Have just finished watching Episode 4 of Luke Cage. A very well told origin episode for the lead character with some great nods to his early 70’s roots. But the link between this article and the show was a therapy session in which responsibility was being discussed. Most of the prisoners were blaming others for their predicament, no one was taking responsibility for their crime. Even if they were set-up they had to see that they “ should “ take responsibility for their part in what went down.
And boy a lot of stuff went down while I was drinking. Way back, my then girlfriend asked me to give up drinking. Alcohol meant I didn’t have to answer that phonecall, or make it to that date, or behave, or come home, or be deserving of love. So at this cross-roads I did what any good drinker would do .. and I chose alcohol. The regrettable actions, guilt, fatigue, being poor and did I mention the guilt, they all came free.
It was about 4 months after this first offer of “me or alcohol“ that I hit a wall again, after a rather long weekend of absence and broken promises that I was again presented with the choice … “me or alcohol”. I was in such a state that weekend, that I chose her .. and if I’m honest I only did it for the love that I knew she would give me. That endless love Diana Ross and Lionel Richie sing about that we desperately need to fill our cavernous black holes. Or am I the only one?
I went into this agreement not for me, but for her. And that’s the kicker .. I didn’t do it for me. I fought this decision all the way, and fell off the wagon a couple of times in the process. But it was only when I took responsibility for me, and started on the road to recovery that I really started to feel my life changing for the better. That was about 6 and a half years ago. In that time I’ve married the woman who gave me a second (and rising) chance, bought and renovated my first home, continued and improved on my music and multisport and have just moved across the world to start a new business and “ live the dream “
Yes this does sound perfect .. and the honest answer is, it’s not .. BUT, it’s a damn sight better than the life I used to live. So tonight thank you Archie Goodwin, John Romita, Sr., Charles Murray and my beautiful wife for helping me remember to “Cop a squat before you do something stupid like catch a body”