Jounrey
 

25 plus years ago, my father came home from the hospital from having a stroke. He was a heavy drinker and smoker. (12-15 beers daily 4-5 packs of smokes daily) The day he came home from the hospital, he went over to the local store and picked up his usual 40oz of his favorite but cheap beer. Took it out to the shed, got out his mason jar and pour him a cup. Right then and there he noticed something different about himself he wasn't shaking any longer, his taste buds were not watering for that drink. He realize it was just the thoughts in his heads telling him to drink it. He put that glass down and walked away.. My father died three years ago from lung and panceric cancer. The doctor said he probably won't have made it as long as he did if he didn't give up the drinking when he did. You see my dad was a young 63 when he passed, he started drinking at 15. Yet 10 years ago I started drinking heavily, my father seen it in me..He told me that story and showed me the mason jar in the shed with the 40oz bottle with the beer still in it, the bottle and the jar covered in years of dust.
Last Sunday when I blacked out and waking up on Monday so sick and with chills I went back to that story about my dad and realize if I don't stop now I could be him. He was right, I don't shake any longer, my mouth doesn't water for that drink after a week of not drinking. It is the AV in my head telling I need it not my body. Sometimes in life you need a little wake up call to make you realize how precious your life really is.

Thanks for sharing. That's a pretty powerful image: that mason jar still sitting there in the shed. That's how it is: at some point, you just leave it. You just walk away from it. It's still there, of course, but you've moved on from it... it no longer has any power over you.

I really, REALLY enjoyed reading that - thanks :)

Ditto every word.

Thank you, HDrosebud, and good luck.

That was a powerful image. Your Dad's good sense grabbed him from the jaws of the beast in the nick of time. The fact that he saved that mason jar of beer and the bottle, and that he showed it to you years later when you were struggling ...that is a remarkable, and a remarkably moving story. Thank you for sharing it.

Thank you...a beautiful story

May good health and spirits be swift your way.

Thank you for all the great comments. He was my hero, and I don't want to disappoint him..

Thank you for sharing that inspirational story.:)

You won't disappoint him, HD. You can do this :):):)

Hi HDrosebud. Your story meant a lot to me. Your Dad is proud of the person you are and knows his actions influenced you (I believe this). Thank you for sharing that personal & intimate story with us. I'm glad he had all those extra years that wouldn't have been possible if he'd taken that sip from the mason jar. :hug: