The Simple Honesty

Simple, honest revelations of being sober for six months.

Waking up and gripping the side of the mattress with both hands
"I'm sober?" and thinking for a second "Yeah, well...
slowly recalling that I'm sober,
for like SIX MONTHS now.

Such a luxury to just lie in bed for a silent minute,
without the taste of acetate,
without the dull grind of a hangover headache,
without the urgency to jump up and piss out all that urine first thing in the morning.

The simple honesty of being alcohol free, knowing I will never let myself
down again, because I don't drink anymore.
The simple honesty of being able to talk to people who are
drinking beer and say without blinking that I have had my life's share of alcohol.
The simple honesty of not hiding alcohol, or making excuses for buying it, or stopping off at places to drink.
The simple honesty of simple honest living - playing with the kids, feeding the chickens, going to the library.

It is such a relief to be going in the right direction, one simple, honest day at a time.

If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)