As I move into my 21st year of recovery I have the same ambition: to stay clean and sober. But coupled with that is the ambition is a desire to also stay sober and be healthy.

When I got sober I determined that I was not going to be sober and feel bad. I embarked on a regimen of exercising six days a week, and eating vegetarian. Three days a week I lift weights or do calisthenics. The other three I do aerobics. Either I ride a bicycle or spend time on an elliptical to get my heart rate up. While it isn't always wonderful to get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning and go to the gym, the routine is so ingrained that I wake up without an alarm and start my day. The routine works for me.

At 71 there are constant reminders that I'm part of the aging population. Even though I can bench press my own body weight and do 20 chin-ups young people in supermarkets offer to carry my groceries to the car. People defer to me at the doorway, stepping aside to allow me to go first. In my mailbox I find a deluge of mail, sometimes a couple of pieces a day to remind me of my years on the planet. I receive mail for such things as long-term care plans, cemetery plots, retirement planning, and senior dating services. At one point I used to let it bother me because I didn't like the constant reminders. Today I'm grateful that I'm still able to get to the mailbox to throw away the junk.

I also do things to keep my brain active. I manage a real estate portfolio. I work 40+ hours a week directing the affairs of the nonprofit I founded 19 years ago on the anniversary of my first year sober. I write on other projects. I manage our company's website and am constantly researching ways to improve our page ranking with Google. I do things to stay positive and improve my life.

After all I got sober to be happy, joyous and free. And mostly, by the grace of God, I've been able to accomplish that.