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Sobriety Taught Me One (1) Thing

Here’s to thirteen more years, God willing

I have been sober for thirteen years now. Phew.

I briefly considered writing a list for the internet. Something like “13 Things I Learned After 13 Years On The Wagon.” But I did not write that list.

I did not write that list because life is too short to chase clicks, but I also didn’t write that list because I don’t know if I have learned thirteen lessons.

I’ve done the twelve steps, but that’s Bill’s and Bob’s thing, and I merely benefited from their suffering and wisdom and the collective genius of Alcoholics Anonymous, which has slowly been snowballing for decades.

If it weren’t for AA, I wouldn’t have met other weirdos like me, older, wiser, kinder weirdos who would do things like hug me and genuinely, intensely ask how I was doing and then listen and lovingly suggest I get over myself. Those guys are the best, nose hair and coffee breath and all.

I’ve only learned, at best, one thing, maybe two. One and a half. So that’s what I will write about, what I figured out with some help.

I had my last drink on May 16th, 2010. It was a Sunday. The next day I accepted that I was an alcoholic and…