Wednesday, July 23, 2008

24 Years Ago...

On this day, just before midnight, I had my last drink (ever please God) of alcohol. It was a beer. It was a Budweiser. In a can. My husband and children were in bed and I was sitting at the dining room table, drinking. I wanted a couple more beers before I went to bed. There was nothing whatsoever outstanding about that day.

I had a normal day with the kids and me at home (I was a housewife). When my husband came home from work he mentioned that one of the managers at his new job had mentioned to the president of the company that he had no faith whatever in my husband. We were both pretty upset about that. I was particularly upset about it because this manager and I had drank together - a LOT - down in Raton, NM. He didn't like me. It seems he didn't approve of a young wife and mother spending every second she could in a run down bar on 1st Street in Raton, New Mexico. Oh, how I wanted to tell this man that I had changed my ways... but the problem was that I hadn't changed my ways at all. I just had gotten too afraid to go to bars anymore. I just sat at home and drank every day. For years.

We hopped in the car, the whole family, with me at the wheel - I have no idea why I was driving, unless my husband was drunker than I was... who knows? We drove to the public library in our new town. We had just moved to Denver on July 5, 1984. The library was closed, so we just drove around on a hot summer night. We got to a town that is now a full-fledged suburb of Denver, but at that time was a little town... we were thrilled to see that it had a liquor store with a drive-through window. Thrilled I tell you.

Some people celebrate their AA birthday on the anniversary of their last drink - I don't. I celebrate on the anniversary of my first day of sobriety. And that is tomorrow. Thanks to the Grace of a Loving God and the program and fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.

14 comments:

Scott W said...

Mine is my first day without a drink. Thanks for walking ahead of me.

Anonymous said...

"On this day, just before midnight, I had my last drink (ever please God) of alcohol. It was a beer."

MC, I do not believe this! The night before MY first AA meeting, just before midnight, I had my last--I'm almost sure--drink, and it was what was left in a pint vodka bottle. And, somehow, I knew it would be my "last". But I had no clue to what was in store in my new life!

At this moment, I'm overwhelmed with love for God, AA, and you! (Gotta send this before I change my mind...)
Steve E.

Anonymous said...

Hey I'm new to your blog, and I like it a lot. :)

I am like you, counting the day of sobriety as the techincal day of my "new birth". It is also the day I reconnected with God.

I like it that you remember those moments. I do too, but I am new. I am afraid of one day forgetting and thinking I can handle a drink. I know I can't.

Thanks for your experience, strength and hope. :)

Sunshine said...

That's just so awesome to hear. Thanks for looking back and sharing so beautifully.

dAAve said...

Such an exciting life you led.

Lou said...

As someone commented on my blog..this just makes my day, and I'm not even sure why.

Kathy Lynne said...

That's how my last day of drinking was. Nothing outstanding. No different than any other day. No "jackpot". When I had that last drink, I didn't think, this is my last drink. It wasn't planned. That is why I firmly believe that God's grace was there. Perhaps through my father who had some unfinished business here on earth. I like to think it was his amends to me. I don't know if it was or not. But it was Father's Day.

Thanks for sharing MC and thanks for being here.....

Anonymous said...

Love the build-up to Drink-Free Day!

The day before I stopped drinking I was drunk all day on Scotch and water. I had lost my job some weeks before after walking out in a hungover rage, and couldn't bear to think about what I had done. Apparently I fought with my housemate about my drinking, screaming tearful fights I don't recall at all. I went off to bed early, apparently, and passed out.

Not a memorable day!

Looking forward to reading you tomorrow --

Mary LA

Dharma Kelleher said...

I'm always grateful for what you share.

Anonymous said...

Mine is also the first day without a drink. 2/16/06.

Happy Birthday, Mary Christine! You are one of my inspirational people.

Willa

Zanejabbers said...

I count with my first day w/o alcohol going into my bod.

Syd said...

Reading about your last drink and what it was like makes me glad for you. But a part of me feels a lot of anxiety, not sure why. I think that it is the fear and the empathy of the whole sad thing about alcoholism. I'm glad that you are sober.

Pammie said...

Isn't it amazing that one day we are drunks and the next day we are not?
Isn't it amazing that God just threw a whole bucket of Mercy on us and we took it with gratitude and never looked back?
Isn't it just amazing little pinto bean?

Scott M. Frey said...

yea, my sobriety date is my first day not drinking...

happy last day of drinking date lol