembered as harmless but crushed to know that my principle characteristic was drunkeness.

Vandermast

thank you large hatted sir

Fly N Buy

The corollary being - my drinking only hurts me.....
Nice bump, thanks

jhonnyspa

Thanks for these wise words which are so true.

Kind Regards