I have always enjoyed drinking since at least the age of eighteen (18) -- if not longer. Smoking, as well -- and not always cigarettes. But smoking is for another time. Right now, I want discuss, briefly, the aspect of drinking which consumed a large portion of my life. Especially so when I quit contracting overseas.

There are many reasons that people indulge in alcohol, drugs, and other questionable, perhaps dangerous, and dubious activities. For me, drinking took on many aspects. Since I quit contracting overseas, my drinking soard to new heights (think two plus liters of alcohol within a five to seven day period of time -- sometimes, two to three days). There were times that I would consume half of a two point seven liter bottle of alcohol in one sitting. Other times, it would be spread out over the course of a day's time. I have it under control now. I hold no illusions about quitting drinking. I presume I will drink again. Hopefully, I won't. But, I probably will.

As of the time of this writing, I have been dry and sober for just over a week (more than seven days). That is remarkable considering I can recall nary a day since the Summer of 2014 that I did not drink -- and not just a little.

My reasons for drinking were many. The one aspect that has come full tilt since quitting is the noticable recurrence of little to great physical pains I would previously quickly subdue with shots of alcohol. And I don't mean your standard shot. No. The shot glassws I drank from contained two to three times the standard shot. I always said, okay, just two or three to reduce the stress, relieve the pain, relax, then move on. Yeah, right. Like the old potato chip slogan, I could not stop with just one...or two...or three.

In spite of the physical pains I "endure" daily as a result of not drinking, I am liking, mostly, not drinking. My overall health has increased. My overall physical fitness level has increased noticably. My weight and waist line have decreased, almost substantially.

It is not easy facing all of one's pains and nuerosis' without the aid of drugs and alcohol but it is worth it. I tell myself, daily, that if I was able to find the inner strength to do all I have over the course of my life thus far, surely I can find the inner strength to complete this task of staying dry and sober. Time will tell.

For those of you who have your own inner ghosts and demons, know that you will never get past them until you put away all of your "crutches", acknowledge and admit your short-comings, stand tall and [mostly] fearless, and courageously act on your own without the aid of outside influences. Godspeed.