My Friend Chooses Sobriety -- Today

(My late-in-life friend shares his mission to be sober, one day at a time. We speak the same language, because I gained so much from helping Bob Welch, the late baseball player, write a book about his sobriety. This email popped up on my screen over the weekend.)
 
(From my friend:)
 
Blessed to share that today is my 34th Anniversary of Sobriety. (12/3/89)
Amazing. 
Some of the gifts that keep on giving...... 

• Freedom, the ability to choose, say no, lead or follow when apropos. 
• Listen, walk away, try something different, change. 
• Be happy with me, and if not, do something about it. 
• Tough situations, sober, I have a chance and it is okay to feel things or not. Drinking, useless for the most part, scared, not in the game overall. 
• Be a dad and friend to (my daughter.)
• Be someone people can depend on and trust. 
• Golf without drinking. (Laugh, it is okay, it was a challenge before I stopped.)

Funny, I was out for dinner Saturday night. I still keep my eyes open in restaurants, the sauce, the gravy, the preparation. I have said it before, the wine or whatever might burn out on the pan or oven, it doesn't between my ears. It is my choice, my foundation. If I start to think I can get away with something like this........who knows where it leads. Don't do it. 
Dessert Saturday Night, the special Gelato; vanilla with blueberries and strawberries........a sugar, cinnamon topping. I took one spoonful, put my spoon down. 
Called the waitress over and asked, is there any liquor in this dessert. "Oh yes, the berries are soaked in rum." 
I told her she could take it back, I cannot eat that. 
Funny, it was called 'Fire and Ice'.........the fire was, in their understanding, the sugar-cinnamon topping was flamed a bit. Well, the fire here? The rum. I knew it right away. 
She gave me a different one, Apple Crumb!! I made it disappear. 
The lesson? I need to continue to be vigilant. Too much to lose. No guarantees. 
Continuing to be a student of this disease, the darn diploma hasn't shown up yet, so I keep learning. 
I saw that movie, “Maestro,” some of Leonard Bernstein's life, the ups and downs. He had a number of things I can identify with, and being honest, I was reminded of the wild scenes he mixed into. High performer, heavy partying. 
I might not be a maestro, I was the other. 
 
I could write more, but made the point to myself and you, some who knew me then and now. Some who share sobriety. All of you, the group of quality people I am a winner with. 
I like winning. 
On to another 24 hours of this life. 
 
Thanks for listening. 
 
One Day at A Time. 
                            ###
 
(From GV)
(This mentality works. I was indoctrinated by Bob Welch, the year after he became sober, after nearly blowing up a promising pitching career with the LA Dodgers. Bob had become a true believer, even when he had a bad day. I will never forget the day the Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs by the St. Louis Cardinals, and I popped into the Dodger clubhouse as part of my columnist job.
The Dodger clubhouse was nearly empty, and Bob explained:
“A lot of the guys are out in the back getting hammered – but I choose not to.”
 
By that time, I had inculcated Bob’s attitude. I almost never drink. Don’t need it.
I had an earlier example: A family friend, Mary from Ireland, was one of the first women to be active in Alcoholics Anonymous. She made people think about addiction.
So when my New York friend drops a reference to sobriety into one of our emails, or in person, we are speaking the same language.
Thanks for the note, man.)