Ran into an OLD EXABF on Thursday
 

I stopped by the vet clinic to drop Maisie off with Amber, and there was a couple at the counter with the tiniest puppy I've ever seen.

I didn't pay that much attention to their faces as I was focused on the pup and stepped over to pet her tiny head.

That's when I heard "Hi DeVon" and I looked up to see it was the old EXABF I relapsed with 21 years ago.

This disease has been absolutely heartless with him. When we were dating, he was a welder, muscular, handsome, fit as a fiddle.

Now he walks with a cane, his face was swollen and he had one of the biggest beer bellies I've ever seen. His voice was gravelly, eyes all bloodshot, and it was just sad to see what has become of him.

His wife, also an active alcoholic addict, is paper thin, and they both look like they are in their 70's. I'm not sure of her age but he's right around 50 or so.

I am so incredibly grateful to have embraced recovery once again after that relapse because I was looking at the devastation of 21 more years of active alcoholism/addiction standing at the counter.

I walked out of there feeling pretty darned good about my life!

He is a prime example of what they talk about when they say some walk out the door and never return again.

The gratitude I feel for my recovery and my higher power is indescribable. But for the grace of God, there go I indeed!

That must have been a shock, DeVon.....prayers for both your ex, his wife and you!

It was a shock! I ran into him a few years ago at the grocery store and was shocked at the effects then! This was so much worse. :(

He was a decent fellow when clean/sober, and I do have some fond memories before everything went south with him and we relapsed.

Today there isn't anyone in this world I would throw away my hard-earned recovery over.

I still shake my head sometimes over that whole unfolding of events.