Congratulations to you both.
My dad was a lifelong high-functioning alcoholic. He was smart, hardworking, and dedicated. But he didn’t kick alcohol until about 15 years before his death, and it was a wonderful thing to see.
He quit alcohol via his interaction with Alcoholics Anonymous, and for the rest of his life, he attended a meeting nearly every night and ran one as well.
He mentored a lot of people in AA, got jobs for people he met in AA, and when he couldn’t find someone to hire them, occasionally hired them to help him in his renovations for our family home.
My dad was an amazing person to me. But I found I interesting that he was able to kick alcohol, but could never kick cigarettes.
Those last 15 years of his life were great. I really got to know and appreciate him, his twisted sense of humor, which we rarely (if ever) saw became apparent, and his marriage turned into a new love affair between him an my mom.
Just great. I carry, always, in my pocket, his fifteen year coin, the last coin he got from AA. When I put it in my pocket every day, I feel it and think “One Day At A Time”.
I don’t think that is bad advice to follow.
Thanks FRiend.
Your dad followed the AA tradition of ‘’pass it along’’.
One alcoholic helping another. God Bless him.
It works when you work it.
Beautiful testimony of the power of a great recovery program and a man who made best use of the opportunity! I remember the difference in my FIL when he finally stopped — nine months before his death from cirrhosis, spitting up blood. At least I finally got a glimpse of him being a nice person for the first time since I knew him. You and your mom were fortunate that your dad put in the work and you had those years with him!