July 18 - The Paths we take

There are many paths that we take in life, and the paths are generally chosen at young ages, some at about the time we enter puberty, some after public education, and some a bit later. Our family, friends, environment, education, tragic events and other events in life have a big impact on which roads we will travel in life. For a large part of the young, paths of higher education is chosen, for others they follow the paths of their parents in securing an occupation, marry and have children of their own and lead what we in recovery call, “normal” lives.

For many of us, we enter into a different world than most, a world that is made up of alcohol and/or drugs. On page 32 of the AA Big Book it says “Though there is no way of proving it, we believe that early in our drinking careers most of us could have stopped drinking. But the difficulty is that few alcoholics have enough desire to stop while there is yet time.”

For me, I thought I was having too much fun to stop. I had my freedom from my parents and could and did use that freedom to the max. It was a constant party for me and getting caught up in the lifestyle, it was then, the only lifestyle I would know for the next four decades of my life. While many of my high school classmates were serving in the Vietnam war, continuing their education and pursuing their occupations, I was in the streets, pool halls, and creating chaos for myself and others. Little did I know that the freedom I gained from my family would be taken by the courts of various cities and counties and two states, and finally from the Dept. of Corrections in the State of California.

Although the events, family and early friends I had might have had an influence in showing me this path of alcoholism and addiction, I had the final say on choosing that road in life. There are many side roads on the path that we can take to get off, but it’s up to us to find them. 

If you find yourself on the road I took, find a side road and get off. If you don’t know which one to take, ask for directions. It’s OK to say “I don’t know”. And “It’s OK to ask for HELP!” You can find links to web sites and phone numbers for a variety of help issues on my web site and a multitude of other sites. Just look, listen and act, to help yourself and future.